With reference to the genre of murder mysteries, what are the similarities and differences between Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter” and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”?

The first 200 words of this essay...

G.C.S.E English Literature Coursework Essay

With reference to the genre of murder mysteries, what are the similarities and differences between Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Adventure of the Speckled Band"?

Murder mysteries are, and have been for some time, one of the most popular genres in the world. Whether they are on television, at the cinema or simply in a book they have been and still are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. Murder mysteries usually follow a set of typical storylines and conventions. These usually consist of a typical, evil looking murderer/prime suspect, a very intelligent and observant detective, a helpless and/or innocent victim, a dark and gloomy setting like a big mansion or old castle. Other key features are that they are usually set amongst the higher class. A twist in the tale usually comes near the end and last but by no means least suspense, this is usually created by the author not revealing who the murderer is until the end of the story. Not all murder mysteries follow these conventions completely, but most of them include at least a few of them.

In Roald Dahl's "Lamb to