Plotting a Mystery Novel: The Secret’s in the Secrets

An essential truth about mystery novels is that characters harbor secrets. They lie, exaggerate, cover up—and it’s not always to hide their own guilt. In this workshop, we’ll outline the overall structure of a mystery novel, and how to use the revelation of secrets to fuel the plot. We’ll discuss:

• How secrets and lies can be used to fuel a mystery
• Using misdirection to implicate and exonerate
• The main character’s secrets; the victim’s secrets; the villain’s secrets
• Unreliable narrators
• Diaries, transcripts, and other devices to hide the truth
• How to strategically reveal secrets to keep readers turning pages
• The Believability Test