I am working on a series of picture books called the Jasmine Smalls Mysteries. The series will be four books about a six year girl named Jasmine Smalls and conducts invertebrate animal investigations.
As I rough draft, and edit this series I've been researching how to write mysteries and how to write about bullies, and viruses and other things. So the next books I will be review will follow successful examples of those themes.
I'll start with what I'm learning about mysteries.
In Act One of every mystery there is an introduction of the detective and an introduction of the crime - not always in that order.
1. The dec's personality
2. The dec's method for solving cases
3. The dec's superpower. All dec's have a super power. Sherlock's was deduction; Poirot's was discretion, Fletcher had timing and sharp observation, and Columbo had his instincts.
From what I've observed while YA decs have all three of these, picture books are often satisfied with just having one or two of these traits.
The following is a mixture of my own observations, as an avid fan of all this dark and mysterious, as well important clues I've learned reading How to Write a Mystery by the Mystery Writer's of America.
Introduction of the case: The crime or puzzle needs to be clearly stated as a goal to hook the detective's interest, and that of the reader. This is often based on the detective own personality. For example Poirot is not likely to take an interest in a case in a junk yard unless something of value was lost there; Columbo is't likely to help a rich person, unless that rich guy is somehow charitable. The case is the inciting incident that gets the dec involved.
ACT II The Investigation
Having learned how the dec works we get examples of it right away. Is the dec a passive observer or an active investigator? Weather he hunts down clues or is drug into the case through unavoidable circumstance, this is where we see the first example of his methods and his superpower.
We also need, as a rule with mysteries, to have suspects, settings, clues, and culprits.
Suspects - at three unless you're diving right to the villain.
Settings - at least one, but it has to be engaging. It's either counseling or yielding clues. Even in picture books the atmosphere of the setting is important.
Clues - three is best. The first leads down a path; the second is a good clue but in the wrong direction; third solves the case for the dec even if no one else sees it.
Culprits - these can be red herrings or the main baddy himself but someone has to be found out at the end or else the reader feel like their time has been waisted. If it's an innocent sleep walker. Someone has to take the blame.
ACT 3. The Summation
Everyone's favorite part! The gathering suspects, the laying down of clues, the dec showing off their super power. The satisfying ending.
My favorite mysteries are the ones where the reader has a chance to follow the clues and figure things out with the detective. So those are the ones I will be seeking out to review and breakdown. If you have any books to add to my reading list please suggest them in the comments below!
As I learn to lore, hide, and retrieve those clues and weave a satisfying tail, I'll also reading up on how other authors do it so well. Check out my other blog: The Jelly-Bell Book Club to keep up with my findings as I investigate adult and and young adult, and perhaps some Middle Grade mystery novels.
Learn more about my other writing at pbyeary.com or follow me on Twitter at PBandJellyphish
And as always I'll see you on the next page.