Writing Murder/Mysteries

[Bat Stitch Crazy]

So I love reading murder/mysteries and would love to try to write one at some point but other than having a killer, a dead guy(or gal), and an individual who solves the murder, I have no idea where to begin or how to even approach writing this genre. 

So for those of you who have written a story like this before, I ask you:

 

Where do I begin?
What makes a good suspect?
What makes a good crime solver?
What are some elements that I can add in (other than my MC nearly becoming a victim of the killer) that can help add suspense?
What is some other advice you would give someone who wants to venture into this genre?

 

For those that love to read this genre I ask:

What do you look for in a good suspect?
What are some of your favorite aspects of this genre?
What are some things that as a reader, you don't like to see in this genre?
In your opinion what makes a good murder/mystery?

That's all for now!

 

Peace, Love, and Tacos

Tasha

 

[Guest Tanda]

On 2/8/2019 at 8:44 AM, MalfoysAngel said:

For those that love to read this genre I ask:

1 What do you look for in a good suspect?
2 What are some of your favorite aspects of this genre?
3 What are some things that as a reader, you don't like to see in this genre?
4 In your opinion what makes a good murder/mystery

1 One of the elements attracts Harry Potter fans, I think mystery J.K.Rowling created. I remember the excitement as an adult reader just like when I was a kid in the school library everytime a new book was published, wondering what mystery or adventure would wait for Harry. In the story, unexpected things often happens and it's not easy for the readers what would happen next even if the authors scattered some hints intentionally. I think the answer is good balance between the numbers of hints and not revealed yet facts in the story.

 

2 Such as Harry or Cormoran Rowling wrote, the protagonist is not perfectly happy. They always have angst all the time. So solving the case will make them hero or heroine. When they conquer the angst or on the way to and achieve something in the story, we, readers will feel happy for them. 

 

3 Personally, I hate too detailed gruesome scene of murder. I know it is sometimes needed to describe the crime though.

 

4 Very impressive characters and angsty protagonist in an unique situation such as TV crime drama, Shetland featuring the novels written by Ann Cleeves. One and only. I think you can find the very original ones at hpft or the other fanfiction sites as well.

[Guest Noelle Zingarella]

Hi Tasha! 

I saw this topic and I wanted to join the conversation. I've never written a mystery, but I read them and I've been kind of plotting one in my head for the next big project I want to write after my current novel. 

On 2/7/2019 at 5:44 PM, MalfoysAngel said:

What do you look for in a good suspect?

I think the hardest part of writing a mystery is that you'd need at least TWO good suspects. By which I mean, you need the red herring and the actual culprit. And you might want more than one red herring. So, I guess I like to see a red herring that doesn't seem to obvious, and a culprit who has a good reason for committing the crime. I find it especially fun to read when I feel sorry for the culprit, and want him or her to get away with what they did--even if he or she is eventually brought to justice.

What are some of your favorite aspects of this genre?

I like the feeling of suspense and also trying to figure out the answer before the author tells me. And this brings me to the next thing I think is probably tricky about writing this genre--that you probably need to have the story kind of mapped out in your head before you write it.

What are some things that as a reader, you don't like to see in this genre?

I have to agree with @StarFeather that I don't care for a ton of gore. Not that there is no gore--just that it should be used judiciously and not gratuitously. 

In your opinion what makes a good murder/mystery?

 

I enjoy a certain amount of humor in my murder mysteries. I also like it when the answer isn't to obvious.

Hope this helps!

Also, what kind of tacos do you like?

 

[Oregonian]

I like a mystery in which there are enough clues along the way for the reader to be able to do some logical thinking and begin to put two and two together, along with the detective.  The sort of mystery I don't care for is one in which the events and observations make no sense whatsoever and the detective does seemingly random and pointless activities, and then in the final chapter the detective sits everyone down in a room and narrates all the events leading up to and including the crime, without bothering to explain how he/she knew (or figured out) all this.  I have no intellectual involvement in a story like that.

JK Rowling's first crime novel featuring the detective Cormoran Strike (The Cuckoo's Calling) struck me as being like that, so I didn't enjoy it and passed it on to someone else after reading it.  But for lovers of mystery, it seemed to be very well received, and it got good reviews.

[Archer Rose]

this is probably my favourite genre to read but i think it's something that i would be too nervous to write! personally, don't like things that are just done for shock value more than anything else. it's good to be shocked but i like the way that an author can unwind the mystery, i think being able to follow the journey of the detective is important. there isn't much worse than not getting why something has happened, i feel like reason for the murder has to be tight and make sense. i like the murderer is being revealed as someone else trope so like 'oh, we thought it was the vicar but really it's the murdered person's half brother who did because she was always the favoured child' or something. it's a classic but a goodie if done right.

have you seen the film knives out? that was awesome because it changed it up by revealing what happened with the murder but it was about them covering it up and stuff, much recommended. 

@Oregonian I'm a big fan of the genre and I thought the same as you about jkr's first novel. I feel she improved over the next couple of novels and they were much more enjoyable!

[shadowycorner]

These are all super interesting to read because my one big dream is to write a decent mystery plot. I feel like there's so many rules and I'm confused and every possible choice actually feels like a mistake but I'm going to try to actually chill out and settle my mind and focus on what I LIKE and maybe go from there:

What do you look for in a good suspect? I think a good initial suspect has to be someone I can empathize with a little bit, which already gives me that feeling of 'well is this really the culprit?' but then again, because i think if a suspect is the obvious choice immediately, then it is also obvious that it isn't him.
What are some of your favorite aspects of this genre? the constant suspense and surprises. Like, one of those good plot twists that make you go 'OMG I totally should've seen that, I had a weird feeling about it but didn't give it much thought, but here we are, it totally makes sense' as opposed to the one that just shocks you but makes no sense.
What are some things that as a reader, you don't like to see in this genre? I'm honestly a little tired of the typical detective character, the dark grimy brooding dude with a stubble and a bad smoking habit. Detectives always seem to be these cynical people with dark pasts which makes sense, since they deal in crime, but it could use a bit of a refreshment when it comes to that characterization.
In your opinion what makes a good murder/mystery? I think mystery just simply needs a good plot, twist and for it all to make some sort of sense. Even good characters don't make a good mystery plot.