Tips for writing the fictional mystery novel

Writing a mystery is like playing a game of some sort leading the readers this way and that down different paths, and playing with all their emotions. Add suspense, intrigue, tears, and mystery. You need to introduce the bad and the good characters at the beginning of the story. Do not leave them hanging out waiting for action. This is why they will go out and buy your book.

The plot is very important to any story. A mystery is no exception in fact it should be everything, as you are writing it. Make it believable. The crime should be either a murder, or someone criminally insane. Never bring cruelty to animals or violence to anyone into any mystery novel. The criminal needs to have scars, a limp, or a feature to make you dislike him. On the other hand, the detective could be handsome, have a great sports car, loads of money, with a woman on each arm; you decide what suits your characters best in your particular mystery.

Play a game of cat and mouse with your readers. Do not give too many hints, as to what is/has happened. By doing this, you may give them too much information and they could guess before you are ready to let them know what is going to happen. Create several plots, and lead the reader away on different paths, so the guilty person is the last person that they suspect to be the criminal.

The criminal, has to suit your crime. You would not have a placid person bash another person twice his weight to death and carry him up two flights of steps. The same as a woman with long fingernails would not deliberately risk damaging her nails by scratching another woman in a fight.

The cop or detective needs to solve his crime by using believable and legal forms of detection. Whether you use scientific or with forensic evidence make sure it is feasible.

Lastly, make them wait until the very end, to create the best ending of all endings.