How Soon Should a Murder Occur in a Mystery Novel?

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.

Fiction: From Writing to Publication

Writing and Selling a Mystery Novel: A Simple Plan

Tips For Writing the Perfect Ending

 Every story deserves a good, satisfying ending.  But what elements make up a memorable ending?

 

The Hero should Solve his Own Problem

The resolution of the novel should logical and should, at least in part, be brought about by the hero (or heroine's) quick wit, thinking or reaction.  It is unfair to the reader to have the problem solved too easily, or by chance or circumstance.  For example, if the hero is in a shootout with the bad guy, it would be disappointing if a brick suddenly fell from an overhead building and instantly killed the bad guy for him.  This would certainly make the hero’s day and solve his problem, but it is unsatisfying because the hero has done nothing toward saving his own life. It would be much better if the hero had made a plan in advance, perhaps rigged the brick so that it would fall, then lured the bad guy over to the spot where it will land. In any event, the hero should use his wits in some way to save his own life.  His actions should make sense and be products of his own logic, not fate.

Resolve any Subplot

By the end of the book, any subplots, such as romantic subplots, should be resolved.  If the hero has a fight with his girlfriend, do they reconcile or are they forever estranged?  Other subplots that should be resolved by the end of the book are conflicts with family members or major life decisions.  Readers are interested in even small details about the hero or heroine.  For example, in your novel the heroine might be looking for a new house to buy.  This may be only a minor aside, yet the reader wants to know and will be disappointed if the heroine has not found and purchased her little cottage by the sea by the end of the book.  Keep the subplots hanging until the end of the book, but not indefinitely.

Tie up all Loose Ends

“And they lived happily ever after.”  It is customary for a novel, especially a genre novel, to have a happy ending, or end on a positive note.  The ending is usually a time to assure the reader that all the wrongs have been righted.

However, a book does not absolutely have to have a happy ending. In fact, some of the greatest novels of literature end on an unhappy note.  If your book does not have a happy conclusion, then it must be in some way satisfying.  The hero must have grown or learned some valuable truth about himself.  By the end of the book, the problem that plagued the hero should be resolved, one way or another.  The hero should either be on his way to a happier life or have in some way come to terms with, and be at peace with, the decisions he has made. 

End with a Strong Sentence

The ending is a good place to provide a kind of closure.  What has the hero learned (or not learned) about himself?  Has this experience made the hero a better person in some way? If possible, end with a deep thought or emotion

In A Tale of Two Cities, when Sydney Carton commits the noble act of dying in another man’s place, the words "it is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done, it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known,” will stay with the reader long after the pages have closed.  And who can forget the ending line of Gone with the Wind, when Scarlett O’Hara pronounces, “After all, tomorrow is another day!”

Tips for making a good ending:

*make sure the ending is logical

*the hero should solve his own problem

*resolve any subplot

*tie up all loose ends

*leave the reader with a strong sentence, thought or emotion

For more writing tips click: 

FICTION: FROM WRITING TO PUBLICATION

The Importance of Pacing Suspense by guest blogger Jean Henry Mead

Murder at the Mansion by Jean Henry Mead 

Writing a series can be an asset as well as a hindrance. An asset because your readers look forward to each new novel and your continuing characters. But you can become bored with your character(s) as Agatha Christie did with Hercule Poirot. In fact, she came to hate the arrogant little detective.

My protagonists have become old friends that I enjoy tuning into each day to listen in on their conversations, no matter how scatterbrained they happen to be. But I've also become bored at times writing about my two older women amateur sleuths, who get themselves into situations that I have a difficult time writing them out of.

I don't outline, unless it's a nonfiction book, and my characters have free rein, so they lead me on some wild adventures. Murder at the Mansion is my wildest novel to date, with my protagonists, Dana and Sarah, running for their lives from Wyoming to Texas, Alaska, Colorado, and back again.

The more I get to know my characters, the more I trust that they won't paint me into a corner or refuse to do what I want them to. In my new release, some of the people they helped to place in prison return to seek revenge, and Sarah decides to dissolve a hasty marriage that she regrets. None of these things occurred to me when I sat down to write, so I blame the devious minds of my two protagonists.

Combine mystery, humor, romance, murder, a quirky character or two, and you have the Logan and Cafferty series, which I hope to continue writing for quite some time.

by Jean Henry Mead

Jean Henry Mead

Bio: Jean Henry Mead is a former news reporter and photojournalist. She’s the author of 21 books, half of them novels, which include the Logan & Cafferty series, Hamilton Kid’s mysteries, Wyoming historical novels, and nonfiction interview and history books, one of which served as a college textbook. She has also served as a news, magazine and small press editor, contributor to the Denver Post, and has been published in magazines domestically as well as abroad.