What is a mystery?

A secret, a riddle, a puzzle Essential ingredients are an element of

crime mixed with an element of detection You have to find out the secret, and solve

the riddle or puzzle to find the criminal or enemy and crack the case

Key Elements in Mysteries Introduction of the characters Presentation of the mysterious or

criminal situation/setting Suspects, motives, clues are given,

including “Red Herrings” Addition of the subplots/distractions The denoument or discovery of the

killer/culprit

Cozy Mystery Littl

Quick Check #1On your note page in the

corresponding section, answer the following:

1. What is a Private Eye?2. How many synonyms can you

name for Private Eye?

Over the years, the types of detectives have grown. There are bumbling detectives and doctor detectives. They are young and old, male and female, students and professionals.

Likewise, the types of mysteries have also expanded to include forensic mysteries, supernatural, espionage, legal, romantic and even culinary.

Vocabulary Alibi – the excuse an accused person uses to show he or

she was not at the scene of the crime Breakthrough – an advance or discovery that helps solve

the crime Clue – an object or piece of information that helps solve

the mystery Deduce – to use logical reasoning and thinking to infer

information Evidence – a thing or statement that helps to prove who

committed the crime Hunch – a guess or feeling not based on facts Interrogate – to ask questions or seek information from

people Lead – information or clues concerning the case Motive – an inner drive that causes a person to do

something or act in a certain way

Vocabulary Perpetrator – someone who is guilty of

committing a crime Sleuth – an investigator; another name for a

detective Suspect – a person who has a motive to have

committed the crime Suspense – a feeling of tense excitement about

something unknown Witness – someone who saw something related

to a crime

The Red HerringA red herring is a false clue or lead. The phrase means

“camouflage” and comes from the process of curing a herring (type of fish). When

herring is salted and smoked slowly over a wood fire, it turns a dark reddish brown color and gains a strong flavor and scent. The smell is so strong that itoverwhelms other scents. According to some old tales, red herrings were pulled across the trail of hounds to confuse and throw them off the trail. Sometimes writers of detective fiction deliberately “fake-out” readers by planting misleading clues known as red herrings.

Sometimes sleuths need help!

Some sleuths receive assistance from sidekicks who

are either paid helpers or friends who help. These

sidekicks serve as “sounding boards” for the sleuth

to explain how certain bits of detection are done. If the sleuth is not, in some way, connected to law enforcement,one of these characters usually is. The sidekick is sometimes a pet or an animal.

Quick Check #2 On a separate piece of paper, list as

many sleuths who have sidekicks you can think of.

Scooby Doo, where are you?

Sometimes sleuths work in pairs or in groups. For example, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes has a partner in Dr. Watson. Similarly, the Scooby Doo gang has five very differentpersonalities to solve mysteries. As in Murder

She Purred, the Scooby Doo gang of detectives has a personified animal in their midst. Scooby, the

dog,is the sidekick who aids in the solving of themysteries for “the gang”.

Sleuths and sidekicks Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson Nick and Nora Charles Frank and Joe Hardy Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings Nancy, Bess and George Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang Shawn and Gus Monk and Natalie Teager

Three Rules of Crime Solving

Motive – the prime suspect must have had a reason to commit the crime

Means – the prime suspect must have had a way to commit the crime

Opportunity – the prime suspect must have had a chance to commit the crime

Happy mystery solving!