In all three of the stories, Holmes doesn’t unravel everything he knows to Watson, only when the time is right and Holmes has got somewhere in his mystery will he unravel what he has found out, this creates and suspense. Dr Watson feels the same way as the audience and this is what effects the readers, the audience doesn’t know what relevance some stunts pulled by Holmes are. Holmes, with his skill of disguise turns into an old man and hire people to start a fight, this is what interests the audience as when its revealed, the readers are amazed how Holmes though of such a thing to do.
When Holmes asks if Watson minds breaking the law, the readers know something thrilling is going to take place.
‘You don’t mind breaking the law?’
‘Not in the least’
‘Nor running a chance of arrest?’
‘Not in a good cause’
Oh, the cause is excellent!’
Then I am you man.’ (quote taken from A Scandal in Bohemia Pg.24)
Holmes doesn’t explain what he’s going to do in detail, the details he gives are vague but is enough information to create and sustain suspense. At this moment, readers may pause and try solving the mysteries themselves.
In ‘The Speckled Band’ when Sherlock Holmes is examining the bedroom, he senses that something is unusual about the room. He states a few points singling them out, the audience want to know what importance the things Holmes points out. Arthur Conan Doyle wanted to drop drop little hints to the readers who were trying to crack the mystery. Theses hints were here to ensure the readers interet, Conan Doyle sustained suspense as the magazines were issues on a weekly basis. The readers are also involved into the story as well, the little hints that Holmes gives, gets the readers guessing. Here are a few quotes taken from ‘The Speckled Band’ where Holmes feels there’s something unusual about the bell pull.
‘Where does that bell communicate with?’
‘Why, it’s a dummy’.
‘No, its not even attached to a wire. This is very interesting. You can see now that it is fastened to a hook just above where the little opening of the ventilator is.’
He sums up the bell pull in two words
‘Very strange!’
This is a sign in the story where the readers may think that Holmes is getting somewhere in the mystery. He has locked his focus onto a few things, this helps him to deduce how the lady’s step-daughter got murdered.
