Staci Troilo is here with the basics of what plot and character elements a successful mystery novel needs.
Ah, the mystery novel. The whodunit. The sleuth story. Sherlock and Miss Marple have nothing on us, or so we tell ourselves as we race through the pages, determined to find the answers before they do, rewarding ourselves if we’re right. Castigating ourselves when we’re wrong. Again.
The mystery genre is relatively young at 200-ish years, and it’s undergone much change. Two things have remained consistent: there must be a crime, and it must be solved. The rest is (almost) up to the writer.
Writer Decisions:
- Write in multiple points of view?
- Have the sleuth be someone other than a detective?
- Mix a little romance in your whodunit?
- Reveal the identity of the criminal (usually a murderer) in the beginning?
Some purists insist the above is not arbitrary: the villain’s identity can only be revealed at the end, the sleuth must be a professional detective, and NO romance. But for the reader who has moved past Doyle’s idea of a murder mystery, there are so many more options out there. Romance, suspense, thrills… even some horror and gore.
Plot or Character…What’s the Bigger Deal?
Writers are told that their work will be either character- or plot-driven. I say it’s both. Without a strong plot, you’re left with interesting characters gamboling about. Without strong characters, you’ve got people you couldn’t give a flying fig about doing spectacular things. Develop both, and you’ve made magic. Let’s look at each element in turn.
Character Elements in a Mystery
Sleuth
This is the person who will ultimately solve the crime. Male, female; brilliant (Sherlock Holmes), bumbling (Columbo). This is your hero. This person has to be likeable enough for your readers to root for and smart enough that it’s believable when he or she solves the crime.
Sidekick
This person is the foil for the sleuth. The sleuth will bounce ideas off the sidekick, and sometimes the sidekick will either discover the missing piece of the puzzle or jumpstart the discussion or discovery that leads to a breakthrough. The sidekick can be a love interest, but often it’s better if the love interest is a third party, often one who finds him or herself in danger.
Villain
This is the person whom the sleuth is chasing. He or she is either mentioned or around throughout the novel, but doesn’t seem guilty until near the end. Clues will have to be left, though, so that, if the reader re-reads the book, the guilt is apparent.
Red Herring
The red herring is the distraction character. The sleuth mistakenly pursues this person early on and doesn’t discover the red herring’s innocence until late. It’s especially poignant if the red herring can be made to be sympathetic, particularly if he or she can be made loveable and then can maybe be framed and eliminated by the villain.
Plot Elements in a Mystery
Misdirection
The most important part of writing mysteries is misdirecting the reader. All the clues need to be given, but in a way so that the reader may not notice them until the time is right. A great way to do that is to list several items found on a bookcase or desk, and bury the important one in the middle of the list before moving on to a different part of the room. The clue has been given, but neither the sleuth nor the reader has realized the significance yet.
Significance
We’ve all heard of Chekhov’s gun. Nowhere is it more poignant than in mysteries. If something is called attention to in the beginning of the book, it’s a significant clue. Make use of it by the end.
Timing
Clues introduced right before action scenes might be missed by the reader. That’s a good way to bury something you want the reader to know but temporarily forget. They’ll be so caught up in the action that they might not remember the clue you’ve introduced.
Reveal and Recap
Clues need to be spaced out throughout the novel. If they all came at the beginning, there would be no novel to read. The sleuth would solve it immediately. If they all came at the end, what would the sleuth do for 300+ pages? Space the clues out, and have the sleuth recap his knowledge once and a while (definitely before the villain is revealed) so the reader can regroup with him.
In summary, Mysteries come in all flavors, and will be character and plot driven. With the right pacing and proper mystery-telling technique, even an old school whodunit fan will be searching out the clues in your story.
MYSTERY INK: Mystery Heir
In a town whose residents believe they’re cursed, the murder of a councilman and business paragon is a harbinger of more doom to come. The police have just one suspect, but robberies, a kidnapping, and attempted arson all lead amateur sleuth Naomi Dotson to a different conclusion. She convinces her twin Penelope to help her discover the real truth—before anyone else gets hurt. (Goodreads)
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Awesome job
Thank you.
Hi Staci,
I’ve been retrenched due to the covid and decided to write a muder mystery novel. I have loved murder mystery books since i was a small girl.
Ive decided on characters and who will be the villian.
How do i know that my characters are strong enough for the novel.
I have 6 characters with 1 ‘dying on purpose’ and the other as collateral damage.
Please any tips for a beginner writer.
I appreciate any input you can give.
Regards
Angels
Hi, there! I’m so glad you were able to take advantage of an unfortunate situation to write your story. Good for you! Writing characters can be tough, because we all realize how important it is to get them right. So Angela and I created a page of resources just on this topic. Give it a look—especially the links at the end. Best of luck!
https://writershelpingwriters.net/characters/
Hi, Ang.
I think it’s great that you put a bad period of time to good use. I also think it was wise of you to focus on your characters. Well-developed characters go a long way toward driving your plot. Becca pointed you toward a wealth of information she and Angela have put together, and I really encourage you to explore those resources. You’ve landed on a treasure trove.
Wishing you much success!
This is great! Staci thanks for sharing. Your article is a great help. Keep posting articles like this one.
Thanks
Regards,
JB
I just love this. I’ve added it to a mystery file 🙂
I’m glad you found it helpful, Shah.
I love this breakdown of the elements of mystery writing. As someone who’s never attempted it, I appreciate the basic-ness :).
Thanks, Becca. I tried to keep the elements in their most basic forms so even genre novices could work with them. Maybe you’ll be inspired to work with them in your next project!
My favorite things about mysteries are the red herrings writers think up. I would love to read this one. Mystery is a genre I hope to try one of these days. This is a very helpful post and I’m going to bookmark it. Thanks!
I like the red herrings, too, Rosi. I always try to figure out which clues are the ones the author tried to hide and which ones are the red herrings the author wants me to chase. As a reader, it’s satisfying when I guess correctly. As a writer, I appreciate a mystery so well crafted that I don’t fall for it and I’m surprised by the ending. That might be why I love the genre. Either way, I can enjoy the story.
What a great post. You made it clear and succinct. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Thank you, Ruby. Glad you found it helpful.
I enjoyed your post, even though I don’t usually read mysteries. But then, I guess it’s like romance, there is a bit of both in most novels – Will he get the girl? Will she find true love? Will the explorer find the treasure or a pit of vipers? These are the things that keep us turning pages (and skipping to the end when we just can’t wait to find out!)
I’m glad you were able to find something useful in the post, Tamara. I’m an avid romance reader, myself. In fact, I’m writing one right now. And I’m using these elements in this new novel just as I did in my mystery novel. Many of the commenters have touched on this earlier, and they’re right: these elements are universal to writing a good story, regardless of the genre.
Thanks to both of you! I wasn’t a big mystery fan until the past few years. The points are in a true romance do have the plot points if the heroine is to be “surprised” by the hero’s depth of love for her–and for action-adventure and survival stories!
That’s right, Gwen. There is a universal application to these points with respect to all genres. That’s a good point.
Staci,
Had to come over and see what you were up to over here. Great post. Really gave us a nice overview of what mystery writers have to know. As far as me and mysteries. I still remember reading Nancy Drew a LONG time ago. I did enjoy them. Loved the breakdown you gave, Staci. Nice job.
It was a long time ago for me, too, but I was a fan. Of the TV show, too. Glad you liked the post, Anne.
Marvellous. Another load of tips to add to my Word docs folder of writing tips. Thanks heaven for generous writers, excellent blogs, and copy and paste. 🙂
I’m honored to know I made your tip folder! Thanks, Shah.
I love all things mystery, so thanks so much for joining us today, Staci! I think this post is something everyone can apply to their books, no matter what the genre, because mystery has to be one of the most (if not THE most) common elements in all genres. We are always keeping information from readers, and characters are always pursuing their need to know within the scope of the plot. Every book has an aspect of mystery, I think!
Thanks for having me here, Angela. And you’re right: these probably are points that writers of all genres can apply to their writing.
Ooooh, I would love to win a copy of this book – I adore mysteries! I grew up reading Ellery Queen (okay, I’m really dating myself, lol), devoured Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys … and have always wanted to have Jessica Fletcher’s life! I’ve published one book of poetry, am working on my second collection; and on two books: a Contemporary Romance, and a middle-grade adventure/mystery … woot! 🙂
Congrats, Julie! It sounds like you already knew these points.
I, too, grew up a big fan of Ellery Queen, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys… Here’s a blast from the past: Trixie Belden. I think that was the line that got me started as a mystery fan.
Thanks so much for this timely post. I’m working on a middle grade mystery and this helps as a check-list to use when revising.
I’m glad you can use it as a resource, Mindy.
Hi Staci and Angela,
I met D.E. Johnson at the Backspace Writers Conference and so wanted to read one of his books, even though adult mysteries aren’t normally something I read. I read the Detroit Electric Scheme–a historical fiction mystery. Even though it was heavy on car talk, it was character- and plot-driven enough to keep me turning the pages.
Congrats on Mystery Inc!
Thank you, Kim.
You know, sometimes I read novels outside of my “preferred” genre, just to kind of get a fresh perspective. You never know what gems you’ll find out there. If a story is rich in character and plot development, you may find a new favorite, regardless of genre.
Reading outside genre for me always yields surprises, and helps me grow a bit as a writer. I’m glad you were able to read one of his!
Thanks for letting me visit with you and your readers today, Angela and Becca.
As a writer who is having her first mystery edited as we speak, I LOVE mysteries. Deciding on the clues and then planting them along with the red herrings is the most fun.
I enjoyed this article tremendously. If I win the book, I’ll read it and then write a review. If I don’t win, I’ll purchase it and still write a review! Looking forward to a good read.
Congratulations on completing your first mystery novel, Lisanne! What an accomplishment! Good luck to you. And I do appreciate an honest review… as we all know, that’s how authors are recognized on Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, etc. Thanks.