75 pages • 2-hour read
Arthur Conan DoyleA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.
Holmes is a private consulting detective who operates out of London. He possesses astounding deductive abilities and relies strictly on cold logic, physical evidence, and scientific reasoning to solve cases. He takes on the Baskerville mystery with clear skepticism toward the supernatural rumors, viewing the situation as a calculated earthly crime rather than a ghostly curse.
Best friend of Dr Watson
Protector of Sir Henry Baskerville
Investigator for Dr. Mortimer
Colleague of Lestrade
Employer of Cartwright
Investigator of Barrymore
A medical doctor and military veteran, Watson shares the Baker Street flat with Holmes. He documents their cases and frequently travels into the field to gather intelligence when Holmes is occupied in London. He brings a practical, courageous approach to the investigation and serves as Sir Henry's armed bodyguard during their stay at the isolated Baskerville Hall.
Partner of Sherlock Holmes
Companion to Sir Henry Baskerville
Associate of Dr. Mortimer
Acquaintance of Stapleton
Acquaintance of Beryl Stapleton
Acquaintance of Mr. Frankland
Associate of Lestrade
Sir Henry is a sturdy, pugnacious man in his thirties who recently arrived from Canada. As the nephew of Sir Charles, he is the last known heir to the Baskerville estate and its vast fortune. Despite the gloomy environment and the threats on his life, he insists on moving into his ancestral home and plans to modernize the property with electricity.
Nephew of Sir Charles Baskerville
Client of Sherlock Holmes
Ward of Dr Watson
Friend of Dr. Mortimer
Romantic admirer of Beryl Stapleton
Employer of Barrymore
Neighbor of Stapleton
Dr. Mortimer is a tall, thin surgeon with a beak-like nose who practices medicine in the rural area near Dartmoor. He was the personal physician to the late Sir Charles. He brings the case to Holmes out of genuine concern for Sir Henry, though he personally harbors fears that the hound legend might be supernatural.
Physician to Sir Charles Baskerville
Advisor to Sir Henry Baskerville
Client of Sherlock Holmes
Associate of Dr Watson
Stapleton is a slim, clean-shaven naturalist in his thirties who resides at Merripit House on the moor. He spends his days studying local plants and insects, possessing an unusual knowledge of the dangerous Grimpen Mire bogs. He acts as a welcoming, eccentric neighbor to the new residents of the Hall.
Brother of Beryl Stapleton
Neighbor of Sir Henry Baskerville
Acquaintance of Dr Watson
Associate of Laura Lyons
Beryl is an elegant, dark-complexioned woman from Costa Rica who lives at Merripit House. She is deeply anxious about the legends surrounding the moor and the danger they pose to the Baskerville heirs. She actively tries to push Sir Henry away for his own safety.
Barrymore is the tall, handsome, and thickly bearded butler of the Baskerville estate. He and his wife are longtime servants who intend to leave their posts once Sir Henry is settled. His solemn demeanor and strange habit of creeping around the empty upper floors at night arouse early suspicion.
Husband of Mrs. Barrymore
Employee of Sir Charles Baskerville
Employee of Sir Henry Baskerville
Secretly connected to Selden
Mrs. Barrymore is a large, heavy-featured housekeeper with a stern expression. Despite her stoic public demeanor, she is heard sobbing intensely in the middle of the night, indicating a deep, unshared sorrow. She handles domestic duties while harboring secrets regarding the surrounding moor.
Selden is a notorious convicted murderer who escaped from a nearby prison and survives in the harsh conditions of the moor. Described as feral and brutal, his presence forces the military to guard the train stations and creates tangible physical danger in the area.
Secretly connected to Mrs. Barrymore
Secretly connected to Barrymore
Laura is a beautiful woman living in the nearby village of Coombe Tracey. Estranged from a cruel husband, she runs a small typing business heavily subsidized by local benefactors. She arranged a meeting with Sir Charles on the night of his death but claims she never attended.
Inspector Lestrade is a small, wiry, bulldog-like detective from the London police force. He travels to Devonshire to lend official law enforcement authority to Holmes's private investigation.
Colleague of Sherlock Holmes
Colleague of Dr Watson
Cartwright is a young boy who works for a message delivery service in London. Holmes hires him to run errands, search for clues, and gather intelligence quietly. He later travels to the countryside to deliver supplies and messages.
Employee of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Charles is the recently deceased uncle of Sir Henry. He made a fortune in South Africa before returning to restore his ancestral home and donate to local charities. His failing heart and deep fear of his family's legendary curse culminated in his mysterious death near the moor gate.
Uncle of Sir Henry Baskerville
Friend of Dr. Mortimer
Employer of Barrymore
Benefactor of Laura Lyons
Descendant of Hugo Baskerville
Mr. Frankland is an elderly neighbor who enjoys initiating petty lawsuits against the local townsfolk and police. He spends his days scanning the desolate moorland with a telescope, hoping to spot the escaped convict or other trespassers.
Father of Laura Lyons
Acquaintance of Dr Watson
Hugo Baskerville is a notorious 17th-century ancestor of the Baskerville line. According to the manuscript, his cruel and drunken behavior during the English Civil War era led him to kidnap a maiden, an act that supposedly brought a demonic curse upon his bloodline.
Ancestor of Sir Charles Baskerville
Ancestor of Sir Henry Baskerville