If you’re a mystery lover like me, you may at some point have wondered “What makes a good mystery story?”. While writing a novel is no easy feat, writing a mystery novel has got to be even more challenging. Before I get around to telling you the 10 elements of a great mystery, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the greatest mystery author of all time.
Who is the best mystery author of all time?
Agatha Christie (1890-1976), the ‘Queen of Crime’ is simply the best in the mystery genre. As per Agatha Christie’s official website, she’s only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare, having sold over a billion copies in the English language and over a billion copies in translation. Agatha Christie has produced 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap.
RelatedWhat Makes A Cozy Mystery?
What is the best-selling mystery book of all time?
Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is the best-selling mystery novel of all time.
What do you need in a mystery story?
A mystery story usually encompasses a dark mysterious event where something has happened (such as a priceless item going missing or a dead body being found) and there usually are a lot of suspects involved.
Solving ‘whodunit’ (whose done it) is the aim of the book and what readers enjoy most about a mystery novel. Whilst everyone seems to have a motive and potentially be the person whodunit, the revelation of the true culprit should make the reader feel as though it was obvious (though only at the end). A great mystery novel leaves the reader wondering “How did I not see that before?”.
RelatedTop 10 Essential Agatha Christie Books to Dive Into
What are the 10 elements of a mystery?
- Having a strong hook or a good opening – Presenting the puzzle that is to be solved. It piques the readers interest and gets them involved in wanting to solve the puzzle.
- Characters – all mysteries need a villain, a sleuth and a number of suspects that could each have a motive to commit the crime.
- Creating a mysterious atmosphere using setting and descriptive language – An air of mystery adds to the mood and makes for a thrilling read.
- Ensuring that the reader is your number one detective – Even though your main character may actually be a detective, clues should be presented by the author so that the reader can develop their own theories and guess possible outcomes. There needs to be ‘inference gaps’ where readers have to fill in the gaps and connect the information rather than be given the whole story. Doing this wisely means that the pieces of the puzzle would fall into place only at the end.
- Structuring chapters attentively – Having cliffhangers at the end of the chapter will keep the reader engaged and not want to put the book down.
- Using red herrings – Red herrings are foreshadowing clues that lead the reader to false conclusions. This helps make other suspects look more suspicious than the actual culprit and keeps the reader guessing.
- Foreshadowing – This is the art of setting up clues to help the reader develop expectations about upcoming events thus creating additional tension and suspense.
- Writing suspenseful dialogue – Suspects and their motives must be weighed and evaluated. Using suspenseful dialogue correctly would involve not making anything obvious for the reader. Though the reader may think they’ve figured out whodunit, they should always be doubtful (and hopefully wrong all along!).
- Ensuring a good pace – The pacing should quicken the closer the plot moves towards the climax and the closer the main character gets to solving the mystery. The ending is the most exciting part of a mystery as it finally reveals whether the reader has been right about whodunit. Its best to have a good momentum and not keep them waiting.
- A satisfying climax and resolution – Only when revealed should it become apparent who the culprit was and that all the clues that helped find the solution were there all along. It cannot be stressed enough that this is what really makes a great mystery. Remember that if the reader correctly solves the mystery on their own, then it takes the fun out of it.
I’m sure you’ll notice these 10 elements when reading your next mystery. If you haven’t yet read any of Agatha Christie’s works, I highly recommend reading it!
