Mystery

About mysteries… Usually fiction stories Author may leave clues to guide the reader to solve the mystery Have components of realistic fiction but has different emphasis: Everything revolves around a puzzle, or an unusual problem to solve

Ingredients for a mystery Characters All may be fictional Some may be real, while others are fictional They all behave in realistic ways

Ingredients for a mystery Setting Realistic

Ingredients for a mystery Plot Each major event is linked in steps that make sense Usually includes one of the following: A problem that needs to be solved An event that cannot be explained A secret Something that is lost or missing A crime that has been committed

Recipe for a mystery Beginning Characters are introduced and the reader learns about the problem Middle Detectives work to solve the mystery by interviewing suspects and gathering clues End The Mystery is solved

Mystery vocabulary

Mystery Vocabulary Alibi an excuse that a suspect uses to show that he or she was somewhere other than at the scene of the crime when the crime was committed Clue fact or object that helps solve mysteries, hints Deduction Coming to a conclusion by using reasoning

Mystery Vocabulary Evidence something that helps prove who committed the crime Motive why a crime was committed Red herring a false lead that throws the investigator off track

Mystery Vocabulary Sleuth another name for a detective Suspect A person who is believed to have possibly committed the crime Witness Someone who saw the crime being committed and can provide some information

Types of Conflict External Conflict- struggle against an outside force; man vs. man/nature/society/technology Internal Conflict- struggle within the character; man vs. self- who to trust, love, work ethic Action of the plot is set into motion by a Central Conflict.

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