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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a macabre tale of horror from Robert Louis Stevenson. Summary of the Book On a weekly walk with his relative, Enfield, John Utterson didn’t expect to hear him relate a most curious story. Enfield encountered a man trampling a young girl who accidently bumped into him. Spotting Enfield as he came to help the girl, the man ran away. Enfield chased the man and brought him back to the girl and her family. They demanded that the man pay 100 pounds to prevent them from spreading word of his sinistrous behaviour. The man, who called himself Edward Hyde, led them to a building under construction and disappeared. He reappeared with 10 pounds in gold and a cheque for the rest. The cheque was drawn on the name of a respectable gentleman, Dr. Henry Jekyll. This surprises Mr. Utterson, since Dr. Jekyll is an old friend and client of his. Moreover, Dr. Jekyll had recently gathered much attention due to the sudden change in his will. He named Mr. Hyde the sole benefactor in the event of his demise or disappearance for a period of more than three months. Mr. Utterson immediately begins to suspect Mr. Hyde is blackmailing Dr. Jekyll somehow, and seeks out the nefarious man. He is astonished to find that Mr. Hyde is horribly ugly, almost deformed. Mr. Utterson feels repulsed by Hyde, and he decides to take the matter up with Dr. Jekyll. However, the Doctor anxiously tells him that the matter with Hyde is completely in order and that Hyde should be left alone. However, a year later, Mr. Hyde is once again in the eye of the storm as he is the main suspect in a murder investigation. Dr. Jekyll claims that he has cut off the diabolical Mr. Hyde, but the facts that Utterson begins to notice all point directly at the doctor’s own involvement in the murder. Who is the infamous Mr. Hyde and what leverage does he have against Dr. Jekyll? About Robert Louis Stevenson R. L. Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, travel writer and essayist. Some of his other famous novels are Kidnapped and Treasure Island. The above title has been adapted several times for theatre and film, most recently in 2008 starring Dougray Scott, Tom Skerritt, and Krista Bridges.