Last week, I wrote about how thinking like a mystery reader helps me write mysteries. This week, I want to focus on playing fair with clues and red herrings. Misdirection is key and I describe below how to use misdirection in mysteries while still presenting the clues readers need to solve the mystery themselves. What is misdirection? Read on!
Mysteries and Stage Magic
I’m sure many people have noticed the similarities between writing mysteries and stage magic. One of the best descriptions of this comparison I’ve read comes from Otto Penzler, founder of Mysterious Press and editor of numerous mystery anthologies. In his introduction to a reprint of Death from a Top Hat, which features the Great Merlini, a retired magician as the amateur sleuth, Mr. Penzler writes about how both arts use ways to snatch your attention from what’s really going on.
In both arts, the audience knows they are viewing a trick. Since they know it, it makes it fun to be either impressed with the ingenuity of the writer or magician or accept the challenge of figuring out what they’re up to. In magic, a magician may wave his left hand so you don’t notice what his right foot is doing. In mysteries, the writer shows you all the clues, but the way she emphasizes them or doesn’t is the misdirection.
“Bovine” in Ohio Trail Mix: Adventures and Inspiration Along the Ohio Literary Trail”
I’m taking a chance here and pointing out the first clue in my short story, “Bovine”. I hope you’ll still read it, but the first clue is a good illustrations of misdirection.
Elite New York novelist Harrison Sharpe stages burglary in the rustic retreat he’s renting in rural Ohio. He’s walking through the home with the sheriff.
Then he [the sheriff] frowned, staring at the fireplace with its hodge-podge pattern of heavy stones. “That’s funny. Since all the items but the TV were very small, you’d think they’d’ve gone for those.”
He stepped around a disemboweled cushion and broken lamp, staring at two flintlock pistols hanging on hooks above the mantle.
“They’re fake,” I said. “Sara told me that because she didn’t want me to think she kept unsecured firearms on the premises. I have no idea why she owns them. I’m sure she can afford the real thing. I suppose the thieves could tell.”
“I don’t know how, just by looks.” The Ox lifted one gun from its hook. “But you can by holding them. They’re too light.”
“Then they must have grabbed them and put them back.” I coughed to cover a smile.
Inferring that most of the male rednecks would possess a deep knowledge of firearms, I had decided leaving the guns in place would bolster the illusion of locals being responsible for the crime.
I present everything readers needs in this scene, but since the story is told from Harrison Sharpe’s POV, I let his thoughts misdirected the reader from the true importance of the guns, which the sheriff explains at the wrap up.
Set Up and Pay Off
Click here for an excellent article on how to set up and pay off plot points. I realized I’ve been doing this for years but hadn’t had a label for the technique. Setting up a plot point and giving it multiple pay offs will misdirect readers.
For example, let’s say the amateur sleuth is a music teacher and plays drums in a weekend band. Readers will expect that skill to play a some kind of role in the story or why else did the author give the MC the skill? During the course of the story, MC goes to a music festival and being a drummer gives him access to a suspect. Since the plot point of love of music has already served the plot, readers will probably think it won’t come into play again.
But the author then makes the MC’s knowledge of drumming a key clue to catching the bad guy. The author misdirected readers into thinking music was a minor plot point when it was both a minor and a major one.
For more tips on writing mysteries, click here.
What examples of misdirection have you seen in books or movies?
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