Whodunnit?
Author: Chris Haycock
Classic detective stories are now just that, classics. They
opened the door for writers with vivid imaginations and
well grouped wordings to fantasize a world of crime and
crime solving. The early writers composed their stories in
such similar detail that one could easily compare one story
from one author with that of another in the same genre.
Many stories exist, but only a few are deemed notable by
critics.
The authors of many of what are now considered classic
detective fiction genre wrote by a certain set of rules.
These rules were occasionally broken and bent but the
storyline never strayed far from the original rules that
were set in place.
Many call these types of stories "Who Done Its" but they
can be classified under the name of ‘classic
detective fiction'. The story follows a general set of
rules. These rules were originally published by Ronald Knox
to give the writer a clear set of boundaries when writing
detective fiction. Written in the heyday of classic
detective fiction, the rules are as follows:
From Fr. Ronald Knox's famous The Ten Commandments List for
Detective Novelists
· The criminal must be someone mentioned in the
early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose
thoughts the reader has been allowed to follow.
· All supernatural or preternatural agencies are
ruled out as a matter of course.
· Not more than one secret room or passage is
allowable.
· No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor
any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation
at the end.
· No Chinaman must figure in the story.
· No accident must ever help the detective, nor must
he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be
right.
· The detective must not himself commit the crime.
· The detective must not light on any clues which
are not instantly produced for the inspection of the reader.
· The stupid friend of the detective, the Watson,
must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind;
his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below
that of the average reader.
· Twin brothers and doubles generally, must not
appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.
If these rules were followed completely, it would be
difficult to constantly generate new plots and stories. One
must offer variety to the reader; variety of the plot and
storyline as well as of the characters and instances. If
Sherlock Holmes were a writer, how would he have solved
this catastrophe? "Elementary, my dear Watson". That is
how. He would develop an elaborate tale and, no matter the
circumstances, he would weave the tale effortlessly around
the reader just like his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Doyle cleared the way for other writers to become more
spontaneous in their writing while still being somewhat
focused on the rules. His elaborate bending of those rules
gained him the popularity among readers that he so
deserved. Would Sherlock Holmes have been as interesting if
he had never stumbled upon a crime? Of course not.
About the Author:
Chris Haycock is an information publisher, one of whose
many hobbies includes crime fiction. Early detective
fiction in particular. A particular favourite is Sherlock
Holmes. If you would like to know more about Sherlock
Holmes and an excellent offer, why not go now to
http://www.sherlockandwatson
