Writing Tips: Murder Mystery, Agatha Christie style
Setting:
Remote, isolated places like islands, stalled trains, or ships for your story's backdrop.
Limit the characters' movement; they can't leave. This heightens tension as the killer is among them.
Characters:
The characters are often strangers; unsure of who to trust and are wary of each other.
Create simple, 2-dimensional characters who are caricatures of their occupations and ethnic backgrounds, reduced to a few distinctive traits, making them appear predictable.
Prose:
Keep your writing simple and accessible.
Use short, clear sentences and snappy dialogue.
This makes the reader focus more on the plot and mystery.
Clues:
Good clues are memorable but not fully understood by the reader.
Misdirection: associate a clue with one suspect, then frame them with said clue.
Twist: make the person who reports the murder the actual killer.
Outsider Protagonists:
Hercule Poirot, a petite Belgian refugee.
Jane Marple, an elderly amateur detective.
They are not typical detectives, but outsiders who bring unique perspectives to the plot.
This is part of my Writing Tips series. Everyday I publish a writing tip to this blog.
