Mystery Notes

Mystery Notes

Pattern of most mysteries

Peaceful state

: pre-crime, everything is normal in the character’s world. Usually does not last long.

Crime takes place

: This begins the conflict and rising action of your mystery

False clues/false location of guilt

: This is the rising action of your mystery. Most of the action will take place here. Typically this is where the investigating will occur.

Solution/true location of guilt

: This is where the crime is actually solved and the conflict is over; typically the CLIMAX

Confession of explanation of crime:

The detective and/or culprit will explain the why and how of the crime.

Peaceful state:

Peacefulness returns to the life of the characters. Life may or may not be altered from the pre-crime state.

Five elements of detective stories

Setting and characters

The number of characters must be limited in order to limit the amount of suspects

Setting should be one where a crime will shock the reader (should not be too predictable)

Victim

There must be characters who don’t like the victim

The victim must be good enough that you want to actually SOLVE the mystery

Criminal

Must not be obvious to the reader or to the detective

Suspects

Must have motive

Must be something “shady” about each one

Should have lack of faith in other

suspects

(“finger

pointing”)

Detective

Should not be motivated by moneyShould be a strangerShould not be involved in the crime

Mystery terminology

Red herring

– a false clue meant to throw a reader or detective off the right track

Sleuth

– another word for detective

Motive -

The cause for someone’s actions (reason)

Summon

- order to appear at a certain place

Let’s solve a mystery!

The Fibber

Barney called the police to report a burglary. Detective

Finemind

answered the call and arrived on the scene. “What did they steal?” he asked.

“All my wife’s jewelry, the TV, VCR, CD player, and computer,” Barney told him. “All the big ticket items. They got in through this window,” he explained.

The window did look as though it had been jimmied.

The two men went outside to examine it. Sure enough, the bottom of the window frame was scraped and scratched. A crowbar lay on the ground.

“Hey, that’s my crowbar,” Barney Fibber said, “That belongs in the garage.”

“Are the stolen items insured?” Detective

Finemind

asked.

“Oh yes,” Barney answered. “That’s the only good thing about all this.”

“Did they take any big items from the garage?” the detective asked. “Lawn mower, power tools?”

“Nope,” said Barney. “The door’s still locked. It doesn’t even look as though they went in there.”

“Sorry Mr. Fibber,” said

Finemind

, getting out his handcuffs. “I’m going to have to arrest you for fraud. You robbed yourself didn’t you?”

How did Detective Finemind know that Barney Fibber was the burglar????