Solving a Mystery:
1) Never accept "assumptions". Almost always, a mystery novel rests on this particular point. If the author can lead a reader into assuming something false from the beginning, the further they can lead them from the truth which attributes to all the more surprise when the truth is finally revealed. In fact, if a book is obviously taking one path, keep the alternative at the forefront of your mind. In mystery novels, a character presented through the view point of another must never be accepted at face value. Never assume innocence of a character from the hunch of another character or the protagonist himself. An individual can never be pegged unless we are presented with a candid presentation of inner thoughts through a shift in narration. And even then, there have been cases of MPD in which a character may believe they are innocent when, in fact, there is more at play. So at this point, you might be thinking "Useful advice, Evan. Eliminate no one. I'm so much closer solving the mystery." Ah, but that's the key. Too often will an author construct a misleading path in which a reader will assume the innocence of the true culprit.
2) Who should be at the bottom of your list in terms of culpability? The most obvious characters as presented by the book. Mystery novels are chock full of false trails that both the protagonist and the reader go down. For example, let's take Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The whole of the book is designed to suggest that Snape is trying to steal the stone. Yes, facts seem to bolster this theory, yet only in the end does Harry discover Professor Quirrel as Voldemort's accomplice. Mystery novels are built for the unexpected twists and "aha!" moments. You can bank on the end being "surprising".
3) Never rely on just the protagonist to solve the mystery. There are many hidden clues that foreshadow events to come. Unfortunately, tv and movies are shorter and the clues made more apparent. I found Larson's book surprisingly lacking in telling clues. I think a reread of the novel would turn up a pattern, but I won't make that call until I do.
No comments:
Post a Comment