The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (1902)

The greatest Sherlock Holmes novel. A spectral hound stalks the Baskerville family on the fog-shrouded moors of Devon. Is the curse supernatural, or is there a human villain? Holmes investigates the most atmospheric and terrifying case of his career.

Historical Significance:
Doyle wrote The Hound after a friend, journalist Bertram Fletcher Robinson, told him legends of ghostly hounds on Dartmoor. Published in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it was technically set before Holmes' death at Reichenbach Falls (Doyle had killed him off in 1893), allowing Doyle to capitalize on Holmes' popularity without committing to reviving him — though he eventually did.

The Strand's circulation doubled during serialization. The novel perfectly blends Gothic horror with rational detection. The image of a glowing hound bounding across moonlit moors is one of the most vivid in all detective fiction.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1902. Free to read and share.