The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

It is the third and most famous novel by Arthur Conan Doyle, with Sherlock Holmes as the main character. It is considered one of his best stories. Here you can download a COPY of The Hound of the Baskervilles in PDF.

This mystery novel was published in installments between 1901 and 1902 and is set in a county in the west of England, Devon.

After making a trip to South Africa, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote this work inspired by the legend of Richard Cabell, who lived in the 17th century and is believed to have killed his wife.

Legend has it that when he died and was buried a ghost in the shape of a dog appeared near the tomb.

The Hound of the Baskervilles in PDF

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Summary of The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Charles Baskerville has been found dead on Devonshire Moor. The old baronet was very wealthy and the autopsy revealed that he died of a heart attack.

His friend, Dr. James Mortimer, seeks help and advice from Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, as he had found a mysterious writing about the Baskerville family and at the scene of the death there were hound tracks.

The writing dates from 1742 and narrates a legend from the year 1600. It tells the story of an ancestor named Sir Hugo Baskerville, who had fallen in love with a girl, the daughter of a neighbor who owned land near the Baskerville estate.

The man kidnaps her and takes her to a room in his house. One day, he discovers, while he is with his friends, that the girl is not there.

He went out to look for her, crossing the moor, ready to sell his soul to the devil to get her back. They found her, but near her was a very large hound that attacked Hugo Baskerville and bit his neck, killing him instantly.

Some of his friends died of panic and others never found peace as long as they lived.

This hound is said to haunt the Baskervilles. Each of them has had terrible and very bloody deaths.

However, Sherlock learned that there were no signs of violence on Sir Charles’s body and believes that before he died he entered his house again, for some reason.

Dr. Mortimer tells the detective that Sir Charles had a brother who lived in Paris and would soon appear in Devonshire. His name is Henry Baskerville and the doctor fears for his life.

Sherlock Holmes agrees to investigate the case.

FAQ about The Hound of the Baskervilles

Who killed the Hound of the Baskervilles?

Sherlock and Watson are very impressed when they arrive on the moor and see Henry Baskerville dead, with an expression of horror, apparently, he was running away from something or someone.

However, as they approach, they discover that it was actually Selden, a convicted criminal, who had died.

What did the legend of the Baskervilles tell?

The legend tells the story of the despicable Hugo Baskerville, who was killed by a huge hound, on the moor, while trying to retrieve a young lady he himself had kidnapped and who was trying to run away from the abusive man.

What is the curse of the Baskervilles?

The Baskerville family is apparently the victim of a centuries-old curse. A hound appears to them just before they die and attacks them.

This is probably what happened to Sir Charles Baskerville and it is the case that Sherlock Holmes investigates to find the real culprit.

Who was the one behind all the murders and why was he killing the Baskervilles?

Stapleton, the son of Rodger Baskerville and nephew of Charles, had married in Costa Rica, but because he stole public money he was persecuted. He returned to England, where he learned of his family’s fortune.

So, he trained a wild dog, and turned it into a murderous beast to kill every living relative, to keep the inheritance for himself.