1. Mystery and Suspense

2. What is Mystery?  A secret, a riddle, a puzzle  Essential ingredients are an element of crime, mixed with an element of detection.  You have to find out the secret, and solve the riddle or puzzle to find the criminal or enemy and crack the case.  The hero or heroine appears in a series of adventures.

3. Key Elements in Mystery… Plot  The plot in a mystery centers around the detective’s attempts to uncover clues to help solve the mystery.

4. Key Elements in Mystery… Conflict  The interaction between the character who has committed the crime and the character who is trying to solve the crime.

5. Key Elements in Mystery… Characters  Suspects – characters believed to have committed the crime

6. Key Elements in Mystery… Characters  Detective – character trying to solve the mystery

7. Key Elements in Mystery… Characters  Witnesses – characters who saw the crime being committed.

8. Key Elements in Mystery… Characters  Victim – character who is deceived, cheated, or receives the unfortunate act.

9. Key Elements in Mystery… Clues  Clues are hints that can help the reader and the detective solve the mystery.  They can be things people say or do, or objects that are found that provide important information.

10. Key Elements in Mystery… Red Herrings  These are distractions or false clues that may lead the reader or the detective off track.  Red Herrings often make it more difficult to solve a mystery.

11. Structure of a Mystery Most mysteries are set up the same way. Beginning – characters are introduced and the reader learns about the problem. Middle – detectives work to solve the mystery by interviewing suspects and gathering clues. End – the mystery is solved!