Examine the methods used by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to maintain the reader's interest in the murder mystery, 'The Speckled Band'.

Watson on the other hand as a narrator, is not very sharp compared to Holmes and is only there to clarify things for the reader as he is on the same wave length as them, we can see this when he says to Holmes 'I see dimly what you are hinting at.' He is there to clarify things for the reader. We know He has a very close relationship with Holmes as they share the same house. Watson can see how clever Holmes is in comparison to himself and admires him for this. Holmes is his role model and he always looks up to him as he hopes to be as sharp as Holmes one day and be in the same position that he is. He goes on the cases to learn and is there to keep Holmes company and bounce ideas off. As far as the way the story is written by him it is wrote with suspense throughout which is crucial, he uses good adjectives throughout and describes everything so precisely and with such detail. He writes so that every character is one of its own and very different from another. As a reader you get a wonderful feel for each character and you feel like you're in the story and part of the mystery.

There are two victims that are involved in this pacific plot. They are Helen and Julia Stoner, in spite of this Julia has been unfortunate to loose her life already. That is why Helen has come to Holmes for help, to try and save her own life. When the reader finds out about the death of Julia's death, there comes across a sense of intrigue, and suspicion, of how her death occurred. When we first meet the character, Helen Stoner, the first thing that is observed about her is the way she is dressed, all black and heavily veiled, tells the reader that she is hiding something and is terrified. She also comes across as being very worried and in fear of what though, we are not yet sure. Although her figure was described of those of a thirty year old, her features such as her hair was described like she was an old woman as it says, 'her hair was a shot of grey.' It also goes on to say how her face was all drawn and that she had frightened eyes. She speaks as if Holmes was her last hope, as she says 'I will go mad if this continues.' She then goes on to speak about the gypsies being her main suspect and speaking less of her step-father as if she was protecting him. She describes in great detail about what she heard on the night of her sisters killing and how she reacted to this, to Holmes and Watson. The reader expects that she is almost definitely going to be killed next.

Conan Doyle presents Dr Grimesby to be the main suspect. He convinces the reader by saying, 'you are not telling me all.... you are screening your stepfather.' He is then described by Helen to be a, 'hard man.' The way he has followed Helen to Holmes is also suspicious. His facial appearance is then described to be those of an evil man for it says he was 'tall, had a large face, seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow, with sun marked with every evil passion.' It then continues to go on about his 'bile-shot eyes and his thin fleshless nose,' which gave him the resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey. It is also a typical, yet very well detailed example of a villain/murderer .He spoke abrupt and very rudely to Holmes and Watson. He asked many questions to them, some which he screamed. He called Holmes a, 'meddler ... a scoundrel.' Then goes on, to more insults, such as, 'a busy body, the Scotland Yard jack-in-office.' Holmes is amused by this conversation, as it says 'he chuckled heartily.' He then becomes even more aggressive as he addresses the pair in a malicious way, telling them he is the wrong man to be messing with as he is, 'very dangerous.' Before leaving he picked up a poker and, 'bent it into a curve.' This tells us that he was mad, that they were medalling in his business, for what ever reason, and has some fear about him as he seems to be hiding something. It doesn't appear that Helen and her stepfather have a good relationship as such as she is scared of him and went behind his back to Holmes and Watson as she feared her safety. It seems after this that Holmes has made up his mind one hundred percent. But does not wish to tell Helen what he thought, to protect her as it might have frightened her.

The plot throughout was very ingeniously thought up of by Conan Doyle. The anticipation throughout the story was outstanding and from the beginning it made you want to read the whole story as quick as you could to found out what happened to Julia and what was going to happen to Helen. The way in which he incorporated the red-herrings, the gypsies, made you think that in more than one point in the story they were suspects in the murder investigation. It was very well thought up of, about the speckled band. As the reader thought the speckled band was the gypsies hanker chief that they wear around there heads but in the end we found out that it had nothing to do with that, and that it was to do with the snake. As it says, '.....the squat diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent.' appeared.

It was clever how Holmes recognised, the newer things that had been added to the girls bedroom such as, the draw string, the ventilator and how the bed had been bolted to the floor. This is what added the mystery to the story, as these are the major things that allowed the murder to take place. These things had the reader contemplate, what they had to do with the murder, and how it could have actually happened. It was very suspicious of how she could have been murdered when there was no way possible that anyone could have got in the room as it was, secure. The windows were, 'bolted and the door locked,' with a key from the inside. Also the strange noises that were heard, such as the whistle and the loud clang of metal. The suspense when Holmes and Watson stayed in the room that night were so tense and full of suspense as you had no idea what as going to happen with them. There was so many questions going round you're your head as a reader, were they going to get caught by her step-father? Were they going to get killed? Or were they going to catch the murderer? You had no idea what so ever that is what got the adrenalin pumping. The way that they sat there waiting for what was about to happen, grew so tense then when they heard the whistle.

It was a coincidence how Helen was made to move into her sister's room where she died as there was no real need for her to, also how she had heard the same whistling noise as her, one night, and finally how her sister was killed just before she was due to be married and the same things are happening now Helen is due to be married. This really makes Helen fear for her safety. It was also strange how it says that because the sisters were twins, 'she felt in her soul,'

that night that something terrible had happened. The way Holmes had maintained about the ventilator being there but her sister being able to smell the cigar smoke, what was strange though was that the ventilator did not ventilate, so it was strange how she smelt it, so Holmes very intelligently thought that it must open somehow for her to of smelt it. This is when he first associated the bell pull with the ventilator. This was a very effective technique that was thought up to link all these things together.

Conan Doyle first introduces frightening details when he mentions about the setting of Stoke Moran with its house and grounds. 'The building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high central portion, and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, thrown out on each side.' This description is of a typical eerie building and makes the reader feel apprehensive. There is a nervous feel that you get when Holmes and Watson describe of such a horrible creature then as they walk across the lawn, they describe what they see as being, 'a hideous and distorted child.' this quote makes you, as a reader, feel enormously anxious. So when you find out that it was not a child but one of the doctors, 'unusual,' pets you are filled with relief. It was horrific when you heard Julia's scream that night of her murder and how Helen describes their souls as being broken. Her death was so dreadful, the way she was described as being, '...blanched with terror, her hands groping for help, and her whole figure swaying to and fro like a drunkard.' This sends a shiver down your spine as

You read about this death and it makes you feel almost saddened, even though you already know she is dead. Dr Grimesby Roylott's death on the other hand was more unanticipated than anything else, as you did not think this was going to happen that is why it was like a bolt from the blue when the, 'horrible cry,' from him took place, the words, 'it swelled up louder and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled into one.' this is a deepened description of a gruesome death.

The twist in the ending had to be when the doctor's plan back fired and the snake killed him with his poison. You would have never thought that that was going to happen in a million years. It was very witty how Conan Doyle come up with this ending, as it really had the reader feeling taken aback, by the unexpected end to the story. It was satisfying though to no that the Doctor got what he deserved, and you felt like justice was reached.

Conan Doyle's techniques were very pleasing throughout. The reader's interest was without a doubt maintained the whole time throughout. I found the story to be without a doubt outstanding and of a very high standard. The style of murder mystery writing has not really changed up until this present day. Many of Sherlock Holmes' more successful stories have been made into thriving, television programmes and films, which has been proven to be a great success throughout the years, using similar plots and characters.