Sherlock Holmes & The Speckled Band / Lamb To The Slaughter.

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Sherlock Holmes & The Speckled Band / Lamb To The Slaughter

"Lamb to the slaughter", by Roald Dahl, and "The Speckled Band" by Arthur Conan Doyle share many features, despite the difference in eras in which they were written.

Each story has its own distinctive style when creating both tension and an atmosphere of suspense.

"The Speckled Band" has a sense of urgency about it, yet manages to build up suspense until the climax of the story.

"I have reasons to know....which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth."

This quote, found in the first paragraph, immediately begins creating an atmosphere for the story, and intriguing the reader as to what the narrator (Dr. Watson) is talking about.  The reader will now want to continue reading to find out the truth.

Doyle also uses other character's speech to add to the tension:

"It is not cold which makes me shiver...it is fear, Mr. Holmes.  It is terror."

At this point, the events have not been explained - this character (Miss Stoner) describing how she is feeling inceases the tension, as the readers do not yet know the full situation; only that they should be scared of whatever it is.  The use of the word "terror" helps to emphasise the point - 'fear' may not be strong enough, but following it with 'terror' helps to reinforce the situation to the reader.

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"You must not fear...we shall soon set matters right."

As Sherlock Holmes says this, it may cast a doubt over the reader's mind - if a character issues a statement proclaiming that things will turn out well, there is a concept that the opposite may happen instead.  All this further adds to the need to read more, as the reader will now want to see if Holmes is indeed correct.

"The very horror of my situation lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my decisions depend entirely upon small points."

Miss Stoner declares this ...

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