The Hound of the Baskervilles

Legend has it that the baronets of Baskerville suffer under the curse of a giant, demonic hound that haunts the moors around their manor and, now and again, takes the life of one of them. Indeed, something terrifying roams the region, howling at all hours. Potentially responsible for a recent death, the creature threatens to kill yet again. Sherlock Holmes brings his scientific reasoning to bear on the case, winning the day by pitting logic against superstition. AD

The story contrasts the organized, logical world of London with the lonely, eerie, mysterious moors around Baskerville Hall. The ancient Hall itself—dark and decrepit, its walls covered with the portraits of distant ancestors—heightens the sense of mystery and creeping horror. The chill of autumn, falling leaves, the darkening month of October, and the pale, ghostly moonlight upon the desolate moorland combine to create a gnawing sense of fear. Hovering over these unsettling features floats the old legend of a terrifying, deadly hound.

The haunted mood encourages thoughts of old, disturbing folklore and belief in demonic spirits. Stories and fears often blend to make something seem supernatural that is merely unusual. Against these stands Holmes, a person of the industrial age who relies on calm reason and careful deduction.