How soon a murder should take place in a mystery novel
depends on the type of novel being written.
In some mysteries, the murder occurs on the very first page or chapter,
in others not until chapter six, and in still others…not at all.
The Traditional Mystery
In a traditional or Agatha Christie type novel, the murder
usually occurs very early. Sometimes the book opens with a murder on the first
page. Traditionally the murder should
take place in the first chapter unless there is some strong reason why it must
be delayed. If there is going to be a
murder in the book, as a rule of thumb, it should at least happen before
chapter six. This is because the crime
must be introduced early enough to center the book around it.
It is important that
the murder occur early in this type of book, for this kind of novel centers
around “whodunit”. The victim is already
dead and the detective must sort through suspects and clues to find out who
killed the victim.
The Suspense or Thriller
A suspense or thriller may start with a threat rather than a
murder. This may be a missing person, a
kidnapping, or other threat of some kind.
The murder may occur much later in the book.
In this type of book,
the intended victim may not be the person who winds up getting killed. Or in some instances the villain is thwarted
before anyone gets killed. But quite a
bit of excitement is generated through chases and narrow misses.
The No-Murder Mystery
Some mysteries center around a crime other than murder. These books may involve a theft instead, such
as the stealing of a bag of diamonds or some other treasure. The mystery revolves around who took the valuables,
and not who committed murder.
Another instance of a mystery where no actual murder may
occur is in the case of a kidnapped pet or some such crime that doesn’t involve
a human victim. The pet is usually
returned safely, and the mystery is solved without undue violence.
There is no set answer as to when a murder should take place
in a mystery. The genres have blended so
that a murder in the first chapter is not always the norm. No matter what the sub-genre, a mystery must
start with some kind of action to draw the reader in. If not a murder, it is essential that an
event such as a theft, missing person, or other exciting event must be
introduced in the first chapter.
For more writing tips, check out our nonfiction books on writing and writing mysteries.
For more writing tips, check out our nonfiction books on writing and writing mysteries.
