When Sir Charles Baskerville dies in somewhat mysterious circumstances, his friend enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes to not only investigate the death of Sir Charles, but to protect the heir to his estate, Henry Baskerville, from meeting a similar fate. With the help of Dr. Watson, Sherlock delves into the curse of a hellish hound that haunts the Baskerville family on the moors of Devonshire.
It’s always interesting to read a book that includes a cultural icon. I mentioned this in my review of Dracula, and the same idea holds here: it’s strange to think there was a time when Sherlock Holmes was new, and that people would read one of his mysteries not knowing much about the character. I’ve seen lots of movies and television shows depicting Sherlock (both in the original Victorian England and more modern settings) (and then, of course, The Great Mouse Detective) (yes, I’m high class), but I had never actually read any of his mysteries, and I decided it was high time to rectify that. The Hound of the Baskervilles was not Sherlock’s first appearance (in fact, it was written 8 years after Doyle killed him off in “The Final Problem”) but it is one of the more popular Sherlock Holmes novels, and hence readily available at my local library, so I started there.
Let me first say that there is a reason these stories are so popular. Doyle does a magnificent job of teasing out the plot, giving the reader small scenes of action to keep them reading through the slower sections that lay the groundwork for a final, suspenseful climax. It’s easy to see why these are bestsellers. And this novel has all you could want in a mystery: a mysterious death, concealed identity, a supernatural beast, family legends, eerie moors covered in fog. Perfect reading for a fall evening. Plus, it’s pretty short for a novel, making it a quick, mostly fast paced read. If you feel it start to drag, just push through for another chapter and you’ll find a bit of action or a reveal to get you through to the end. And the end is definitely worth getting to.
5 stars.
BOOKBURGER 