The Hound of the Baskervilles
Arthur Conan Doyle · 1902
This book is rated Ages 10+. It isn't available on your library card.
Sir Charles Baskerville lies dead at the gate of his moorland estate, and beside him are the footprints of a gigantic hound. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson must protect the young heir, Sir Henry, from the legend's curse -- or from someone using it.
A spooky detective story: the hound is frightening and there are deaths, but nothing is shown in gruesome detail.
Characters
Dr. Watson
Holmes's loyal friend and chronicler, a steady old army doctor sent to Dartmoor to guard Sir Henry and report every detail.
Sherlock Holmes
The brilliant detective of Baker Street, who calls the family legend a fairy tale but takes every small clue very seriously.
Sir Henry Baskerville
The young heir newly arrived from Canada, bold and hot-tempered, who refuses to let any threat keep him from his home.
Dr. Mortimer
A tall, absent-minded country doctor and friend of the late Sir Charles, who brings Holmes the strange Baskerville case.
The Hound
The huge, fiery black beast of the Baskerville legend, said to haunt the moor and hunt the family's men.
Barrymore
The tall, black-bearded butler of Baskerville Hall, who found Sir Charles and seems to be keeping secrets of his own.
Mrs. Barrymore
The butler's stern, silent wife, who keeps house at Baskerville Hall and is sometimes heard weeping in the night.
Stapleton
A prim, eager naturalist living near the Hall, who chases butterflies across the moor and knows its dangerous bogs well.
Beryl Stapleton
Stapleton's beautiful, dark-eyed sister, who seems strangely anxious to warn visitors away from the moor.
Selden
A savage escaped convict, the Notting Hill murderer, who is hiding somewhere out on the wild moor.
About the story
Dr. James Mortimer, a country doctor, comes to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at Baker Street with an old family manuscript and a frightening story. It tells of a curse on the Baskervilles of Devon: a huge, ghostly hound that has haunted them since wicked Hugo Baskerville's time. Sir Charles Baskerville has just been found dead in the yew alley of his estate, and near his body were the footprints of an enormous hound. Now the young heir, Sir Henry, has arrived from Canada to take up his inheritance. Holmes sends Watson with him to Baskerville Hall, out on the lonely moor.
Most of the story takes place on Dartmoor, a misty landscape of granite hills, bogs and old stone huts, where an escaped convict is also on the loose. Doyle sets the fear of a supernatural curse against Holmes's patient reasoning from small clues, such as a missing boot or a letter made of words cut from a newspaper. For much of the book, Watson leads the investigation himself.
First published in 1902, it is the best-known Sherlock Holmes novel and one of the most famous mysteries in English. Its atmosphere, steady suspense and clever plot have kept readers guessing for more than a century.
This is a condensed picture-book retelling in 60 illustrated pages, with about 23 minutes of synthetic-voice narration and pictures drawn for this edition by AI. Doyle's full original novel is free to read in the public domain and well worth reading too.
Adapted from The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (1902), public domain.
Questions
What is The Hound of the Baskervilles about?
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson look into the sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville and an old family legend about a ghostly hound. Their job is to protect the young heir, Sir Henry, when he moves into Baskerville Hall on the Devon moors.
Who is the main character?
Sherlock Holmes is the famous detective, but Dr. Watson tells the story and takes the lead for much of it, reporting to Holmes from Dartmoor. Sir Henry Baskerville, the new heir, is the man they are trying to keep safe.
Is The Hound of the Baskervilles suitable for children?
This edition is rated 10+. It is a spooky mystery with deaths, a frightening legend, an escaped murderer and moments of suspense, but it has no graphic detail, so it suits most readers aged ten and over.
How long does this edition take to read or listen to?
The narration lasts about 23 minutes over 60 illustrated pages, so most people can finish it in one sitting.
Is this the full book?
No. This is a condensed retelling that follows the main plot. Doyle's complete novel is in the public domain and free to read.
Read the text version: every page's caption, with its picture, on one page.
