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What are the features which make a good detective story?

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Introduction

English Coursework What are the features which make a good detective story? Analyse The Hound of the Baskervilles and comment on the elements which Conan Doyle employs to make it a classic in this genre. Detective stories have always been and will probably always be very popular, there are many features that make detective stories enjoyable for people. I will outline some of the main features that I believe are important to include to make a detective story good. One of the most important features which make a good detective story is having a large element of mystery to keep the reader guessing and interested in what will happen next. Twists and turns in the plot also help to keep the reader interested in what is going to happen next. When a 'red herring' is thrown into the plot then it throws the reader off track and can confuse them but the author always explains and makes sense out of what has happened, this is another feature that keeps the reader interested. ...read more.

Middle

Around the time of 1902 it was an age when many people were interested in historical matters to do with their ancestors. Most of the popular books in this age were in the supernatural and detective genres. The Hound of the Baskervilles was first done in series in a magazine from August 1901 until April 1902, and each month the chapter would end with a cliffhanger. The Hound of the Baskervilles is regarded as Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle's best novel was a classic in the genre of detective stories. Detective stories have special features which make them good and The Hound of the Baskervilles definitely contains some of the features that do make an exciting and gripping detective story that a reader will enjoy and almost feel part of. The novel is all about finding out how the late Sir Charles Baskerville died and who or what was responsible for his death. There is a lot of mystery which is an important element to include in a detective story. ...read more.

Conclusion

Watson (Sherlock Holmes side-kick) spots a lonely figure keeping watch over the moors; this could be another possible suspect and adds more mystery as we don't find out who it is until it is later revealed that it is actually Holmes himself. Holmes said he didn't have time to deal with this case and sent Watson and Mortimer there to solve it themselves. This shows Holmes' arrogance and how he will be the only person capable of solving the case. The main detective is always arrogant and has the right to be as it is always them that solves the case and pieces the puzzle together. The Hound of the Baskervilles includes many of the features which make a good detective story. Mystery, twists and turns, a detective who seems so clever compared to everyone else and making the reader feel part of the investigation are all features portrayed in this novel. These features are why The Hound of the Baskervilles is recognized as a classic in the detective and supernatural genre, and is extremely popular to this day. ...read more.

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