Bestselling author James Lovegrove has penned a number of Sherlock Holmes novels, one of many writers who have done so. What separates him with this latest effort is that he is attempting to continue the tale of what is arguably the most popular book written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.

I am an actor and a huge Holmes fan --- he is my all-time favorite fictional character --- and I had the opportunity to portray him in a staging of “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” Needless to say, I have a firm grasp on the source material but feel that time should be devoted here to inform those who may not be as familiar with Doyle’s original text. Sir Henry Baskerville, an American, fears that he is about to become a victim of the infamous Baskerville curse that has haunted his family for generations. In his case, he thinks there is some sort of beast --- a cross between a dog and a wolf --- that is hungry for his throat, and it’s just a matter of time before his Hell-Hound gets to him.

"James Lovegrove has a nice grasp of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing style, and it is easy for readers to fall into this tale and become consumed by it."

Sherlock Holmes and his colleague, Dr. John Watson, immediately look into both the historical legend of the Baskerville family and evidence that there may be a creature out there gunning for Sir Henry. Holmes, who is gone for most of the story, is actually out combing the fields of Dartmoor for proof of any kind. He is far too logical to fall easy prey to any supernatural explanation for what is troubling Sir Henry and makes it a point to blend into the surrounding hills to find out everything he can.

In the end, there was a beast, but it was the product of the naturalist and amateur scientist Jack Stapleton and his wife. At the conclusion of the first tale, Stapleton perished as his body was swallowed up by the Great Grimpen Mire. Now, approximately five years later, Holmes and Watson are visited at 221B Baker Street in London by a large African American man. Corporal Benjamin Grier is a Freemason and former infantryman with the 25th Infantry Regiment, as well as a Masonic Brother of Sir Henry.

Grier decided he would spend some of his leave time catching up with Brother Baskerville at his estate. Upon arriving there, he was greeted with much hostility as Sir Henry would not drop his rifle, which was aimed directly at him. It was then that Grier learned that Sir Henry’s wife, Audrey, had been murdered on the Dartmoor hills. Puncture wounds were found on her body, and every single drop of blood had been drained from her lifeless corpse. Sir Henry now felt that the Baskerville curse had resurfaced and that Stapleton may have returned from the dead to exact revenge against him. He is now holed up at Baskerville Hall with his toddler son, Harry. Grier knew of the happenings that took place there five years earlier and feels the only person he can turn to is the legendary Sherlock Holmes.

Holmes reluctantly agrees to help, but Watson stays in London as he cannot tear himself away from his budding medical practice. So Holmes and his new partner set out to determine exactly what happened to Audrey and why Sir Henry felt this was part of the curse. They are able to get him to relent and actually let them inside his manor so they can ease his mind a bit and help get to the bottom of what is happening. Instead of a Hell-Hound, the creature alleged to have attacked and so brutally killed Lady Baskerville was some type of man-sized moth, also rumored to have taken down cattle in the area.

We know that Holmes is not ready to believe supernatural explanations, but when he sees a shadow of this giant moth-like being against the moonlight and battering at the windows of Baskerville Hall, he leaves his mind open to the possibility that something beyond logical understanding might be going on.

James Lovegrove has a nice grasp of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing style, and it is easy for readers to fall into this tale and become consumed by it. The suspense and action never let up, and it all culminates in a great showdown in the jungles of Costa Rica and even a shout-out to one of Holmes’ most legendary adversaries. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BEAST OF THE STAPLETONS is a fun read, and Lovegrove dedicates it to Holmesians and Sherlockians everywhere in recognition of their passionate admiration and enduring support for the deeds of the Great Detective and his ally.