Guide to the Mystery Genre

Page 2 of 3

Exploring the Genre

Mystery & Detective Stories

1. Why do people like to read mystery and detective stories?

2. Why are we so fascinated with crime, especially murder? List as many reasons as you can.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Mystery Stories

1. Ask students to brainstorm popular crime television shows, novels, movies, etc. Make a list of them.
2. Compare modern crime stories with the old-fashioned ones ("Sherlock Holmes-type" crime stories). How are they similar? Different? Include differences in evidence discovery, such as DNA evidence versus more subtle clues. Also include the differences between the roles and interests of the crime solvers (e.g., policemen, detectives, CSI agents, etc.) and the setting or atmosphere.
Some activities to use in the discussion of DNA include:
• What is DNA?
• The Evidence: DNA Fingerprinting
• The Mystery of DNA

Structure

1. How does the fact that detective stories have a predictable structure make them more or less enjoyable to read than other genres? Why?

2. Discuss the structure of detective stories and mysteries. Start with an explanation of basic story structure using the Five Elements of a Story graphic organizer, then move to the more specific structure of the mystery genre.

Fun with Mysteries

Mystery Opening

1. Have students try writing an opening to a mystery story that will be as atmospheric and mysterious as The Hound of the Baskervilles or another mystery story you might be studying. They should begin with the classic line, "It was a dark and stormy night." Ask them to write for ten minutes without stopping, then take turns reading their openings in a small writing group.

2. Discuss the openings. What descriptive, plot, and setting techniques seem to work best to create atmosphere? Why?

3. Students should outline the rest of the story, making sure they include all the necessary details, plus facts about how the case is solved. They will use the outline to continue with the project.

Continuing the Story

Give students a few options for continuing with the opening to their mystery story. Possible projects include the following:

1. Continue the story. Use the Detective's Log to keep track of the clues you plant and the suspects you describe. Include all the important elements of a mystery story.

2. Alternate Perspective. Write about the same mystery story plot from the criminal or villain's perspective.

3. Write an Article. Write a newspaper article assuming the entire mystery has been solved. Include important clues and points about the case. How was it solved? Was the criminal convicted in court? Use these journalism tips to help you.

4. Create a Movie Poster. If your story were made into a movie, what would the poster look like? Create your own advertisement for the film. The poster should include details about the mystery and characters.

5. Draw the Scenes. When writing a crime story, it's important to be extremely detailed so that the reader has the chance to crack the case at the same time as the detective or investigator. After recording these details, you should be able to picture the crime scene in your mind. Now draw it! Make sure you include all the important details, but don't make it too easy to figure out. Add a few "trick" clues into the scene. Then, choose another scene of your story to draw, such as one from the police headquarters, detective's office, etc.

After the projects are completed, students who have written stories should swap them to be proofread by their peers. Use the Student Proofreading Checklist as a guide. Those students who have drawn their stories or scenes should critique the others' artwork and give suggestions on how the piece can be more clear or detailed.