Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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| via Wikipedia |
The Hound of the Baskervilles is the most famous Sherlock Holmes story. It was published after "The Final Problem," in which our favorite detective "dies," but it is set earlier in the timeline. Originally serialized from August 1901 - April 1902, The Hound recounts the tale of the aristocratic family Baskerville in Devonshire. Sir Charles is found dead, apparently from the shock of seeing the demonic dog which, according to legend, has haunted the family for generations. His nephew, Sir Henry, hires Holmes to dig for the truth and hopefully avoid a similar end himself.
The Hound is certainly stronger than the first two Holmes novels though I prefer the short stories so far. A comparison: it's easy to understand why Murder on the Orient Express is the most famous Agatha Christie story. It's amazing! Don't misunderstand, The Hound is still plenty good even if not obviously better than others. In fact, it provides an unusual opportunity for Watson development. For a long stretch, Holmes is absent from the narrative while our fair doctor does the leg work. Even so, the action definitely picks up once Sherlock shows.
Four more books to go...
Wonderful ! These were the first Agatha Christie books I read and so enjoyed.
ReplyDeletecheers
And cheers to you!
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