How successful is Conan Doyle in writing detective fiction that appeals to a modern reader?
Readers enjoy crime fiction because of the way it makes them think and feel about life and everyday situations. The tension and drama draws readers in and makes them feel like they are apart of the storyline. Another hook is the main character, which is normally the inspector/detective. This character is usually braved, intelligent, and physically strong and is very secretive. These types of aspects draw the reader in because they are slowly revealed throughout the story. The villain is also an interesting character because of the way they have committed the crime. They may make themselves appear like the innocent person in the story and stitch the blame on somebody else that was not involved or have left very thin line leading towards them. These villains are known for their obsessive thinking and leaving dead ends. In addition, readers like these crime fictions because of the puzzles that the villain leaves behind. These puzzles then help the reader to be involved in the storyline and can try to solve the problem as if they are in the story next to the detective and sharing his adventures.
In the ‘Speckled Band’ Roylott is an appealing character who can get the readers attention almost straight away. However, instead of introducing himself to the reader, his step-daughter, Miss Helen Stoner, tells us about his background, also where he has been and spent his time though out the years. She also explains why he is an upset and an emotional man. ‘He beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence. As it was, he suffered a long term of imprisonment, and afterwards returned to England a morose and disappointed man.’ The way that Miss Stoner describes him as a proud man, who is also known to be violent ‘Violence of temper approaching to mania has been hereditary in the men of the family.’ This type of violence excites the reader and makes the reader anticipate his actions when he introduces himself to Holmes. When the reader first meets Roylott, Doyle describes him as a ‘huge man,’ with a ‘large face, seared with a thousand wrinkles burned yellow with the sun and marked with every evil passion.’ This detailed description pulls the reader into the story and could even scare them into reading more. In ‘The Red-Headed League’, Vincent Spaulding, who is Mr Wilsons assistant in the pawn shop is known as the villain in the story. Vincent is introduced the same way as Roylott was. Mr Wilson tells Holmes about him later on in the story. Mr Wilson gives Holmes a physical description, the reader gets a very quick image of a ‘small, stout-built, no hair on face.’ So a normal looking guy until Wilson says ‘has a white splash of acid upon his forehead.’ Then the reader is getting suspicious as to why he has that acid on his head. He also tells Holmes that he is ‘snapping away with a camera...and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures.’ This then gets the reader even more suspicious because, why a man would be taking loads of picture of a Pawn Brokers, when he should be working. These kinds of descriptions will persuade the reader to read on and find out more about Vincent and what part he plays in the story. When Holmes and Watson meet up with Mr Jones and Mr Merryweather, they find out the ‘Vincent Spaulding’ is actually called ‘John Clay’. Holmes describes him as ‘the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger.’ Again this will persuade the reader to read on and find out more about John Clay and what his plan is. In ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ the villain is a woman called Irene Adler. She has been introduced to us through the King. He describes her as a ‘well-known adventuress.’ After this Holmes gets Watson to look her up in his index and reads out her information. ‘Born in New Jersey,’ an American girl, ‘Contralto,’ she is an opera singer. That was not usual in the 19th century. We find out the king is after her because she has a picture that would destroy his next marriage. When Holmes, Watson and the king read the letter, this proved that she was a smart person because she has managed to outwit Sherlock Holmes. Not many people could do that. She had even followed him after he went into the house as the homeless man, and made sure it was him. ‘when I followed you to your door.’
