# Dr. James Mortimer — The Hound of the Baskervilles character guide > Dr. James Mortimer in The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** James Mortimer, Dr. Mortimer, Mortimer, James, Dr. James Mortimer **First appearance:** 0002-i-mr-sherlock-holmes ## Snapshot The earnest country doctor who carries a dead man's legend to Baker Street and a living heir back to Dartmoor. ## Who they are Mortimer is the old-fashioned practitioner whose worn Penang lawyer and C.C.H. presentation stick tell Holmes everything before the man even speaks. He is scholarly, superstitious in a careful way, and genuinely frightened for Sir Henry, which is why he brings the case to London at all. He bridges the two worlds of the novel — the rational consulting room and the fog-bound moor — and his trust in Holmes sets the investigation in motion. ## Relationships ### [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sherlock_holmes) _professional_ Mortimer consults Holmes professionally about the Baskerville case, bringing the legend and facts to his attention. ### [Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_henry_baskerville) _professional_ Mortimer acts as the family physician and advisor to Sir Henry, helping him settle into his inheritance. ### [Sir Charles Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_charles_baskerville) _friendship_ Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death. ### [Mrs. Barrymore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/mrs_barrymore) _social_ Mortimer knows Mrs. Barrymore as the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, interacting with her during his visits. ### [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sherlock_holmes) _professional_ Mortimer consults Holmes professionally about the Baskerville case, bringing the legend and facts to his attention. ### [Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_henry_baskerville) _professional_ Mortimer acts as the family physician and advisor to Sir Henry, helping him settle into his inheritance. ### [Sir Charles Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_charles_baskerville) _friendship_ Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death. ### [Mrs. Barrymore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/mrs_barrymore) _social_ Mortimer knows Mrs. Barrymore as the housekeeper at Baskerville Hall, interacting with her during his visits. ### [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sherlock_holmes) _professional_ Mortimer consults Holmes professionally about the Baskerville case, bringing the legend and facts to his attention. ### [Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_henry_baskerville) _professional_ Mortimer acts as the family physician and advisor to Sir Henry, helping him settle into his inheritance. ### [Sir Charles Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/sir_charles_baskerville) _friendship_ Mortimer was a close friend and physician to Sir Charles, deeply affected by his mysterious death. ## In the story ### [The Hound of the Baskervilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles) Visits Holmes to share the details of Sir Charles's death and the family legend. ### [I: Mr. Sherlock Holmes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/i-mr-sherlock-holmes) Visits Holmes to consult on a serious problem; described as tall, thin, with a beaked nose and gold-rimmed glasses; a man of science with an interest in skulls. ### [The Curse of the Baskervilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/ii-the-curse-of-the-baskervilles) Visits Holmes with the manuscript and newspaper, recounts Sir Charles's fears and the events leading to his death. ### [III: The Problem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/iii-the-problem) Consults Holmes about Sir Charles's death and the Baskerville curse, expresses fear for Sir Henry's safety, and agrees to bring Sir Henry to meet Holmes. ### [IV: Sir Henry Baskerville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/iv-sir-henry-baskerville) Accompanies Sir Henry to Holmes, recounts the Baskerville case, and expresses amazement at Holmes's deductions. ### [Three Broken Threads](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/v-three-broken-threads) Startled to learn he was followed; provides information about Barrymore and the Baskerville will; reveals he inherited a thousand pounds from Sir Charles. ### [Baskerville Hall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/vi-baskerville-hall) Accompanies Sir Henry; discusses the landscape and Sir Charles's head shape; assures Holmes they were not followed. ### [X: Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/x-extract-from-the-diary-of-dr-watson) Gives Watson a lift in his dogcart, troubled by the disappearance of his spaniel, and identifies Mrs. Laura Lyons as Frankland's daughter. ### [XI: The Man on the Tor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/xi-the-man-on-the-tor) Mentioned as having stayed late with Sir Henry playing cards. ### [XV: A Retrospection](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/chapters/xv-a-retrospection) Also in London with Sir Henry, having called on Holmes and Watson. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters/dr_james_mortimer - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_hound_of_the_baskervilles/characters