 Mystery: December 19, 2018 Issue [#9284] |
This week: Leaving some mystery Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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3. Letter from the Editor
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Quote for the week: The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.
~Francis Bacon
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Do you like your mystery stories all tied up in a neat little bow at the end, or with some mystery still left to think about? Both ways can work well, depending on the story.
One of the most famous stories with just a little mystery left over at the end is Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep." While most of the loose ends are tied up, the death of one character seems to have no explanation. Reportedly, when the movie based on the novel was made, moviemakers contacted Raymond Chandler and asked him to explain it, to make sure they got the movie right. Supposedly Chandler agonized over it for a while, finally admitting that he didn't know either!
Some believe that the unexplained death is just a plot hole in one of the most convoluted plots ever written. Others believe that Chandler was too good a writer for this to happen, and that he left it unexplained intentionally. He was known as a writer who didn't think every detail of a mystery story needed to be explained. Some readers think some unexplained points add realism to a story, while it drives others crazy. The unexplained death in "The Big Sleep" still has people talking about the story years after the author's death. Maybe he knew what he was doing after all!
Many writers leave some parts of the story unexplained to pave the way for sequels. Publishers often consider the potential for sequels when deciding whether to accept a manuscript.
In some stories, the villain's plot is foiled, but he escapes or disappears. One of the best known examples is Sherlock Holmes's nemesis, Moriarty. Others include the Deaf Man in Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series, the Faceless Man in Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series and Hannibal Lecter of "Silence of the Lambs". All of these characters were too good (or evil) for just one story, and the authors made wise decisions in letting them continue their nefarious deeds through several novels. Always be careful about dispatching a good character too easily or too soon. You never know when you might need them again!
Something to try: Write a story with a small amount of mystery left unexplained
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