Dr. James Mortimer
The doctor who brings the Baskerville legend to Baker Street.
Dr. James Mortimer is the man who brings the Baskerville case to Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles. In London in 1889 he calls on Holmes and Watson to ask for help, and begins by reading them a legend that has run in the Baskerville family since the English Civil War. He was a friend of the late Sir Charles Baskerville and is the executor of his will.
Quick Facts
- First appears
- The Hound of the Baskervilles
- Connection
- Friend of Sir Charles Baskerville
Lore & Background
Mortimer explains that Sir Charles, who took the legend very seriously and had a weak heart, was found dead in a yew alley with an expression of horror on his face. The death was put down to cardiac arrest, but Mortimer had secretly noticed large canine paw prints near the body. He fears it may not be wise to bring the heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, to Dartmoor, and he tells Holmes that the inheritance is worth about £740,000.
Reader's Guide
Mortimer travels to Dartmoor with Watson and Sir Henry. A neighbour, Mr. Frankland, threatens him with a lawsuit for excavating nearby barrows. Once the case is over, he and Sir Henry leave on a sea voyage to repair the baronet's shattered nerves.
More in Characters & Figures
Elsewhere in Sherlock Holmes
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced