Creation of suspense in the novels Dan Leno and The Limehouse Golem and The House of Doctor Dee written by peter ackroyd

This study aims to investigate the crime novels Dan Leno and The Limehouse Golem and The House of Doctor Dee written by renowned British writer Peter Ackroyd in view of Critical Discourse Analysis developed by Norman Fairclough. These novels include the main themes of social inequality, gender discrimination, sexual violence, the evil sides of human beings, and religious and mystical aspects such as ghosts and angels. From the perspective of critical discourse analysis, these themes and the creation of suspense and identity in these crime novels are examined. The use of certain techniques such as the use of foreseeing, delay of the events uncovering the reality, and reference made to people connected with political, mythological, and social events through intertextuality is discussed. So, the scope of this study includes the theoretical background of crime novels, the basic components of critical discourse analysis, the use of suspense as a strategy to raise the interest of readers, the relationship between discourse and identity, and the use of intertextuality. Finally, the analyses of the novels involving two different types of crime, murder and sexual abuse of a child, are presented in the light of the information presented in the theoretical background.