 Meaning and Definition: Mystery is defined as something that is a secret, something

where there is no clear explanation, something difficult to understand or explain or

something unexplainable or unsolvable. The mystery genre is a genre of fiction that
follows a crime from the moment it is committed to the moment it is solved. Mystery
novels are often called “whodunnits” because they turn the reader into a detective
trying to figure out the who, what, when, and how of a particular crime. Most
mysteries feature a detective solving a case as the central character.

 Origin: In Ancient Greece, Sophocles wrote about themes of infanticide, murder,

suicide, and death. Euripides wrote about themes of revenge and suffering, exposing
the more human sides of the mythical gods. Edgar Allen Poe is credited to have
created the modern mystery genre by writing the first fictional short story in 1814.
The name of the short story was called Murders in the Rue Morgue. Following him,
other writers began creating mystery fiction. Arthur Conan Doyle has contributed a
lot to this genre by giving the character of Sherlock Holmes to the world.

 Its role as an element in relation with the other elements of the novel:

a. A strong hook: A great mystery should invite the reader to try to solve the crime,
and a great opening is critical to piquing their interest. A mystery should start with
just enough information about the crime to build intrigue from the first line. This
is the defining moment when a reader chooses whether or not they want to
continue. If the dramatic element is missing from the beginning, the reader
expects the rest of the book to be the same. The first chapter should initiate the
mystery, aligning the reader with the central character on the crime-solving
adventure.
b. An atmospheric setting: Stories in this genre should create an ominous, uneasy
mood through setting to support the anxiety of an unknown antagonist lurking in
the shadows. Think of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes slinking
through the London fog in search of a killer. Settings in mysteries also offer
opportunities to plant clues and red herrings.
c. A crime: A crime is the event that fuels the plot in a mystery novel. Revealed in
the first chapter, a crime creates the central conflict that launches the
investigation, sending the main character on their quest and spurring the narrative
arc.
d. A sleuth: At the heart of every mystery is a main character determined to solve the
crime. Mystery writer Raymond Chandler created private detective Philip
Marlowe to be a crime solver in his novels. A writer can raise the stakes by
making the detective personally invested in solving the crime. Mysteries can
center around an amateur investigator—an average citizen who solves the case.
The character development of the sleuth is important; they need a backstory that
connects them to the crime or the killer, and a motive that explains why solving
this crime is important to them.
e. A villain: A mystery is often called a whodunit because the culprit is unknown
until they’re caught at the end. The story follows their movements, which propel
 the story forward. The main character and the reader discover the criminal’s
identity as the plot reaches its climax.
f. Narrative momentum: A mystery plot is in constant motion thanks to a cat-and-
mouse narrative thread. The pacing will quicken the closer the plot moves towards
the climax and the closer the main character gets to solving the crime. A trail of
clues: Clues are the literary element that allows mystery stories to engage readers
on a deeper level than other types of fiction. The reader becomes an amateur
sleuth, following the trail of clues to try to discover the identity of the culprit.
When writing mysteries, an author needs to have an organized writing process in
order to keep track of what clues they’re creating, when they appear, and who
knows what in order to make sure the plot lines make sense.
g. Foreshadowing: Mysteries often drop hints of things that will happen in the future.
This is known as foreshadowing. A writer can hint at a future event with a small
clue or through character dialogue. Writers can be more or less direct with
foreshadowing, either subtly hinting at future events or explicitly stating what will
happen.
h. Red herrings: A good mystery throws the reader off track. Red herrings are an
essential element in mysteries. These false clues build tension by creating other
suspects and distracting the detective—and the reader—and leading them away
from the real culprit. A writer creates red herrings by placing extra emphasis on an
object, event, or character that catches a reader’s attention, making that element
seem more significant than it really is to the storyline.
i. A satisfying ending: At the end of great mystery novels there is the big reveal—
the sleuth discovers the identity of the culprit. An ending should also provide an
alibi for any other suspects to strengthen the identity of the real killer and
eliminate doubt, tying up loose ends.

 Purpose behind writing a mystery novel: The mystery genre has been entertaining
readers for hundreds of years. Edgar Allan Poe was a master of mystery writing, with
works such as his short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” from 1841. A good
mystery has certain literary elements to intensify the suspense and build up to a big
finale.

 Features of mystery novel:

1. Mystery, crime, or another puzzle to be solved.
2. Main character who is a detective who sets out to solve a mystery.
3. Suspects and their motives; these must be weighed and evaluated.
4. Overt Clues about the crime are presented.
5. Hidden Evidence is presented, i.e., essential details are offered in such a way that they
seem unimportant.
6. Inference Gaps—mysteries, by their very nature, do not tell the whole story. It is up to
readers to notice the gaps in the story and try to fill these gaps by using and
connecting the information that is presented.
7. Suspense—having to hold various possible conclusions at bay as you wait to see what
happens; reader is expected to enjoy the suspense, and to read to find out what will
happen.
8. Foreshadowing—clues left by the author as to possible outcomes.
9. Red herring—a kind of foreshadowing clue that leads the reader to false conclusions.

 Any particular style that is required: Usually involves a mysterious death or a crime to
be solved. In a closed circle of suspects, each suspect must have a credible motive and
a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime. The central character must be a
detective who eventually solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts fairly
presented to the reader. This classic structure is the basis for hundreds of variations on
the form.

 Difference between mystery novel and detective fiction: Mystery novel revolves
around a mysterious story which will be revealed at the denouement and it does not
necessarily have a detective. Detective fiction is a genre where an intelligent detective
resolves the mystery of the fiction.

 Writers/followers: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, James
Chase Patterson, Allen Pinkerton, Edgar Allan Poe, Raymond Chandler, Dorothy
Sayers, P.D. James, Patricia Highsmith.

 Examples: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s series of Sherlock Holmes is the best example of
mystery novel. It includes a central character Sherlock Holmes who is exceptionally
intelligent. He is assigned murder cases which he solves with the help of his
roommate and friend, Doctor John Watson. Another example is Agatha Christie’s
novel And then there were none. In the novel, 10 random strangers are called to
Soldier Island for different reasons. On the first night itself, one by one people are
murdered as per a nursery poem. It confounds the reader whether there is someone
else on the island with them, or if one of them is the murderer.