How to Write a Damn Good Mystery

February 9, 2004
The same publisher also offers How to Write a Damn Good Mystery, by Edgar-nominee James N. Frey, who confidently guides the novice through the crime-writing basics.

February 1, 2004
Teacher, speaker, and author of several best-selling "damn good" books on fiction writing, Frey (The Long Way To Die) delivers a witty and entertaining writer's-conference-in-a-book, complete with sample characters, plot lines, and drama. Arguing that suspense and believable mystery are created through mythic imagery, meticulous character preparation, and organized story plots, Frey offers a step-by-step guide for aspiring authors on how to write the kind of mystery that will grab the attention of any reader. He proposes that careful consideration and development of pivotal characters can help writers avoid rewrites and tangents. Behind-the-scenes work sheets for character development will lead to an organized, thoughtful, and believable conclusion. Forthright about what makes mystery work, Frey succeeds in presenting a concrete pattern for plotting the story while transforming the process into more than a formulaic exercise. He concludes with a useful chapter on improving the craft, getting published, and finding an agent. Recommended for all public libraries.-Ann Schade, Powers Memorial Lib., Palmyra, WI

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2004
From the author of "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" (1987) comes a companion volume aimed at would-be mystery writers. Frey doesn't believe in those collections "of tips on what to do and what not to do," arguing that they give the false impression that writing good fiction is merely a matter of mixing ingredients in the right proportions. Instead, Frey contains, the key to a good mystery isn't picking clues and getting the technical stuff right; it's a matter of finding the right people to tell your story, finding the right words to frame it, finding the right sequence of events to maximize suspense. Frey also spends time on an important but frequently neglected aspect of the writerly trade: the audience. Who reads mysteries, and what do they expect from them? Meanwhile, he tackles the nuts and bolts in a particularly clever manner, by guiding the reader through the creation of a virtual novel, which he calls "Murder in Montana." This approach proves eminently practical and rich in details. A must for budding crime-fiction authors. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)