Christie is great at creating unreliable narrators in her ghost stories. You're never quite sure if what they're telling you is the truth or if their own fears are clouding their perception, which keeps you on edge throughout the story.
In 'Murder on the Orient Express', the disappearance of a peaceful train journey due to the murder creates suspense. Christie also withholds information about the passengers' true identities and motives, gradually revealing bits and pieces as the story progresses. This makes the reader constantly question what really happened and who is involved in the disappearance - or rather, the murder that led to the disrupted journey.
She used suspense. By withholding key information and slowly revealing clues, she built up tension. For instance, in her works, she might introduce a strange object or an unexplained event early on that keeps the reader guessing.
She created Poirot with a very distinct personality. He is a Belgian detective, which gives him an outsider's perspective in the English settings of most of the novels. He is meticulous and very observant, relying on his 'little grey cells' to solve the mysteries.
Christie made Miss Marple a character that defies the common perception of the elderly as being feeble - minded. Instead, she's sharp - witted and intelligent. She has a quiet confidence and a methodical way of approaching the mysteries. Her character development is gradual throughout the short stories, as we see her face different types of crimes and suspects, and we learn more about her personality and how she thinks with each new case.
Gaskell would often introduce a character who was skeptical about the existence of ghosts. As the story progressed and the evidence of the supernatural piled up, the conflict between the character's disbelief and the events created a great deal of suspense.
Agatha Christie was a master of plot twists. In many of her adventure novels, just when you think you have it all figured out, she throws in a new clue or a sudden revelation that completely changes the direction of the story. For instance, in 'And Then There Were None', the way the mystery unfolds is full of unexpected turns.
She often started with a simple mystery idea, like a strange death or a missing object. Then she would introduce a set of characters, each with their own motives. For example, in 'The Mysterious Mr. Quin', she introduced a character who seems to be more than he appears and weaves the plot around the strange events he is associated with.
The trailer for a ghost story creates suspense in multiple ways. One way is through the use of music. A slow - building, eerie soundtrack can make the viewer feel on edge. Also, showing just enough of the ghost without revealing too much. Maybe a hand reaching out from the darkness or a faint silhouette. And by having the characters in the trailer act scared and confused, it makes the viewers wonder what is causing their fear.
The slow - paced narrative in his stories adds to the suspense. He takes his time to develop the characters and their situations before fully delving into the ghostly encounters. This gradual build - up makes the appearance of the ghosts or the climax of the supernatural events all the more impactful.
He uses sudden changes in the setting. For example, a previously calm room suddenly getting very cold.