3 Tips for Writing a Mystery for Kids

 Hello, I’m Fleur Bradley and I write mysteries for kids.

    This is my standard introduction whenever I go to a conference or other event, so it seemed only fitting to start my series of blog posts here this way. I love mysteries. I actually got my start as a writer in the genre, writing short mysteries and getting them published in magazines and anthologies. In fact, there’s an SCBWI anthology out in July, The Haunted States of America, with one of my stories (representing Colorado) in it. More on writing short stories in a future blog post…

    I still write a few short stories every now and then, though I spend most of my time writing MG and YA mystery novels now.

    As luck would have it, kids love mysteries too. Just like me, they love the puzzle, the excitement, and turning the pages to see if the whodunit is in fact the who that they thought dunit.

    I’ve been writing mysteries long enough that pacing and placing clues comes easy to me now, though that took many years. The question I get most often from fellow SCBWI writers is how to place your clues so a mystery novel works.

    Here are a few tips. 

1.     Start with your Big Reveal and Work Backwards

The best way to ensure you place your clues in the right spot is to start with the big reveal of your mystery bad dude or lady, and work your way backwards. Outline the scene where your kid detective puts the pieces together and reveals who the antagonist is. Then simply make a list of clues that would logically get your protagonist to come to that conclusion.

2.     Sprinkle Clues Throughout

Next up, you’ll want to place those clues throughout the manuscript. These revelations will become plot points you work your manuscript scenes towards, a bit like stops on a road trip. Make sure your protagonist has to work to uncover these clues and that they don’t just fall into their lap—especially avoid clues handed on a silver platter by adults. Your detective should earn it. Bonus points if your protagonist’s skills make them uniquely qualified to put these clues together, a little like Sherlock, Marple or whoever your favorite detective is.  

            Extra tip: You can use tangents or false clues to send your detective down the wrong path. They’re called red herrings in the mystery world.

3.     Play Fair with Your Reader

Make sure you play fair with your reader. No one likes a ten-page monologue by the antagonist, telling us how they outsmarted everyone, or a magical uncovering of a dozen clues at the end. Some sort of final reveal scene is okay, but it shouldn’t be a clue or info dump. Your reader should be able to put the clues together if they read your story again, or even the first time. As a mystery reader, half the fun is in seeing if who you think did the crime is actually it.

I’ll never tire of the mystery genre, because I love this clue hunt.

Tell me: do you have a favorite detective, either on the kid or adult side?

 

Quick resources:

To find a list of mysteries for kids, check out this list I made on Bookshop and Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards database.

 

About Fleur:

Fleur Bradley has loved mysteries ever since she first picked up an Agatha Christie book at the age of eleven. She’s the author of middle-grade mysteries Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (Viking/PRH), the Double Vision trilogy (HarperCollins), as well as numerous short stories, one of which was recently chosen for the annual Best Mystery Stories of the Year anthology. Fleur’s work has been nominated for the Agatha and Anthony Award and has won the Colorado Book Award, among others.

A reluctant reader herself, Fleur is also a literacy advocate and speaks at events on how to reach reluctant readers. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in a small cottage in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies.

You can find Fleur online at fleurbradley.com.