Hello there!
I'm Steph and I ramble about nerdy things.
Today I'm going to ramble about The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
I have (for some reason) decided to change my book review approach. I'm basically just copying and pasting notes I take while I'm reading the book and then going to try and make them into something coherent. So if it seems a little messy, welcome to my brain. Well, a slightly more coherent version of my brain. I'll see how this works for me.
Warnings:
Death
Murder
Animal Deaths
As with all Sherlock Holmes stories and books (at least the ones I have read) this is in Dr. John Watson's point of view. Which I always liked.
Okay, so, Dr. Mortimer shows up at Sherlock's flat with a problem. It takes about three chapters for him to get to the actual problem. First, he tells a story (Old Guy Baskerville was a dick, and a hound from Hell or something killed him). Then talks about his dead friend (Charles Baskerville - who maybe saw the hound and died of fright?). And finally, The Problem, should he bring the last living Baskerville (Henry - he's Canadian) to the home when it might or might not be cursed? Sherlock tells him to come back the next day and he will have an answer for the doctor. Dr. Mortimer has an interest in skulls, by the way. No joke. I love it.
The doctor returns with Henry Baskerville the next day. And Sherlock is all "I don't know what you should do. You have a missing boot? Let's have lunch."
Finally (after another missing boot and a threatening letter) it is decided that Henry will go to Baskerville Hall. But he should take someone trustworthy with him. Not Sherlock. He's much too busy. He takes Watson, at Sherlock's suggestion. I just imagine Sherlock picking up Watson and handing him over like "here, take this."
After arriving at Devonshire, Watson meets the Stapletons. A brother and a sister. The sister, thinking he is Henry, tells him to leave. Which is suspicious.
"One page is missing." Where is that page Watson?!
I have read this book before. I have watched three different adaptations of this book. And I still cannot remember what happens.
Oh yeah, there is an escaped convict out there somewhere. Keep forgetting about him.
Henry develops an interest in the Stapleton sister. Which, her brother isn't too keen about at first, but then seems fine with it.
Some woman is crying at the Baskerville house at night. The butler, Mr. Barrymore says it's not his wife, who is the only woman in the place. Though, Mr. Barrymore is secretly watching the moor every night so not sure how trustworthy he is.
Oh yeah! The escaped convict is Mrs. Barrymore's brother! So there are a couple mysteries solved.
Henry and Watson decide they are going to catch the escaped convict, instead of, I dunno, contacting the police or something. It does not end well. They hear a Hound (maybe. It could be a strange bird!) And Watson sees the shadow of a man. Oh. And the convict gets away.
Oh, who could this strange man on the moor be?! *whispers* I know who it is. Oddly enough, back when I first read this book I guessed who it was. Made me feel quite smart.
Watson chats with a neighbor and gets a clue to where the Strange Man is hiding. So, Watson goes to confront the ruffian! Only to find out it is Sherlock. Because of course, it is.
Watson is super upset that Sherlock lied to him.
Wait! Stapleton's sister is really his wife?! And he has a "close intimacy" with that other lady?! How did I forget this?! He's the murderer. Dirty, lying murderer. Poor Henry is going to be devastated to know the lady he likes is married!
Well… Henry is dead…
False alarm. It was the convict. Remember him? Cause I fucking didn't…
Wait. Stapleton looks like the old Baskerville guy? Plot twist! (I had to know this, right? I have read this book before…)
Sherlock uses Henry as bait and discovers Stapleton was using a great Hound as a murder weapon. He also tied up his wife to keep her from foiling his plans.
The last chapter has Sherlock summarizing the entire case. Which was nice because there were a few details that Watson didn't know.
And that's the book. I left out some bits (like Stapleton's motive) for reasons. Reasons that might or might not be that I forgot all the details.
I really like Sherlock Holmes stuff. They're fun reads and I always get over-excited when I figure out something before Watson or Sherlock.
That's all for this week. If you like my ramblings, considering to donating to my Ko-fi so I can buy more books (and things for my cats...)
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