Characteristics Of A Mystery Novel

Every good mystery novel has the same general characteristics. These characteristics include a victim, some suspects, witnesses, an investigation, usually secluded areas, a new found illness, or even a character having many flashbacks of some horrible past event. The details provided for the setting helps to create a suspenseful atmosphere, which is crucial in a mystery novel. There are five basic elements that most mysteries contain: characters, setting, clues, distractions, and a plot.

A good mystery begins with the occurrence of a crime, which usually happens in a dark abandoned place. There, usually, is a witness who can give the time and place of the crime and, sometimes, a rough description of the offender. If the witness was able to observe the offender then they are taken to a sketch artist, who draws a rough version of what the offender may look like.

A common theme in mystery novels is to have the victim be a woman. This will give the reading audience a common ground to hate the offender right away, and to take the side of the victim. The offender almost always will get away immediately after he commits the crime, thus leading to an investigation. The investigator will find various clues throughout the book, usually leading to plot twists. Often, not all of the clues will lead to the offender. Sometimes the offender will plant clues to throw off the authorities, and the reader.

Statistically, mystery novels are the number one read books in America. No matter what you like to read, a good mystery novel is always a page turner to the very end of the book.