Definition
Mystery fiction is organized around a question, usually 'who did it?' but sometimes 'how?' or 'why?' A crime or unexplained event occurs, and the narrative follows the investigation. Clues are planted, suspects are examined, and the satisfaction comes from the solution clicking into place. The genre spans everything from cozy village puzzles to brutal noir, but the structure remains: question, investigation, answer.
Why It Matters
Mystery teaches plotting discipline better than any other genre. Every scene must serve the investigation, every clue must be fairly planted, and the solution must be both surprising and inevitable. These skills transfer to any plot-driven fiction. If your plots tend to meander, studying mystery structure will tighten them.
Types of Mystery
Famous Examples
Holmes at his most atmospheric: deduction applied to a seemingly supernatural threat on the moors.
A murder investigation that's equally interested in its detective's psychology, blending mystery with literary fiction.
A locked-room mystery crossed with Groundhog Day, showing how the genre continues to reinvent itself.
Common Mistakes
Fair play is the contract. The reader should be able to solve the mystery with the information you've given them, even if they rarely do.
If the detective suddenly reveals a clue the reader never saw, you've cheated. Plant your clues early and hide them in plain sight.
The best mysteries work because we care about the detective. Give your investigator a life, flaws, and personal stakes.
Try It Yourself
Write the first chapter of a mystery. A body is found (or something valuable is missing). Introduce your detective, establish three suspects, and plant two clues. One clue should be obvious; one should be hidden in a detail the reader might overlook. Test it on a friend and see if they catch both.
Mapping your clue placements, suspect introductions, and red herrings across your mystery's timeline, so every reveal feels earned.
Are your mystery clues planted in the right places?
Novelium's plotting tools let you map clue placement, track suspect appearances, and ensure your solution is both surprising and fair. No more accidentally revealing the killer in Chapter 3.