  Mystery
This week: Exploring a variety of inverted pyramids Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
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All that I see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
Edgar Alan Poe
A mystery is an answer in search of a question; knowing what's been done and journey to discovering the how and why of it. It deals with something unknown to the reader, which the writer reveals in bits and pieces with both subtle and overt clues, drawing the reader into the puzzle. Welcome to this week's edition of the WDC Mystery Newletter, where we will explore some of the means by which we plot the journey to discovery for ourselves and our readers.
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Greetings, fellow puzzlers. Last month we explored the inverted pyramid as a base for a mystery puzzle. Recall, the puzzle is the focus of the mystery, as a crime is committed or a precipitating event occurs, and your character(s) and readers attempt to solve the crime or discover the reason for the event that it not occur again. They do this by finding and solving clues, discarding those which do not lead to resolution, be it herring or hairball, and building on the unfolding clues to solve the puzzle. Imagine the exploration of pyramids, from the point on outwards.
The Cozy mystery is generally a lighter style of mystery, one without loads of evisceration and gore. The sleuth is almost always a 'reluctant' amateur, drawn into the puzzle by happenstance or perhaps to clear his/her own name. By the time the clues are uncovered and the puzzle solved, the perpetrator is uncovere and punished, restoring order to the small corner of the sleuth's world. Recall the puzzles offered by Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers?
Many cozies invite the reader to solve the crime first. In those instances, offer fair and obvious clues. Add some flavor with a few red herrings (false clues) as a sleight of hand for the sleuth and reader to uncover. These also can focus attention on the interaction of the characters with their environment and each other. All the characters, including at times the sleuth, may appear to be the culprit, their guilt or innocence revealed by the clues uncovered along the way.
Characters uncover the real perpetrator by examining the scene, the suspects, and clues, revealing something of themselves as they interact with each other and the clues revealed or discarded. Cozies can be related effectively in first person or the story told in third person.
Readers can often identify with the sleuth, who should be more likeable than not, with faults and foibles present but socially acceptable. The sleuth's faults become one way to get to know them and identify with them as someone the reader knows or maybe could have been.
Cozies often emphasize the positive. If your main character is always late, that fault may in fact prove to an important factor in solving the case.
The victim in a cozy, if it's a murder puzzler, isn't terribly missed. Cozies are, for the most part, feel good stories. Perhaps the victim is a master chef who lambasted his/her staff's every presentation.
The criminal is generally motivated by human traits of greed, jealously, or revenge. You won't find many serial or thrill killers in cozies. The criminal may commit a second crime during the story but again any violence should take place between the lines and not on the page.
Supporting characters again are easy to identify with or recognize in a cozy, being eccentric, exasperating, or entertaining. They don't have to be likeable but none should be so outrageously evil that they might cause the reader to stop reading. These people include the suspects (of whom the criminal is actually one), innocent bystanders, and those who may help the main character.
Cozies also suspend disbelief for the reader. Where's the beat cop? the sheriff? the mountie? With the setting generally in a small or somehow isolated locale, just a little sleight of hand can provide a logical reason for the 'amateur' to be the one piecing together the puzzle to ultimately solve the crime.
The generally small setting also limits the pool of suspects and facilitates development of relationships between characters both virtuous and villainous. This depth of character development can lead to a series of puzzlers for your sleuth or if the crime is solved but the perp gets away, mayhap to meet another puzzler in another story or novel or perhaps epic poem? This character development is aided by the generally limited scope of the investigatory tools. Solving the crime requires that the sleuth interact with witnesses, suspects, bystanders, further developing the relationships and identification with or recognition of the sleuth by the reader. Consider setting your story in your home town (names may be changed to 'protect the innocent'{e:wink"}) or, if you live in an urban area, maybe your office or workplace, or an isolated amusement park or marina perchance?
The cozy puzzle often has all the pieces ready to assemble, even if the one that points to the perpetrator has to be examined more closely or somehow inverted.
The precipitating crime either occurs before the story starts or soon after it begins. The main character becomes involved (happily or not) and sets out to solve the injustice. An inverted pyramid.
As the sleuth gathers clues and gossip, a threat may increase tension or fear that a second crime might occur if the puzzle is not solved in time. Another crime might occur which can open more avenues to solving the original crime.
Instead of a plethora of plot twists, cozies are known for surprising revelations. In the end, the sleuth (with whom the reader identifies or to whom he/she can relate) - prevails and justice is served.
Cozies, whether featuring amateur sleuths or, occasionally private investigators, focus on the personal touches instead of graphic crime scene evisceration. The characters' interaction unearths clues to reveal more of the pyramid and ultimately solve the puzzle. Cozy sleuths incorporate their knowledge, profession (a firefighter, secretary, chef) and experience (seniors, educators) in their effort to solve the puzzle. As your characters interact, they grow more familiar and real for your readers. So do the research if you're focusing on a theme, as your readers will outguess your sleuth if you fudge the details.
Cozies are growing in popularity, perhaps because of the economy. Readers can identify with a competent sleuth who uses his/her wits to uncover and solve clues and do some good along the way. There are also more themed cozies which offer additional salient clues for the sleuth and reader. For example, Julie Hyzy's White House Chef shares the ingredients (including a recipe) to some puzzling political shenanigans. Just one example of the variety of expression for cozies today. Or perhaps offer some growing and harvesting tips for the plants that precipitate your cozy.
Consider as well for your cozy a tour guide, nurse, senior, musician, or a writer. If you know the field or enjoy the research, perhaps a military cozy (a la Reginald Hill) ignites the muse creative; or maybe you prefer to knit or stitch your way through the clues. As we are seeing, the cozy mystery is as versatile as the literary sleuth building and solving the puzzle. So, why not give it a go. Choose your event, and plot your way through the clues sentient and ambient, to solve the puzzle. Cozies are as fun to write as they are to read ~ Write On!
If you've a cozy short story ready to share in print as well ~ consider the following publications, which accept cozy mysteries from established and emerging writers:
Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
and
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
Their guidelines:
http://www.themysteryplace.com
Now, read on please for some mysteries penned by members of our community and if you haven't yet, try penning one of your own to share.
Until we next meet,
Write On!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading |
Check out several stylings of cozy puzzlers penned for your reading (and reviewing  pleasure by members of our Community
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Now, how about flexing your sleuthing skills to pen one for this challenge
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I'd like to share some of the comments in response to last month's exploration of the inverted pyramid ~ do visit with the writers and continue the conversation ~ Write On!
From:sysiongkerz
That's a wonderful tool I can use. I'll be trying that Inverted Pyramid when I do a mystery someday... :D
Thanks for your encouragement ~ I look forward to reading your work
From: alockwood
Well if I ever need to get out my detective's glass I know where to go. After all, I enjoy solving a mystery or two.
Happy Sleuthing ^_^
From: Budroe 
[07-15-10] Checked by: Kate~Spins Rune^s web of words
Nice NL, Kate. Thanks for the work. I think of the pyramid, for mystery as an optical illusion. What you think is going up, is actually going down. Think of "The Temple of Doom" mystery. A key element is discovered at the center, but the MC must navigate safely back out of the pyramid, finding the missing piece along the way. Travelling safely through the obstacles to apply the key and solve the puzzle is not only "the other half" of the story, but can sometimes even be another story in itself! Great ideas.
Thank you for your insight ~ navigate safely back out of the pyramid by finding the missing piece ~ Splendid advice and guidance as always ^_^
Until we next meet,
happy Sleuthing ^_^
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
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Mystery: July 28, 2010 Issue [#3879]
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