Want to Write a Mystery? Check Out These Craft Books
If you’re a mystery reader, chances are you’ve had the urge to write one, as well. (And if you’re thinking of writing one, I certainly hope you are a regular reader of that genre.)
Mysteries of all kinds remain among the most popular books on all kinds of bestseller lists, whether traditionally or self-published. There are dozens of sub-genres – cozies, thrillers, amateur sleuths, LGBTQIA sleuths, domestic, humorous, paranormal... the list is almost endless. But there are a number of craft issues to be considered, and it’s good to familiarize yourself with some of the genre conventions and structures before jumping in and writing yourself into a corner.
Below are a few popular how-to-write-a-mystery books I’ve read. Summer is a great time to catch up some craft book reading (as well as lots of fun mysteries), so here you go!
How to Write a Cozy Mystery - Nina Harrington. A bit formulaic, but then, so are a lot of cozy mysteries (to great effect, I might add). She really breaks it down in terms of Four Act Structure and the particular scenes you need to include, as well as the types of characters you may need to develop (with lots of examples). She also offers good insight into how to gain marketing information on Amazon to discover the range of sub-genres of cozy mystery, to see where yours will fit and the tropes readers will expect. A quick read, and a good one for anyone looking for how to put a mystery together, whether you consider yourself a “pantser” or a “plotter.”
How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America – ed. By Lee Child, with Laurie R. King. This compilation of short (one paragraph) to longer chapters from well-known mystery writers gives plenty of general advice on writing, but is very much geared to a beginner audience. It reviews different mystery subgenres; the “rules” of writing mystery; whether or not to outline; and various chapters of craft elements like character and plot. It also goes into how to publish, legal issues, and dealing with criticism, and much more. It all comes across as a bit scattershot, and most writers who want anything other than a general introduction will want to check out books that focus on the craft exclusively, and in a deeper way, and then take a deep dive into paths to publication. However, this is a good overview, from some of the masters of the genre.
Mystery: How to Write Traditional and Cozy Whodunits – Paul Tomlinson. This one skews more traditional, and has a huge helping of the history of the mystery genre, which may be interesting if you’re a fan. This is pretty technical, and since mystery is a very plot-driven genre it helps to have an idea of how it’s put together. Tomlinson goes over the main types of characters (the sleuth, the victim, the “Watson,” etc.; and outlines several types of plots so you can see how they play out. The Act I Murder, the Midpoint Murder, the Locked Room mystery... these are all plotted somewhat differently and will really help you in reading as a writer, where you are reading specifically for how the writer put the story together. He’s also written books on how to write a Crime Thriller or a Suspense Thriller.
Writing the Cozy Mystery – Nancy J. Cohen. This is a great, readable introduction that assumes no knowledge of writing (although it is not a craft book, per se: it doesn’t teach you how to craft witty dialogue, for example, just that it is advisable between your sleuth protagonist and the love interest). It does give great examples of how you might put such a mystery together if you are inclined to write one, including creating a web of suspects, world building, and even special considerations for creating a series.
Of course, one of the best ways to learn to write mysteries is to read them. Do you like cozies? Domestic thrillers? Psychological crime? Read once for the story, then several more times to figure out how the author did it. How did they create the characters - the sleuth, the suspects? How did the setting enhance the mystery? Where were the clues laid? This is one genre where learning to read like a writer can really pay off.
