Making a great mystery - #Mystery #Murder #Politics #Giveaway @QuirkyMysteries

By Charlotte Stuart (Guest Blogger)

I was one of those young girls who loved Nancy Drew mysteries. She was independent, wasn’t afraid of anything and always managed to find some secret or spooky places to explore. I still like mysteries featuring strong women and settings that transport you beyond the parameters of everyday life. But with so many mystery writers in today’s marketplace, my criteria for what makes a great mystery has evolved. It’s also been influenced by discussions in my mystery book club. Here are a few highlights.

The first line and the first few paragraphs can make it or break it for me. I need to be hooked by some tantalizing hint of what’s to come, and I need to feel like the writing is going to be reasonably good. Some writers produce wonderful plots but aren’t going to win any prizes for writing. Others capture you with their descriptions and creative analogies and metaphors but their plots are way too predictable. And, because there are so many books available these days, I, and I believe other readers, are much more likely to set aside a book they don’t get into right away.

A common complaint I share with my other book club members is not feeling a connection with the main character. I can get attached to an anti-hero or an edgy or abrasive personality, but I need to care about what happens to them. For me, that means they can be flawed, cynical, even slightly immoral, but I have to understand their motivation and feel like they have some redeeming qualities.

I think most mystery readers appreciate a twisty plot with enough clues for the reader to make a reasonable guess about whodunnit. But sometimes you know who did it in advance, and the mystery is how it is proven. There are no fixed rules for good storytelling, and I appreciate innovative approaches. In general though, what I like in a mystery is a challenging puzzle, motivated action that moves toward resolution, and sufficient closure at the end.

Finally, there are numerous lists of mysteries set in exotic locations. And, I confess, I will sometimes read a book for its setting even if there are other aspects of character, plot or writing that I’m not thrilled with. In general, I believe location can be a big draw. Traveling to new places in your imagination or experiencing a culture or lifestyle different from your own can be educational as well as entertaining.

With so many sub-genres out there, there is a lot that could be said about what makes a great mystery. But if the first few paragraphs grab my attention, I feel an affinity for the main character, the plot is sufficiently complex and moves along at a reasonable pace, and the writing does not distract from the storyline, then I’m satisfied. With extra points for an interesting location.

It all sounds straightforward, until you sit down to write. What’s easy to critique as a reader can get lost in the creative process. I start by choosing a main character, one I can enjoy spending time with and one that I anticipate readers will like. Each character lives and works someplace I hope readers will find interesting. I’ve created a Discount Detective agency located in a mall for one character. Another protagonist is a part of an urban marina community, and a third lives in a cabin on an island. Not particularly exotic locations, but distinctive enough to work with as a writer. Then there’s plotting. I begin with a content theme that I want to use as the catalyst – a survivalist camp, the illegal human organ trade, a conflict over whether wild animals can and should live alongside people and their domestic animals, and Congressional campaign shenanigans. Once I have the topic I can focus on the mystery aspect of the novel – who gets knocked off, whodunnit, and what clues are needed to provide breadcrumbs leading to the solution. And along the way I try to spice things up by throwing in a little humor.

Do I fulfill my own requirements for a good mystery stated above? My goal is for readers to enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them. You can let me know if I’ve succeeded.

Blurb

What begins as a prank ends in murder.

The campaign for the U.S. Congressional seat was referred to in the press as “Mr. Smith goes to Washington versus the carpetbagger.” The popular local candidate gets the majority of endorsements, but his opponent’s wealthy, out-of-state family is willing to do whatever it takes for him to win.

Penny-wise Investigations, a discount detective agency located in a mall, is hired to find out who is stealing the local candidate’s political signs. Two of their investigators, Cameron Chandler and Yuri Webster, not only catch the thieves in the act, they find a body next to a pile of stolen signs, proving that Campaigning Can Be Deadly.

Excerpt

STAKEOUT - There were no buildings on the smallish piece of land, just tall grass dotted with litter. Signs were scattered everywhere, like bulky cardboard weeds growing out of control, including a dozen or so for Knight. They stood out from the rest because of their color and careful placement on the lot. According to the file, Knight’s signs had been stolen from the lot in the past, and hopefully they would be a tempting target for the opposition this evening. Although I liked having an assignment, I didn’t necessarily look forward to spending too many nights in a car eating junk food and praying that I could last the night without needing a toilet break.

“Want to start with chips or Cheez-its?” Yuri asked.

“I brought a couple of sandwiches,” I said. “Egg salad or vegetarian?”

“What’s in the vegetarian?”

“Eggs,” I said, handing him a sandwich. “I didn’t have time for dinner,” I explained. “I also have a thermos of coffee and some candy bars.”

“I brought Coke and candy bars.”

“Think we’ll have enough?”

“Only if it doesn’t take all night.” Yuri laughed. I like his laugh. And I like him. We work well together. Initially my kids had hoped we would end up romantically involved, but when they realized that wasn’t going to happen, they seemed content to settle for his friendship in our lives.

About the Author

In a world filled with uncertainty and too little chocolate, Charlotte Stuart has a passion for writing lighthearted mysteries with a pinch of adventure and a dollop of humor. Her first discount detective mystery, Survival Can Be Deadly, was a Foreward INDIES finalist. Why me? Chimeras, Conundrums and Dead Goldfish was a semi-finalist for the Chanticleer Murder and Mayhem contest before it was published. She began her career in academia with a PhD in communications. Then, she and her husband decided to build a commercial boat and go fishing for salmon in Alaska. Currently she is the VP for Puget Sound Sisters in Crime and lives and writes on Vashon Island in Washington State’s Puget Sound. She spends time each day entertained by herons, seals, eagles and other wildlife.

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.charlottestuart.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/quirkymysteries

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.stuart.mysterywriter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19305587.Charlotte_Stuart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clzstuart

Buy Links

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/campaigning-can-be-deadly-charlotte-stuart/1136403993

https://www.amazon.com/Campaigning-Deadly-Discount-Detective-Mystery/dp/194044232X

https://www.bookdepository.com/Campaigning-Can-Be-Deadly-Charlotte-Stuart/9781940442327

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781940442327

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51074737-campaigning-can-be-deadly

Charlotte Stuart will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

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