1. “The Whodunit” Invented by Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
Mystery Fiction
“The Whodunit”
Invented by Edgar Allan Poe ( )

2. Elements of Mystery Fiction / Detective Stories
Creepy Settings
Forests or desolate natural places
Dark places or night-time atmospheres
Run-down buildings

3. Elements of Mystery Fiction / Detective Stories
Mysterious Characters
Super detectives as protagonists—can solve crimes the police can’t
Detective’s friend often serves as narrator
Criminals as antagonists

4. Elements of Mystery Fiction / Detective Stories
Suspenseful Plots
Crime is committed (usually murder)
Suspects are identified and investigated
Expert detective examines evidence, deduces solution
Solution is revealed to the characters and reader

5. Elements of Mystery Fiction / Detective Stories
Specialized Themes
Good will triumph over evil.
The truth will always come out.
People get their just rewards.
Crime doesn’t pay.
Even the smallest detail is important.

6. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Born 1859 in Scotland
Studied Medicine and became a doctor in 1885
Began writing in 1887, A Study in Scarlet– 1st Sherlock Holmes story
Wrote dozens of Sherlock Holmes stories for the Strand magazine
Killed off Sherlock Holmes in 1893 because he was tired of writing that kind of fiction
Brought Holmes back ten years later due to fan outrage
Knighted in 1902 by Edward VII

7. Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes Fiction
A Study in Scarlet (1887)
The Sign of Four (1890)
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1893)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
Return of Sherlock Holmes (1905)
The Valley of Fear (1915)
His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes (1917)
Case-book of Sherlock Holmes (1927)
Other Works
Fiction
The White Company (1891)
The Great Shadow (1892)
The Lost World (1912)
The Poison Belt (1913)
Non-Fiction
The Great Boer War (1900)
The War in South Africa: Its Cause and Conduct (1902)
The British Campaign in France and Flanders ( )

8. Sherlock Holmes Amateur Detective Based on Dr. Joseph Bell
Solves crimes by using deduction—looks at clues
Knowledgeable in Chemistry, Botany (poisons), Criminal cases, Anatomy
Can tell where people are from and what their occupation is by looking at them

9. Sherlock Holmes Plays the violin badly Smokes pipe & at times, opium
When goes out wears hunting cap and cape
Partner is Dr. Watson
Some people believed he was a real person
Chief antagonist is Dr. Moriarty
Avoids romantic attachments
Excerpt from A Study in Scarlet

10. Website

11. The Adventure of the Speckled Band
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

12. Terms
Clue—anything that serves to guide or direct in the solution of a problem, mystery, etc
Red Herring—something that diverts attention from the actual facts of a case; a misleading clue
Motive—reasons to commit the crime
Means—resources to commit the crime
Opportunity—chances to commit the crime

13. Connection to the story / red-herring
Clues from Helen’s Story
Connection to the story / red-herring
Clues from Stoke Moran
Deduction (How do you think Julia’s murder occurred?)

14. SUSPECT: Person suspected of committing the crime MOTIVE:
Reason to commit the Crime
MEANS: Resources to commit the Crime
OPPORTUNITY: Chance to commit the crime

15. Stoke Moran Helen Stoner’s Room Julia Stoner’s Room Dr. Roylott’s Room
Wing of the house in use
Helen Stoner’s Room
Julia Stoner’s Room
Dr. Roylott’s Room

16. Setting
Julia Stoner’s Room
Dr. Roylott’s Room

17. Stoke Moran Wing of the house in use Dr. Roylott’s Room
Helen Stoner’s Room
Julia Stoner’s Room