Elements of a Mystery Learn how to be

Elements of a Mystery Learn how to be a successful detective in just a few short slides!

Recipe for a Mystery �Like all stories, a mystery story has a • Beginning • Middle • End

Detailed Recipe for a Mystery �There are four things that make a mystery story: • • 1. Characters 2. Mystery 3. Clues 4. Red Herrings

Characters �There are 3 kinds of characters: • Suspect: the characters believed to have committed the crime �For detectives to call someone a suspect, the suspect needs to have a motive �Motive: a good reason for committing crime • Detective: the character who solves the mystery • Witnesses: the character(s) who saw the crime �Sometimes, there are no witnesses

Mystery �A • • • mystery can be any of these things: 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

Clues �Hints that help the reader or detective solve the mystery �Examples: • Things people say or do • Found objects that provide information

Red Herrings �Red Herrings are things that look like clues, but do not help solve the mystery. �It throws the investigator off track. �It makes the mystery more difficult to solve.

Your Task �In your casebooks, as we read How Come the Best Clues are Always in the Garbage? , your responsibility as detectives is to keep track of suspects and clues as we read.