In episode 242, “Write a Mystery 103: Classic Who Dun It Plot,” Meredith Curtis brings you to the next step on your storytelling journey. Mystery writers, it’s time to create a plot. The classic who dun it plot goes beyond the inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution. It keeps the reader guessing who the criminal is until the end.

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Crime committed, usually a murder. Clues & red herrings followed by detective & readers who try their hardest to guess the perpetrator. At the end of the story, justice is served.

Plot is what makes a story a story. Stories have action, movement, a beginning, and an ending.

A story moves from the initial scenario to the climax to the final conclusion. The plot, or story line, pulls us into the lives of the characters through their words and actions during the adventure. Every story is made up of a series of incidents that are related to each other.

Conflict is the heart of the story. This is where you find out who the “good guys” are and who the “enemy” is. There is no plot without this dramatic struggle between the main character and an opposing force in the story. Conflict can be external (human versus human, human versus nature, human versus society) or internal (human versus self). Conflict is often introduced early on in the story, sometimes in the opening pages.

In a murder mystery, the battle of wits is between the detective and the unknown murderer.

I like to think of the plot, or storyline, in terms of scenes. One chapter may have several scenes.

Introduce Normal

Show what normal life looks like in the first scene, introduce main characters (can be done in 1 chapter or less than a chapter. The stage is now set for the story to begin.

Teatime Trouble – Maggie & Matt move to Hopeville for Matt to start seminary.

In Third Girl, young woman Norma Restarick seeks help from Poirot, believing she may have committed murder.

Inciting Incident

Crime or murder happens. Clues at the scene. Suspects.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Conflict & Complications

Conflict between detective and criminal, trying to unmask murderer and bring to justice. Investigating suspects. Every suspect should have a motive. Clues & Red Herrings. Complications – personal things impacting detective, thus impacting investigation.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Climax

The moment you wait for in a movie, where the action is most intense (the chase scene in a detective television show!) is called the climax. You are at the edge of your chair for the climax.  It is the turning point in the story. The main character comes face to face with a conflict and will change in some way as a result of the conflict. This is the final showdown that elicits the greatest emotion from the reader. The climax might be the murderer confronting the detective, trying to stop him from discovering his identity or the detective revealing the identity of the murderer. It is usually something along these lines.

Complications – personal things impacting detective, thus impacting investigation.

Resolution

The conclusion or ending of the story is where the story stops in a reasonable way that allows the reader to feel that the tale is through.

Justice is served. Things are resolved and/or clarified.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

Back to Normal

I like to add a final scene to bring the amateur sleuth back to normal life. Think of a TV show with the ending scene.

Teatime Trouble

In Third Girl

For step-by-step help in creating your own murder mystery, grab your copy of Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis

Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing Volume II by Meredith Curtis is a one-credit high school English course.

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Maggie & Matt King move to Hopeville, Virginia so Matt can go to seminary, studying to be a pastor. Maggie is a SAHM to Bethany (and more children to come) but finds time to stumble across dead bodies and unmask the murderer. Eventually, Maggie will homeschool her children and enjoy her role as a pastor’s wife. But she doesn’t stop solving mysteries. Enjoy her adventures. Wholesome Christian Cozy Mysteries.

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