  Mystery
This week: Breaking and Entering Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week: “Breaking into the building was easy. Too easy for an assassin like me.”
― Jennifer Estep, Widow’s Web |
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Mystery characters often need to get in or out of places where other characters do not want them to go. You need to give them a realistic way in and out that fits their situation. Here are a few examples:
The door is not locked Try not to use this one too often. Even though people in isolated rural areas often leave their doors unlocked, this makes it way too easy for the intruders.
Go through a window Homeowners who have two or three locks on their doors might not think of locking an upper story window. Your intruders will need climbing equipment, a nearby tree, or a ladder, and will have to make sure nobody notices them.
Squeeze through a small opening A small person may be able to slip through a basement window or pet door. Maybe a thief has a child or even a trained pet working with him.
Find a hidden key Try to have the key hidden in a novel place. Under the doormat is too easy!
Use a master key Nothing could be creepier than a story in which the villain is an apartment manager or realtor. These people have access to master keys for all the properties they manage. Or maybe the apartment manager could be a suspect, while the real killer is his wife, child, or...
Pick the lock some locks are easily jimmied with a credit card or a knife, while others require a set of locksmith's tools. Decide which type is appropriate for your story and your characters. If your characters use lock picks, make sure you understand how they work so you don't give an unrealistic description.
Crack an electronic code The intruder's knowledge of the people who set up the code will be important here. Because people need to remember the codes they choose, many still use a date such as a birthday or anniversary.
Break in Your characters should not choose to actually "break" in if they want to keep their activity a secret. It is hard to hide a broken window or splintered door. Unless the door is really flimsy, breaking in will not be as easy as it usually looks on TV. With a well made door, your character may only end up with a sore shoulder or broken foot. As shown by the Mythbusters, shooting a lock seldom works in real life. Unless your characters use a powerful firearm, such as a shotgun, the round is likely to bury itself in the lock, making it impossible to open. A gun powerful enough to shoot the lock off a door is likely to send splinters flying in all directions, which could seriously injure your intruders.
One special type of mystery, the locked room mystery, revolves around a crime committed in a seemingly impenetrable chamber. The means of entering the locked room is a major part of the puzzle, and should be original and unexpected.
Something to try: Write a mystery story in which gaining entrance to a locked area is an important part of the plot. |
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#1880714 by Not Available. |
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Miss Marple she ain't. P.I. Nita O'Day is way more a lady of action.
#1906190 by TomVee  |
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Comments on last month's newsletter:
Quick-Quill  I love this NL! It's one thing I subscribe to. I have broken a chapter in half if its too long creating a natural "cliffhanger" I want the reader to say "I couldn't put it down." I'm happy to say it's the response I've heard from my beta readers to my manuscript. It drives me to get it published.
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Mystery: April 23, 2014 Issue [#6278]
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