THE FUN OF WRITING A MYSTERY

When I do bookstore or library presentations, one of the questions that comes up is: “What’s the difference between a mystery novel versus a thriller/suspense story?” Along with the inevitable follow-up, “Is either more difficult or fun to write?” Here’s the answer:

The classic mystery plot — think Agatha Christie (the seamstress did it in the library with a knitting needle), and her countless protégés — unveils the workings of a crime, and gives hints and clues along the way as to who the perpetrator is. The key is to not reveal the identity of the bad guy/gal, or the crime’s motive, until the very end.

My novel The Chemist, on the other hand, is a classic suspense-thriller. In this type of story the identity of the criminal is revealed fairly early in the story. The thrill of the chase, as it were, comes from the cat-and-mouse game involving the detectives attempting to capture the evil doer. Another thriller technique is to put the story’s hero (him or her) in immediate danger, chased page after page throughout the story (think Jason Bourne) by a mysterious group of enemies or bad guys.

For the purists out there, while these are genre definitions, I understand that many crime fiction novels have been written which overlap both plot techniques. As a rule of thumb, however, the structure of the story usually works best when the writer chooses one method of telling the tale and sticks to it. In my humble opinion, that is.

As to the question above, regarding which is easiest/hardest to plot out and write? There is no definitive answer. The best advice I can render is the cryptic: It depends on the storyteller. Many writers enjoy the game of keeping their readers guessing the bad guy’s identity. They love the challenge of dropping clues and hints along the way. Other writers (myself included) prefer to throw the deviant criminal right out there for the world to see. The plot revolves around the detectives’ ability to identify and stop him. 

If you enjoy writing/reading about subtle clues, plot twists and guessing games, then you can’t go wrong with the classic mystery formula. If you prefer entering the psychologically twisted mind of a criminal deviant, then the ramped-up tension of the thriller/suspense story is your cup of tea. Both methods of telling the story are enjoyable to write; and each plot is no more difficult to manage than the other.

Until next time, watch out for that seamstress lurking behind the curtains near the library.