Questions

How do mystery authors hook and hold readers?

• ~”The plot usually begins with action, intrigue, or suspense to hook the reader.” (Adult Reading Round Table pg 1)

• ~”Foreshadowing is often used to heighten the suspense for the reader; there usually will be several motives for the crime, lots of plot twists, and plenty of alibis that must be investigated” (Adult Reading Round Table pg 1).

• ~ “…realistic characters, readable and convincing text, and a sense of the readers' interests and needs.” (Hooking Struggling Readers) Authors really need to know what their audience likes, if they just write a book and don’t really know what people like then they probably won’t sell a lot. Research is needed for the information in the book itself but also for the method of writing the book.

How do mystery writers persuade their readers?

• ~In mystery and most fiction novels “The author creates a story that is believable, or at least relatable to true events, feelings or actions.”(Characteristics of fiction novels) So the reader can relate and they will understand and enjoy the book better.

• ~ “Conflict is necessary in a novel, because it makes the story feel real…”(Characteristics of Fiction Novels) If the story feels real to the reader they will want to read it more, they will feel like they are there and need to read more.

• ~An author needs to keep introducing problems in the novel but cannot go as far as when they get unbelievable. (Adult Reading Round Table pg 1) The author needs to know when to end the book so it doesn’t just get too long, boring, and unbelievable, or they will lose readers not only for that book but possibly for every book they wrote. If the reader thinks all of the authors books are like that they most likely will not read more by that author.

What is the relationship between mystery and truth?

• ~ In mystery and most fiction novels “The author creates a story that is believable, or at least relatable to true events, feelings or actions.” (Characteristics of fiction novels)

• ~There is a lot of truth in mystery novels, some conflicts, relationships, and insecurities can be related to someone’s everyday life.

• ~There are mysteries that are written based on true stories (Low End by Harry G. Pellegrin). It is written on a true story that the author had to live through. It is not all true but the general plot of the story and the murder itself are true.

• ~Many authors can write based on true stories.

What truths are best communicated through the mystery genre?

• ~There are conflicts in mystery novels that people can and do go through everyday. Problem solving is an important role in the novels and in everyday life. A student reading the book most likely is not solving a murder, however there are everyday problems in mystery novels that a person could be going through and they can learn from the character.

• ~A reader can also take the problem solving skills from one of the characters and help their own problems even if the problem is not the same.

How can mystery authors incorporate forensic science into their novels?

• ~When solving the crimes, a character could use forensic science to catch the killer.

• ~Getting the killer or whoever committed the crime usually takes a lot of forensics, going in depth into the process can help the reader understand how the information was gathered.

• ~Authors such as Alane Ferguson have a lot of forensics in their novels. Ferguson has a character that is fascinated with forensic science and solving crimes that she maybe shouldn’t and it really teaches the reader a lot about forensics.

What kind of research do authors need to do to write their novels?

• ~“Originally I did most of my research at the library and on the internet. Especially concerning the historical aspects of the books.  But in order to bring that sense of actually being there, I came to the realization that someone was going to need to go to these locales and make sure my depictions were accurate….the book would be far better if I personally visited the places in the book.”- Robin Burcell (Young).

• ~ “The best way to begin your research is by reading forensics books… Forensic research can be a great way to brainstorm for new plot, subplot, red herring and character development ideas… the best method for finding detailed information, or answering a puzzling question is to interview a professional forensic scientist… If fingerprint evidence collection, processing and analysis are part of your story, you'll need to learn the basic methodology and terminology. You'll need to know the difference between patent and latent prints and how each type is collected. Some prints are made visible by using powders and others by the use of chemical processes, requiring one or more steps…”- Hilary Conner (Conner).

• ~Research can take as long as looking up a place online or as long as researching and learning police procedures and new medical technology that is going to be in the novel. Depending on what the author is going to be writing about, the research can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days or weeks (Hamilton).

• ~If the author wants to go to the places being introduced in the novel then the research will take longer but could overall be more helpful than what you can get online (Hamilton).

• ~ Research is needed for the information in the book itself but also for the method of writing the book. If the author does not know what the readers like or the method of writing they understand, the book probably will not sell a lot.

• ~”…dramatic events vivid enough to qualify as stunning fiction, but detailed enough to be verified in the record books. The same painstaking research has gone into the views of Malta, with its rugged history etched on its limestone face, and into the close studies of the islanders…”(Stasio)

How do authors use different ways to write mystery novels?

• ~ Authors can use ways from making the point of view switching from character to character to telling the story in a first person point of view or thirds person omniscient. They can tell the readers who committed the murder before the actual characters know or they can make it so the characters know but the readers don’t. It is very important for the author to know what readers like best. Different authors write different ways and some authors choose to write in different methods.

• ~ Authors usually write in one method however so the readers do not get confused, when readers like a certain method they usually have favorite authors that write in the same methods.

• ~ They can also write their books different in how the criminals are caught and punished.

• ~ Some authors such as Alane Ferguson can focus more on the criminal justice or forensic point of view of the mystery novels. In Ferguson’s books, the character is fascinated with the forensic point of view and when she helps her father, a , she gets involved which can be good or bad, but a lot of forensic research is done in the novel and for the author. Ferguson sat through hours of autopsies and forensic testing in order to get her information on techniques correct. (Ferguson)

• ~Different authors write different ways and everyone is different in what method of writing they like. Authors know this and most target the biggest group of people that like the way they write.

Works Cited• "Adult Reading Round Table Boot Camp Mystery." Adult Reading Round Table Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb.

2011. <http://www.arrtreads.org/bootcampmystery.html>. • "Characteristics of Fiction Novels | eHow.com." eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos &

Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/about_5427200_characteristics-fiction-novels.html>.• "Characteristics of Good Mystery Literature | Education.com." Education.com | An Education & Child

Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2011. <http://www.education.com/reference/article/characteristics-good-mystery-literature/>.

• Conner, Hilary. "Conducting Forensic Research: A Tutorial For Mystery Writers." Welcome to Writing-World.com!. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.writing-world.com/mystery/forensics.shtml>.

• Hamilton, Gordon. "How to research for a mystery novel - by Gordon Hamilton - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. <http://www.helium.com/items/1583432-how-to-conduct-research-for-a-mystery-novel>.

• Ferguson, Alane. The Christopher killer: a forensic mystery. New York: Viking/Sleuth, 2006. Print. • Rog, Lori Jamison, and Paul Kropp. "Hooking Struggling Readers." Reading Help - Children Books - Online Youth

Literature - Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. <http://www.hip-books.com/teachers.php?p=156>.• STASIO, MARILYN. "Crime - Mystery Novels by Mark Mills, Robert B. Parker, Matt Beynon Rees and Frank Tallis

- Review - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/books/review/Crime-t.html>.

• Young, Mark. "Hook'em and Book'em: Interview: Mystery Novelist Robin Burcell." Hook'em and Book'em. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://hookembookem.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-mystery-novelist-robin.html>.

• "Christie, Agatha." Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of World Literature. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 371-374. Literature. Gale. SCOTIA GLENVILLE SR HIGH SCHOOL. 28 Feb. 2011 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL.SGlit&u=nysl_ca_scot>.

• Egan, Kieran, and Gillian Judson. "Of Whales and Wonder." Educational Leadership 65.6 (2008): 20. MAS Ultra - School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 28 Feb. 2011.

• Pellegrin, Harry G.. Low End. Salt-Lake City: Bedside Books, 2004. Print.