Dr James Mortimor comes to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to seek their help with the Baskerville family of Devon. Sir Charles Baskerville, the last of his Baskerville family was an elderly man. He believed that there was a curse on the family. In 1647 his ancestor, Hugo Baskerville, had attempted to catch a young woman whom he carried off; the girl had died of fear while Hugo was killed by a gigantic hound. Sir Charles Baskerville died of a heart attack while apparently fleeing a gigantic hound. As he was unmarried with no heirs, his estate goes to his nephew, Henry Baskerville, of Canada who is arriving in London. Although Holmes is not superstitious he does decide to take the case. Upon meeting the heir, several odd things happen: an unsigned note is delivered to Henry Baskerville warning him to stay away from the moor; then Henry's shoes beginning missing and turning up; first a new shoe and then an old one; lastly Holmes spots a stranger in a cab following Henry and Dr Mortimor.