ElizaFarrell

Mrs.Mainero
ALA
October7,2015

DeathCloud
MysteryAnalysis

Therearemanydifferentelementsthatmakeupamysterynovel.Threeofthese
componentsarethecharacters,themystery,andtheauthorscraft,meaningthe
techniques/languagethattheauthorusestocreateabetterstory.Specifically,theelementsof
mysteryaretheingredientsofthestorythatmakeamysteryapuzzle.Inthebook,
DeathCloud
,
theauthor,AndrewLane,usesallofthesedevices,butthemostimportantistheelementof
mystery.
TheelementsofmysterythatAndrewLaneusesinthestory
DeathCloud
,makethetale
suspensefulrightfromthestart.
DeathCloud
openswiththefollowingsentence:Thefirsttime
MatthewArnattsawthecloudofdeath,itwasfloatingoutofafirstfloorwindowofahouse
nearwherehewasliving(1).Thefirsttimeapersonreadsthisquote,theimpactofseeingthe
wordscloudofdeathandfirstfloorwindowtogetherisverystrange.Thereaderleavesthe
prologuequestioningfirst,whatisthecloudofdeath?andsecond,whatwouldacloudbedoing
bythefirstfloorwindow?Thisinitialparagraphgrabsthereadersattentionandmakeshim
impatientforanexplanation.
AndrewLaneusestheelementofmoodin
DeathCloud
totransportthereaderintothe
mystery.Forexample,Thatwashisweakness.Sherlocktriedagaintostrikeoutattheropes
andcordsthatheldMaupertuisupbuttheBaronsservantswerealerttothat,andparried
Sherlocksbladeeffortlesslywiththespinningsawinhislefthandwhilehisrightjerkedthe

bladefree(277).Themooddevelopedinthissentencemakesthereaderanxious,wondering
whytheBaronsservantshavetobesoalert.Thisfeelingofdespairshowsuprepeatedly
whenevertheBaronorhishelpersmakeanappearanceinthenovel.
Theauthorof
DeathCloud
developsastrongprotagonisttoleadthereaderthroughthe
mystery.WithoutSherlockHolmes,thisbookwouldhavebeenhollow.Inamysterynovel,the
protagonistmustbeabletoseethingsthatmostpeoplewouldnotnotice.Thefollowingquote
illustratesthevalueofthistechniqueperfectly:YoucameinFatherscarriage.Mycroft
raisedaneyebrow.Howonearthdidyouknowthatyoungman?Sherlockshrugged.I
noticedtheparallelcreasesinyourtrouserswheretheupholsterypressedthem,andIremember
thatFatherscarriagehasatearintheupholsterythatwasrepairedafewyearsago.The
impressionofthatrepairispressedintoyourtrousers,nexttothecreases(8).Inthisexample,
SherlockeasilyfiguredoutthatMycroftusedtheirFatherscarriagetotakehimtoFarnham.
Whenpeoplereadpassageslikethis,theyareamazedthatsomeindividualscanobservethings
soeasily.Theexampleprovidedaboveshowstheimportanceoftheprotagonistasthecharacter
whotriestosolvethemystery.
Inthenovel,
DeathCloud
,themysteryelementsthatAndrewLaneusesarevitalin
makingthestoryinterestingtoread.Thesefinetunedtechniquesarewhatmakesthenovela
truepageturner.
DeathCloud
,likethebestmysteries,makesthereaderaskquestionsand
attempttosolvethecrimefromthefirstchapterallthewaytotheend.