An Introduction to. . . Mystery

Nothing gets your brain's synapses firing like a good mystery. Who doesn't love following along with a sleuth as they try to figure out who did what and win the day? I've read mysteries since I was young, growing up on things like Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Three Cousins Detective Club (anybody else read those?). Bring your magnifying glass and revolver as we take a look at mystery fiction.

Genre: Mystery

Mystery books have three major factors- a crime, a detective, and suspects. These can all vary depending on age level and the type of mystery, but they're always there. Some mysteries are deep studies of mind, and others are simply trying to find who stole the gold trophy. They can be slow paced or closer to a thriller.

People read mysteries because they like trying their own wits alongside the detective. Writing a good mystery requires a lot of planning and thought, since you have to be dropping clues all along the way without giving away the answer too early. There is nothing worse than a mystery that you can guess within a few chapters.

Sub-genres

There are a lot of mystery sub-genres, so here I'm just highlighting the most popular ones. Here is a longer list if you want to see all the variety this genre has to offer.

• Whodunit. In this classic mystery type, a crime has been committed and multiple people are suspects. Red herrings and clues are everywhere as the detective has to piece together who actually did the crime. They can be anything from theft to murder.

• Cosy. Cosy mysteries are the sort you read with a cup of tea. There is normally a murder, but with minimal violence, and a woman who investigates (think Miss Marple mysteries). They are as bloodless as possible and often involve a lot of shopping and gossip.

•Police procedural. My personal least favorite type of mystery (besides maybe legal). It's generally from the point of view of a police officer who is investigating the mystery. There are a lot of technical terms and procedures, like the name suggests.

• Hard-boiled. These detectives are dark, broody types of people with a strict moral code despite their flaws. There's lots of grit and darkness and violence in these types of mysteries. If you think mystery noir, then this is what you're thinking of.

• Historical. Any of the above mysteries, but placed in a historical setting. This can be anywhere from the 1940s to the Victorian period. They will probably feature a male protagonist, or a girl doing what is probably sociably unacceptable by investigating.

• Crime/heist. A lot of times, this mystery is from the POV of the criminals as they try to pull off a crime. You're left in suspense as you watch to see if they will pull it off or suffer defeat. The Oceans movies did this wonderfully.

• Amateur investigator. This is any person that investigates that isn't a professional, normally someone the police have dismissed despite their suspicions. Most YA and MG novels will have that sort of protagonist, since they're too young to be paid.

Tropes

• A detective. Obviously, all mysteries need someone to unravel them. It doesn't even have to be someone who knows what they're doing. They just need a reason to solve they mystery. Some detectives are world-weary, others are geniuses. There's no limit to who your detective can be.

• Murder, John. Murder mysteries are one of the most popular types. Especially if it's Sherlock. Throwing in a dead body never hurts.

• Theft. The other major crime investigated in mysteries are thefts. These are interesting because a thief needs a certain amount of skill, and the detective has to be equally clever to catch them.

• Clues. There are what makes the whole mystery come together. The clues can be straightforward, misleading, or difficult to interpret. That's why your protagonist needs to be sharp to find out who did it (whatever it is).

• Creepy locations. It seems impossible to write a mystery without a creepy spot somewhere. A creepy house. Creepy woods. Creepy hospital. And in the dark. Why not investigate in daylight?

• Small towns. I don't quite understand this setting, since if it's a small town, you think it would take no time to find the murder. (It would probably be next week's gossip.) But it's very popular, especially for cosy mysteries.

To Avoid

• Depressed detective. He's always male, living alone, and has no life beyond solving crimes. No one wants to read that. Okay?

• Pretty, useless women. You know, that flirty blond that could be replaced by a lamp for all that she does for the plot? Yeah, cut her. Or make her useful, or normal, or something.

• Super intelligence. Sherlock Holmes started this trend, but not everyone can be geniuses that can tell you what you ate for breakfast. Yesterday. It's much more enjoyable to read someone on your level.

• Villain revealing their plan. They've captured the hero and now they admit to the murder, or discuss the perfection of their plan. I doubt real murderers do that, so they shouldn't in fiction.

• Bumbling cop. Ever notice all cops in mystery novels have like no brains? Or compared to the detective anyway. All they do is mess things up. Police are people too, not idiots.

• Everyone is a suspect. Someone committed the crime, and everyone has a plausible reason for doing it. This can be well done, but I think it's best to leave it behind. Just give us a few really good suspects and leave everyone else out of it.

Example Books

Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Old Clock by Caroline Keen

Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Design for Dying by Renee Patrick

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

Do you like mysteries? Who is your favorite detective? And is there a genre I haven't done yet you think I should do? Tell me in the comments.

An Introduction to. . .

Fantasy
Science Fiction
Historical Fiction
Contemporary/Realistic Fiction
Steampunk
Romance
Paranormal Fiction