Miss Helen Stoner's problem turns out to be quite similar to that of Miss Mary Sutherland in 'A Case of Identity'. Both these ladies are being misused for their money by their legal guardians. In Miss Sutherland's case, her stepfather gets away his mischief as 'the law cannot touch [him]; knowledge of this case may intrigue the reader into wanting to know whether the results will also be the same on this occasion.
Helen Stoner then starts her story with only vague details of her dilemma. Her lack of precision can be said to be deliberate on the part of the author as it gives rise to questions like 'Why can’t she stand the strain no longer'? How is she being strained? Who is 'he' who cares for her? Why has she aged so quickly? What is the 'terror' and 'fear' that makes her shiver? Similarly, Arthur Conan Doyle takes focus to comment on the clients 'weary and haggard' expression rather than the actual case so as to give as little 'mystery-solving' information as possible but still maintain the readers interest through arousing their concern for Miss Stoner's situation. This prompts the reader to read on and find out how Holmes can be of assistance to this woman and help 'throw a little light through the dense darkness which surrounds [her]'. Miss Stoner’s 'fears [that] are so vague, suspicions[that] depend entirely on small points, are trivial' are a key feature of Holmes' method of solving the case with his deductive reasonings and observations. He uses this method in many; if not all of his cases as he himself informs us that it 'has been a long axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important' ('A Case of Identity').
The client comments that the true cause of her sister's death has still not been established and that the coroner investigated 'the matter with great care… but he was unable to find any satisfactory cause of death', which makes the case appear all the more intriguing to the reader. Her earlier remarks that she has come to Holmes as a last resort on the recommendation of Mrs Farintosh indicate Holmes' fame as a successful detective. This 'fact' is reiterated in all the stories as one always comes across a reference in them to a satisfied client from royalty such as 'A Scandal in Bohemia'.
More specifically, Sherlock Holmes' reputation rests on two key skills, namely his exceptional powers of observation and analysis. Since 1887, people have been reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries to discover just exactly how his brilliant and enigmatic mind works. In the 'Adventures', Arthur Conan Doyle impresses upon the readers, client and Watson the detectives 'unique talents' and powers of deduction as after just one of his quick; all comprehensive glances he learns a lot about the client. In this instance, Holmes notes that 'the left arm of [her] jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven places' and he observes that the 'the second half of a return ticket in the palm of [her] palm'. From only this little information, Holmes is able to ''logically'' deduce that the lady has 'come in by train' and that she 'had a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads'. Due to Sherlock Holmes’ extraordinary skills and mysterious character, readers tend to identify more with his faithful sidekick Watson than with the detective himself. The standard feature in Holmes mysteries is that the reader doesn't understand Holmes and his methods until he explains them at the end. In the meantime, Watson's concerns are the readers concern.
In addition to the unique character of the master detective, Arthur Conan Doyle uses a number of unusual characters and crimes to maintain the readers interest in the 'Adventures'. In 'The Speckled Band', Dr. Royletts character intrigues the reader and creates interest and tension because of his violence and bad temper, as well as his family history of insanity. The reader is told that the stepfather sometimes took out his anger onto his daughters which is subsequently proved when Holmes sees 'five little vivid spots, the marks of four fingers and a thumb, were printed upon [Helen's] white wrist'. It is then clear to the reader that the stepfather's ill treatment is why Helen's 'hair [is] shot with premature grey' and yet despite his brutal conduct, Helen doesn’t speak badly of her stepfather and tries to mention him as little as possible in her story. The reader questions ''Why? Is she scared of her stepfather? Will he hurt her if he finds out she consulted Holmes?'' The threat of violence and possible murder further reinforces the drama and makes the need to solve the crime all more pressing.
At the beginning of Helen's narrative the mood is far from light-hearted but as more details about her circumstances emerge, particularly when she mentions her sister's death, it becomes increasingly tense, frightening and ominous. Roylett's unexpected arrival at Holmes' flat adds to the thrill and excitement of the adventure. Once again the writer takes care to make very vivid descriptions of the characters in his stories to enthral the reader. Dr Roylett, we are told is as 'a huge man' with a face 'marked with every evil passion … while his deep-set, bile-shot eye, and high thin fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey'.
After inspecting Helen's house at Stoke Moran, Holmes notes a few items, which the reader takes as clues such as the milk, lash and ventilator. Questions arise as to what these items have to do with the case, which the reader is unable to answer due to the insufficient information given to them by the author. Similarly, following the inspection Holmes gives rather mysterious orders to Watson and Helen. These also leave the reader in the dark and with no choice but to read on to the end of the story to find explanation for Holmes' behaviour, as well as an answer to the question ''What has Holmes seen that the reader/ Watson haven’t?''
Towards the end of the story mystery and suspense is created by the dark setting and Holmes and Watson's surreptitious entry into Miss Stoner's house, and heightened when Holmes warns Watson that any 'least sound would be fatal to the plan'. His earlier request that Watson bring his revolver, has in much the same effect as when he asks the latter, to put his army revolver in his pocket in 'The Red-Headed League' as 'there may be some danger' in that it increases the tension and suspense. Conan Doyle's use of the loaded word, 'fatal' plays upon and deepens the reader's interest and concern. The reader has already seen and heard what a dangerous, uncaring and harsh man Roylett is; he 'beat his native butler to death, and narrowly escaped a capital sentence', he beats up his daughters and perhaps 'he hardly knows his own strength'. Thus, he/ she is made to think that both Watson and Holmes have their lives at stake and that any error or misjudgement on Holmes' part could be tragic. Hence, the atmosphere of the story is by this stage charged with tension and fear.
Holmes then proceeds to clarify upon the whole mystery and reveal the ''elementary'' reasoning which has brought it to a close. It is customary for the detective to only reveal his methods at this point to keep the reader in suspense till the very end. The precise nature of the crime and criminal are then identified and with almost all Sherlock Holmes’ stories, the culprit is brought to justices and Holmes emerges as the triumphant sleuth and saviour. The reader sees how Holmes' enigmatic mind has used simple logic to solve the mystery that neither the police, the client, the readers, or Watson could solve and so the case of 'The Speckled Band', perhaps the most interesting story in the collection of the 'Adventures' ends.
