McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

How do you write a good mystery story?

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trboturtle:
Ever seen the TV series, Columbo? A character (Usually a guest star) plans a murder, carries it out and sets up an 'Airtight" Alibi, then the rest of the show is watching Columbo find a small thread, a small mistake in the murder's plot and unraveling it as the murder's trying to do everything they can to keep him from doing it.

What I'm saying, is plan out the Murder (Char. A Shoots Char B in cold blood), every step they take so they aren't suspected, and look for places where they could make a mistake, and leve a clue. Now add in Chars C, D, E, F, and G, with their own motives, means, and opptunity to shoot B. Plant a few false clues along with the real clue. Some authours will have a chart showing where each character is at certain moments. Agatha Christie was one who excelled at well-planned, well executed murders.

Read Murder mystories and get a fell for the way theya re written . You will develop your own style after a while...

Craig

meg_evonne:

--- Quote from: trboturtle on June 20, 2010, 09:45:14 AM ---...
What I'm saying, is plan out the Murder (Char. A Shoots Char B in cold blood), every step they take so they aren't suspected, and look for places where they could make a mistake, and leve a clue. Now add in Chars C, D, E, F, and G, with their own motives, means, and opptunity to shoot B. Plant a few false clues along with the real clue. Some authours will have a chart showing where each character is at certain moments. Agatha Christie was one who excelled at well-planned, well executed murders.

Craig

--- End quote ---
This is the way I'd do it, and have.  Well explained trbo.



--- Quote from: meh on June 15, 2010, 07:29:55 PM ---"everything must fit" is actually safer imo.  
--- End quote ---
 Can you believe that one comment I had from a wonderful reader/writer for my YA paranormal mystery was that I tied up ALL the loose ends too much when I didn't need to do so.  Okay, scratched my head over that. I finally decided that the reader was pointing out a symptom rather than the actual problem.  I must be over writing the wrap up.  Keeping that in mind as I revise.  i'm now about half way through...  

snowbank:
I once heard mystery writer Nevada Barr answer this question. She said she read and read and read mysteries, picking apart how they were constructed to be workable. And then she started writing. I always liked Track of the Cat best, because of the ending.

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:

--- Quote from: meg_evonne on June 20, 2010, 01:50:47 PM ---  Can you believe that one comment I had from a wonderful reader/writer for my YA paranormal mystery was that I tied up ALL the loose ends too much when I didn't need to do so.  Okay, scratched my head over that.

--- End quote ---

There is a way in which everything being tied up too neatly and perfectly can diminish the realism, because it feels to me like the real world mostly comes with little loose ends and niggly bits; I would say you as author have to know what they do but not necessarily put them in.

Enjorous:
I tend to agree with this, I like that little bit at the end of the book where I get to put the book down, push it aside and stop thinking about it. Then a little later in the day I'll stop dead and say "Wait...what happened with______" and then I'll go back to the book and furiously look through it to find out.

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