A report from the book of Sherlock Holmes – The Hounds of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The story begins with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson; in his office in London. They examine a cane left in the office by an unidentified visitor. The arrival of Mortimer who presents them with a document, dated 1742, which reveals the legend of the Baskerville curse. Hugo Baskerville arranged with a local girl, whom he kidnapped. The girl escaped and Hugo makes a deal with the devil and sends his bloodhounds to look for her. His friends find the bodies of both. Since then, a beast has haunted the Baskerville family. He had just killed Charles Baskerville. Mortimer came by to ask what to do about Henry, mentioning Charles’s brother Roger, who is believed to be dead. Henry had been warned by an anonymous note. Then Henry claims his boot was stolen. Holmes suspects that someone is following him and he is right. Henry’s decision to go to Devonshire causes Holmes to send Watson as well. The group meets with the police, looking for an escaped con man. Watson hears a woman crying that night. They ask Barrymore about it. Watson discovers that she is lying. He learns that the telegram was delivered to Mrs. Barrymore and her husband claimed to be upstairs.

Mr. Stapleton appears, calling Watson’s name. Stapleton points out the danger of the place, mentioning the mud. Watson then meets with Miss Stapleton. She believes that he is Henry and tells him to go back to London and not tell her brother anything. Later, after learning that he is Watson, she tells him to forget her warning and tries to convince him that she was worried about the curse.

Watson reports on the escaped scam, which no one has seen for two weeks, and on the relationship between Henry and Miss Stapleton, and that Mr. Stapleton seems unhappy about it. He mentions having met Mr. Frankland from Lafter Hall. Watson tells how Barrymore confesses that he himself did not receive the cable. He is awakened by footsteps outside his door and someone sneaking down the hall. Watson suspects that he is having an affair, which would explain his wife crying. Henry’s affair with Miss Stapleton causes her to yell and act strangely. Later, Mr. Stapleton apologizes for her behavior.

Watson and Henry confront the butler. Mrs. Barrymore arrives and explains everything. The escaped con man is her brother, and they’ve been feeding him. Henry and Watson go to capture the man. On their way, they hear the loud moan of a wolf. They find where the scam is hiding. The man escapes, but Watson sees a different figure, but it quickly disappears. They agree not to tell the police, and Barrymore thanks them by giving them another lead on Sir Charles. He that he went to the door the night he died to meet a woman, and speaks of a letter, signed LL

Watson learns that Laura Lyons, daughter of Frankland, who married against her father’s wishes, and that both her husband and father abandoned her. The shadow, Selden has seen her and tells her that the man lives in a shack and receives his food from a child. Laura admits that she wrote to him about her and that it was Stapleton who told her about her. He asks her what happened that night, but she says that she missed the date and refuses to say why, adding that she got help from someone else.

Watson looks for the stranger and finds the cabin, and there he awaits his return, it is Holmes. He then explains why he lied to Watson. He reveals that Laura and Mr. Stapleton had an affair and that his sister is really his wife. Holmes recounts his search for Stapleton’s past. They hear a scream on the moor. When Stapleton sees that the body is not Henry and acts strangely. A portrait reveals a comparison between Hugo and Stapleton, giving a clear motive. Holmes tells Henry that they are going to London and tells Henry to trust him. They’re going to tell Laura about the Stapleton marriage. She reveals that he had offered to marry her if he divorced her, but that he would need Charles’ help. He wrote Laura’s letter to Charles and then insisted that she not go.

The detectives hide and a thick fog settles. They hear the hound and shoot at him but are not killed, then he jumps on Henry but Holmes shoots more and the hound falls. They find that it is covered in phosphor to make it glow. They knew that the glow of the hound was what scared Sir Charles to death. Finding Mrs. Stapleton bound and gagged, she tells them about her husband’s hideout and she leads them through the mud. They find in a nearly submerged black boot that was Sir Henry’s. Stapleton’s prints are gone and they decide that the mud has killed him.

Back in London, Henry and Mortimer visit them to find out all the details of the case. Stapleton was actually the son of Roger Baskerville, and that he went to Devonshire to plot his fate in the Baskerville estate. Stapleton took his wife with him to London, where he followed Henry and she tried to warn him. She stole one of Henry’s shoes to give the bloodhound a scent of him. Holmes then claims that the letter smelled like perfume and that the thought of a woman made him think of the Stapletons and how she used Henry to trap Stapleton. Mrs. Stapleton warned Henry but did not reveal her husband. When Henry came to dinner, he realized that he had his bloodhound in the latrine and confronted him. He told her about her relationship with Laura, she reacted and he tied her up and gagged her. The only thing left unexplained is how Stapleton intended to claim the fortune. Holmes has a guess, but admits that he cannot foresee the future.