Clues and Foreshadowing
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Clues and Foreshadowing

What is Foreshadowing? Foreshadowing is a literary device which is an advance hint of something that will happen later in the story. Foreshadowing creates an atmosphere of suspense as the reader continues on with expectations over later events. Foreshadow upcoming events with character dialogue, plot events, and changes in setting. Each method supplies a way…

A Mystery’s Pivotal Character is The Victim

A Mystery’s Pivotal Character is The Victim

The Victim Drives Your Mystery Although your sleuth is the hero of your mystery, the victim drives the story. The sleuth works throughout the story to uncover layers about the victim and the people (characters) involved in the victim’s life. In a traditional mystery, the puzzle pieces the sleuth uncovers are based on the relationship between…

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Research Discoveries for The Peach Widow

Discoveries I Made While Researching The Peach Widow Background Every story presents new research challenges when writing an historical mystery. For The Peach Widow I needed background on farm dogs, inheritance law, and natural poisons. My first challenge was looking for background on inheritance law concerning a second wife and children by a previous marriage. After…

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The Magic of Story

Don’t Forget to Tell A Story Mystery readers love a good story. So when you are constructing your mystery, hiding clues, planting red herrings, or making a suspect look suspicious don’t forget the story comes first. The strongest stories have well-developed themes, engaging plots, suitable structure, memorable characters, well-chosen settings, and attractive style. For best…