Insert the murder early in the story so the reader isn’t left waiting too long * While the first chapter might introduce the reader to the detective/sleuth, and a bit of context, likely by the second chapter a reader will be itching to read “what happens next,” which should be the start of the case. * For example, Chapter 2 could begin: “I woke up to two sounds. The dripping faucet in the bathroom, gotta fix that already, and the phone. It was Sergeant Thompson. Another woman’s body was found tied up behind the supermarket...too similar to that last one to be a coincidence. I hurried to put on yesterday’s shirt and pants. Coffee would have to come later.” Make the sleuth someone you want to succeed - they don’t need to be likeable, but make her interesting and empathetic The description of the sleuth can draw a reader in, want to know more, be excited to “partner” with them in solving the crime. * For example: “The dark, heavy rims sat a bit too low on Detective Gleak’s nose, and sometimes obscured eye contact when people wanted to speak with her. They found her eccentric and a little intimidating, but no one could deny she had one hell of a talent catching perps.” - this description prompts a reader to want to know in what way she is eccentric, or difficult to work with, and what her unique talents are Gradually reveal pieces of her life or past. * “She never talked about her past with co-workers. About why she avoided too much contact, why she kept a safe distance when conversing with colleagues. She had never told anyone except Frank about her childhood ‘home’ — if you could call it that. The dark space in the basement her stepdad allocated to ‘the kids’.” Typically, there should be between about 3-5 suspects — too many make the reader confused, too few make it overly simple * The sleuth will become acquainted with a variety of persons who knew the victim — family members, coworkers, the paper delivery guy, the plumber who fixed her hot water tank the week before...there’s a vast potential for where suspects come from Make the suspects believable, people who fall within the range of natural reactions to a murder--they might lie, or be skittish, or defensive, or overly suspiciously too eager to share information Any character who is questioned will likely tell half-truths, or flat-out lies, depending on their whereabouts or personal backstory. Some might harbour secrets. * For instance: “Gracie, Serena’s neighbour, was edgy. She hardly wanted to open her door more than an inch, but eventually I persuaded her to let me in. Being a woman was an advantage, because Gracie was terrified of men. She was also paranoid— cracked, peeling paper covered the windows, revealing thin rays of dusty light, like a colander. Gracie had been home that night, and heard heavy footsteps on the landing outside her door; she wouldn’t say more, for now.” Make the suspect someone whose murder the reader will want vindicated. The victim could be a lonely elderly person, a single parent, a young basketball star, but no matter their situation, make them likeable and relatable * For example: “Serena had led a small life, but she had been kind. Gracie next door knew that Serena had lost her high school boyfriend, the only person who had ever really cared about her. Once, when Gracie had been hospitalized for a week, for appendicitis, Serena had fed the cat, even spent time with him to make sure he wasn’t too rattled being alone for the first time.” Write for your audience in terms of how much gore and carnage you want to describe. A good editor will be clear about their expectations for the anticipated readership * For young adult fiction, Serena’s murder scene might be described: “The night had been cool, with heavy dew on the grass. When Detective Gleak arrived at the scene she shivered seeing the bare legs of the victim; she instinctively wanted to wrap a blanket around the body, but of course the coroner needed to finish up, and what was the point, after all?” Consider using a red-herring (a tricky diversion), but use this strategy sparingly * One example of a red-herring might be a seemingly obvious suspect that the reader might conclude to be an obvious suspect, but who will end up being inconsequential to the case: “The third time Detective Gleak returned to the scene to examine the surroundings and search for a clue, any clue, she noticed the same homeless man staring through the bushes that had been there the day of the discovery. When she called to him, he ran for it, and she gave chase…” An unreliable witness might hover in the background and even appear to be a nuisance, someone the regular cops dismiss outright. This person could have a piece of evidence, or a clue to help the lonely detective/sleuth. * “Everyone called him ‘Doc’ because he carried around this bloody heavy anatomy textbook all the time. His eyeglasses were missing one of the lenses, and Gleak wondered what state his vision was even in; he certainly didn’t seem to be all there, but when she caught up to him, he was muttering about the figure in the red coat, after ‘that woman.’ This caught her up short.”