A review by alleseter
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

4.0

The first Sherlock Holmes novel after the character's resurrection after Doyle killed him is also the most famous of them all. This may be because besides the detective ingredients there are elements of gothic horror, and Holmes's rationalism is nicely played against superstitions. The Dartmoor setting (which Doyle makes a much more grim place than the real thing) is a welcome deviation from London, although quite a bit of the novel takes place there, too. Surprisingly, Holmes is absent for six chapters, and his sidekick Watson takes the center stage. The narration, too, is original, also using Watson's letters and diary entries to tell the story. The mystery plot is revealed before the finale, but the finale itself doesn't disappoint. The result is a very enjoyable novel. Unfortunately, this penguin edition knows too many notes and an introduction that reveals way too much, apparently assuming that the reader already knows the story. So the reader should skip the introduction before reading, lest the mystery be spoiled.