The Speckled Band

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                           The Speckled Band

This is a short story that is written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. At the time in which this short but very good story was written it was one of the first detective fiction story.

        This review of it will guide you through why it is a typical but very well written story. It includes the most famous detective in the world and is still a household name to this very day. The detectives name is Sherlock Holmes and has been written and read about for a number of decades.

        The main frame of the story is a lady called Helen Stoner who is worried about her life and comes to Sherlock for help and advice. Holmes with his partner Doctor Watson investigates Helens sisters death and hopes to find out the reason for this sinister crime.

        After looking and analysing the story it is evident that it has the right ingredients for a good detective fiction story. The ingredients that have been well placed into the story are a good opening. The opening starts with Sherlock waking up to his companion Watson and explaining that he is needed as a client is in deep worry. The other essential ingredients are drama, suspense a heroine or a such as Holmes as the hero and Helen stoner as the heroine. Detail is important in every story and detective fiction is no exception. Without detail the reader cannot properly understand what the situation the detective is in. Also the story has to have a good ending to it or maybe a twist like “The Speckled Band” does. The twist in this is totally unexpected as the killer is the father.

        The most important ingredients to a story, which I think is essential to the reader, are characters with good and believable characteristics. Without this ingredient the story is simply not a story. The reader has almost to know the character and then when this is accomplished they read on knowing that the person will follow the description that they have been given by the author. A good example of this is Dr Roylett. The words that are used here give a basic impression of him. “violence of temper”, ferocious quarrels with whoever might cross his path”, “shut himself up in his house”. From reading these statements the reader can imagine that this Roylett man will be any help with Holmes investigation. If they read on from here then they find out that he is not.

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        One thing that every detective has is a good use of observational skills. At the beginning of the story when Sherlock says to Helen

        “You have come in by train this morning, I see”

        Helen is confused by this comment at first and then asked Sherlock if he knows her? Holmes simply explains that he observed the half ripped dogcart ticket in the left palm of her hand. This points out that he has already examined the client’s hands and clothes as he goes on to say that

   

   “the ...

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