Jim Nelson – A Man Named Baskerville (2022)

Preamble

If you’re interested in reading my academic work about detective and crime fiction (free PDFs available), check it out here. Or you can take a look at my short story collection of cosy mysteries featuring Victorian “lady detective” Meinir Davies; order now!

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See also

These lists capture other stories and characters that I thought of as I was reading this piece. I won’t explain why, to avoid spoilers, but they’re associations and not ‘if you liked this, then you’ll love…’ recommendations!

• The Meinir Davies Casebook
• The Hound of the Baskervilles!
• Anthony Horowitz’s The House of Silk

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Review

Having written a rewriting of one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes stories (The Adventure of the Red Circle), of course I’m interested in a novel-length retelling of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

I particularly appreciated the attention to detail in this novel, from the South American setting that dominates the early parts of the story to the small details from the original novel that contribute both to the period setting and the joy of a Holmes enthusiast. Rodger Baskerville, perpetrator of the hoax hound, is our protagonist here, and a desire for revenge propels him around South America, from his native Brazil, until he finds his way across the Atlantic to seek out—and either embrace or destroy—his father’s family.

The story hangs together well, intersecting enough with the canonical story that it retains its connection to the Holmes universe, unlike some examples of this genre, which can deviate excessively from their starting point. I enjoyed Watson particularly, here, when he appeared ‘on screen’. It was interesting to see the con-man’s persona in construction, and the relationships that sustain him for so long before the revenge quest destroys even the honour among thieves. Although a little slow in places, dwelling slightly overlong on the protagonist’s inner monologue, this is a good addition to the growing collection of stories that bring alternative perspectives to Holmes and Conan Doyle’s original stories.

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Take a look at my short story collection featuring Victorian “lady detective” Meinir Davies; order now!