Creating Complex Villains In Mysteries – I

What makes a good mystery? Of course, the plot has to be compelling. The quality of the characters can make or break a story. Regarding characters, readers like the classic hero(ine) vs. villain. But how do writers create complex villains in mysteries? Let’s look at attributes that can be used for many characters. Then, I’ll discuss some villains in my books.

Humanize the Villain

Gone are the days of one-dimensional, mustache-twirling evildoers. Readers crave characters with depth and nuance, and villains are no exception. Give your antagonist a backstory, fears, desires, and vulnerabilities. Make them relatable on some level, even if their actions are reprehensible.

Another way to phrase this is to make the villain not all bad and make the protagonist not all good. This is difficult when you’re writing about a sadistic serial killer. Can you throw in just a hint of good? For example, the guy may be a spree killer, mutilating everyone in sight…but he loves his dog.

Another example might be to consider a villain who commits a series of heinous crimes but does so out of a desperate desire for revenge stemming from a traumatic incident in the past. By delving into their motivations and backstory, you not only make the character more compelling but also create an opportunity for readers to empathize, even if they can’t condone the villain’s actions.

Motivation Matters

The driving force behind a villain’s actions is often what makes them intriguing. Mystery novels often revolve around discovering the why behind the crime, and a well-defined motive can make the story all the more captivating. Is the villain seeking revenge, power, or perhaps redemption in their own twisted way? The motivation should tie into the plot, and readers should be left pondering the villain’s rationale.

Think of the Halloween villain, Michael Myers or the Friday the 13^th killer Jason Vorhees? The motivation for the first one could be the trauma of seeing his sister engaged in sex when he was a child. Okay, I guess that is a legitimate motivation, but he had to be mentally “off” to begin with, right? As for Jason, he was getting revenge for the abuse in a summer camp.

While these could be considered motivating factors, after a couple movies, you sort of forget that and he just becomes a killer who kills because he can and wants to.

Moral Ambiguity

A hallmark of complex villains in mystery novels is moral ambiguity. They may have a cause or goal that, while questionable, raises important ethical questions. This moral gray area can challenge the reader’s own values and beliefs, adding depth to the narrative. It forces the detective and the audience to grapple with difficult questions: Is there ever a justification for evil deeds? Can a villain be sympathetic despite their actions?

Think Breaking Bad and the development of the character throughout the show’s run. After a while, he crosses that gray area into pure villain.

Consider an antagonist who believes their crimes are a necessary sacrifice for a greater good, even if the detective and society at large vehemently disagree. This moral conflict can elevate the story and engage readers on a philosophical level.

Subvert Stereotypes

In crafting complex villains, it’s essential to subvert stereotypes. Avoid relying on tired tropes like the mad scientist or the evil mastermind. Challenge reader expectations by creating characters who defy stereotypes. A villain doesn’t have to fit a preconceived mold to be compelling. In fact, breaking away from these stereotypes can make the character feel more authentic and original.

Foreshadowing and Twists

Effective foreshadowing and unexpected twists are essential tools in creating complex villains. Drop subtle hints about the antagonist’s true nature or motivations throughout the story, keeping readers guessing. However, don’t be afraid to throw in a surprising twist that subverts those expectations. This twist should be supported by the groundwork you’ve laid, ensuring it feels organic rather than forced.

Character Development

Villains, like any other characters, should experience growth or change throughout the story. They may evolve in response to the detective’s actions or as a result of their own inner turmoil. This character development adds depth to the antagonist and can lead to surprising and satisfying resolutions.

Many villains’ “development” is death. That’s logical and happens more often than I’d like. I’ve read many stories where the bad guy either is killed by the protagonist or commits suicide. I’m not saying it’s bad (I do it myself in my books), however, I think it shouldn’t be “anticipated” or even expected. Yes, there are times when the bad guy needs to die. (Again, I’ve killed off villains a few times.) I think the death needs to fit the story, though. So often I read books where I think the death is just the writer writing his way out of the story by not being creative.

Leave Room for Redemption or Ambiguity

Not all complex villains need to meet a tragic end. Some may find redemption, while others may remain ambiguous to the very end. Leaving room for interpretation can spark discussion among readers, keeping the story alive even after they’ve turned the final page.

Next week let’s look at some villains in my books. I’ll try not to play spoiler on their downfalls, but let’s review some of the points to show how I can create complex villains in mysteries.

Review Response – III

I didn’t foresee this review response would last three weeks. I thought I might get it done in one post. However, I discovered I had a lot more to say than I originally intended.

Last week, I ended by paraphrasing the reviewer’s final line in her Amazon post. She called me a sexist and racist.

I must take issue with this. Even though the review has been removed, I can’t tolerate being deemed either by anyone.

Let me state that I have tried to avoid politics and social issues in these blogs. These are for writing-related material and to discuss and promote my books. I don’t want to turn anyone off by delving into matters best reserved for other social media platforms. But I defy this person or anyone to provide proof that I am either of these “ists.”

I’ll start by admitting that I have unintentionally done/said some things that certain people might dislike. I’ve even laughed at some jokes that I later deemed racist. Okay, we learn, grow, and mature, right? (Most of us try to, right?) Doesn’t make me a bad person in every aspect of life.

 However, this country has evolved to where any disagreements with someone’s policy are responded to with insults. That’s just nonsense.

As an example, I remember during the Obama years, I made numerous comments disagreeing with his policies. Many people responded not with substance in countering my argument, but by just deeming me a racist. I specifically asked them what about my comments evidenced that. Unfortunately, none replied.

Yes, it happens on both sides. When a staunch liberal made remarks, a conservative friend came back with insults.

Neither of these responses is worth the time taken to write them. It lowers credibility.

So, what is my take on this review? Well, the action I took was to offer a complaint to Amazon that this wasn’t a valid review, that it insulted me, and didn’t justify the thoughts of the reviewer.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind “bad” reviews. I’ve had a few that gave me valid points where I could learn and improve for future books.

However, I should mention a review of a previously published book, the aforementioned second in the series, where Mallory is tracking a kidnapped child. A reviewer thought it was in poor taste for me to “make a profit” by writing about the heinous crime of child pornography. My response was two-fold. First, I stayed away from graphic scenes. Yes, I described the setting and generalized what happened. No body parts or specific acts were mentioned.

Second, I didn’t make a profit.

Third, while I agree about the vileness of the crime, did the reviewer leave the same type of comments on other crime-related books? Murder, rape (adult), arson, kidnapping, torture, war, and more are written about, many in more graphic detail than what I wrote. Horror books get very graphic.

If you don’t like the subject matter, don’t read the book. Simple as that, right? If you read so far and can’t tolerate the scene, stop reading. No one makes you read this stuff.

Anyway, to finish up, I’d like to request more reviews from readers. Not just because I like reviews and the Amazon listing needs bunches more reviews, but I’d like to see the opinion of other readers about the books, specifically about this discussion over the past few weeks. Did I cross a line with writing about how a woman reacts to situations in her life? Did I cross into racism by portraying a black character the way I did?

Let me know. I’d appreciate it.

Thank you.

Review Response – II

This is the continuation of my response to a reviewer of Alpha. Again, I state that soon after I made a complaint to Amazon regarding the personal nature of the review, the review was removed.

On the second part of this point, Mallory does not automatically break down and cry when life gets tough. Read the story. She’s dealing with the murder of her boyfriend. Is she not allowed to cry at the person’s death? As she discovers the truth about said boyfriend and is hounded by bad guys, she’s affected by nightmares and anger issues.

The reviewer didn’t like the fact I wrote that Lawrence (her current boyfriend) said that he couldn’t imagine Mallory’s experience when she described a near rape. Really? Why wouldn’t that be a valid point? He trying to comfort her and to get her to not feel guilty by blaming herself for the experience.

Yes, rape against males exists, but is not common. Therefore, Lawrence saying he can’t know what it’s like to be in that position is valid. The wrong thing for him to say  is, “I understand what you’re feeling.” No, he doesn’t. He can’t. So, again, I don’t know where this reviewer is coming from with disliking his response.

Next, yes, Mallory does cry. At the end of the book. Almost two months after the experience, and in the timeline of the novels, after she’s gone through another harrowing case chasing after an eight-year-old girl kidnapped by child pornographers. Mallory has an issue—that will continue in subsequent books—with guilt. She feels responsible for events that are beyond her control.

For the moment, in this book, Lawrence helps her understand that she needs to release those emotions, to relieve herself of the guilt. How would the reviewer like that to be done? Anger? Destruction? Rage? No. One of the best ways is to cry. That doesn’t mean Mallory (or anyone) is weak or a silly woman who can’t do anything but cry. Crying is a valid part of the grief process. It’s a better way to release emotion than to strike out at something or someone.

The second point the reviewer made was my depiction of blacks. She thought it insulting and racist.

My response is: Do I use a stereotype? Partially. I have a short, inner-city black man who speaks lazy English. As many inner-city blacks do. Instead of the proper enunciation of words such as “the,” “those,” and “these,” Willy Washington says, “duh, dos’, and dese.” He’ll leave off the ends of words such as “nothin.”

Is that racist? I don’t think so. Many people of all races speak this lazy talk. Cockney Britain people leave off the h’s at the beginning of words. If I wrote a character from that part of England and ‘ad ‘im speak like dat, would that be racist? Or would it be true for that culture?

I’m not saying all blacks speak like Willy. In a later book, I have a fun-loving black character (conceived from encountering a real person) who dresses in conflicting colors of clothes, with dreads, and who is high on life. Is that racist?

In another book, I have a black character who is a prostitute and another who is a narcotics dealer. The publisher did comment that I might want to add another black character who is not a criminal or otherwise shone in a bad light. To this, I say okay (I’ll add a black professional businessman in the exhaustive rewrite I’m doing), but…

I am not going to play the PC game in my books. I do not go out of my way to insult or slight any culture, creed, race, or what-have-you, but I’m not going to not put something in if that’s the way the character thinks/speaks/acts because it might offend someone. If I tried not to offend anyone, I might as well not write the story. I write characters saying “bad” words. Should I remove those because they’re offensive to some people? Where do you draw the line?

Perhaps that line is drawn if the author is going out of his/her way to offend. I don’t think I’ve done that in Alpha.

However, at the end of the review, the woman said the story would have been better had the writer not been a sexist and a racist.

Next week, let me finish this response to this review by focusing on this final part of the Amazon post.

Review Response – I

This was written back in October. I was promoting that particular week’s blog on social media and needed an image of the cover for Alpha. I went to the Amazon listing and grabbed the image from there. While I was on the page, I noticed two reviews. One gave me four stars and the other gave me only two.

While I take reviews as they come, I felt the need to respond to the two-star review.

Let me say that reviews are one person’s opinion, just like critiques in writers’ groups. If a person critiques a chapter or selection, that’s fine. I can accept or dismiss the opinion. If two, three, four, etc. people offer similar thoughts, then I might want to pay attention.

This holds true for reviews. Let me share my thoughts on Amazon reviews. First, you can take most with a grain of salt. It’s easy to spot the “paid for” or otherwise “false” reviews, especially on a book that most people would rate as average or below.

Second, the lower-ranked reviews also have to be read with care. Remember, when leaving a review, make sure the content pertains to the writing. It’s not fair to give a book a one- or two-star review because the product arrived with the dust cover torn, with dog-eared pages, or an otherwise damaged product. These problems aren’t the author’s fault. You’re rating the story and the writing craft.

Third, just like critiques, the comments and opinions—again I repeat—are about the writing—not the writer. You do not diss the writer. For example, if I’m reviewing a Stephen King novel, I may comment I didn’t like the inclusion of his personal political views in the story. (He does in many and it’s obvious.) That’s a comment on the writing style and what a particular author includes. I’ve done that in a recent review. In this review, I mentioned the political slant of the writers.

Note that I said this fact is apparent in the writing. I did not trash or insult the authors themselves. I may not agree with an author’s point of view on social or political matters, but I’m not going to say bad things about that author.

Before I come to the gist of this post, I would like to say that in writer group sessions, I don’t respond to critiques. I read then shut and take notes. I don’t speak except to point out obvious errors in the person’s critique (the car wasn’t blue, it was red, etc.), or to answer questions. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll admit it and make a note to find the answer should I deem the critique valid.

I do not defend. If someone says a section of the chapter didn’t work, I don’t come back and say, “Well, what I meant to convey was…” No! If I have to explain the writing, I didn’t convey the message in the writing. Wasting time defending the section doesn’t help and won’t change anything.

I say that because not responding should hold true for reviews. Remember, it’s the person’s opinion. However, when the review gets personal…I feel there’s a need for a response.

So, I came to a recent review for Alpha. (Note: Since I began writing this, Amazona, after receiving a complaint from me, has removed the review as I and they felt it violated review guidelines. Read on to understand.)

The reviewer (a woman I presume since the name was feminine) thought the story was okay. However, there were two areas of the writing she didn’t enjoy.

First, she stated that she wished writers wouldn’t write from the point of view of the other gender because it always turns out bad. She thought I had portrayed Mallory as a woman who laughed when discussing serious subjects and cried when tough situations arose, though she stated Mallory was a strong character.

Let me state that I read the review and had an immediate reaction: This reviewer did not know what she was writing about. To comment on the first part, most if not all writers write from the POV of the opposite sex unless there are only men/women characters in a book. And there are plenty of writers (Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story and others) who write women protagonists. Is this reviewer trashing the writing of those authors?

Next week, I’ll discuss the second part of this point and the second insult the review made.

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – VI

Here are the final few tips for a thriving mystery series with relevance to my own novels.

Keep a clear timeline for events.

I cite Sue Grafton. She decided to keep Kinsey stuck in the 1980s. She goes about a mystery per month in her world. This means Grafton had to keep in mind the technology from that period. No Smart devices. No Photoshop. Grafton did a good job of staying with fundamental investigating from the heroine.

I mentioned Block’s Scudder novels in a previous post. Scudder ages each time. If it’s been five years since the previous book, Scudder is five years older.

Mallory Petersen: I mentioned I have about ten books written, in progress, or planned. I set the first book in October of “Year One.” Then November for the second; February of the next year for the third, April for the fourth; June for the fifth; August for the sixth and seventh; October for the eighth; and November for the ninth. I haven’t decided what month for the tenth as I’m still working on the outline.

Reznik/Campisi and Reznik/Selby: These series get tricky in the timeline since Harry shows up in the Mallory series a lot. I’ve set the stories with his two partners in the same timeline as Mallory’s.

The plan for Reznik/Campisi is the first story is in May of Year One; the second in August; the third in December.

For the Reznik/Selby stories, I have the first set in September of Year One, the second in February of the next year; and the third in April.

The challenge is to keep Harry’s stories from overlapping with Mallory’s stories where he’s involved.

Maintain consistent character traits and quirks.

You can’t have a main character behave one way in one story and completely different in the next. Loyal readers want and expect characters to remain the same.

Wolfe with his beer drinking and adherence to a daily schedule. His turning up a palm when making a point or the eighth of an inch nod.

Stephanie Plum and her exploding cars and feeding her hamster.

Paul Drake sitting sideways in Perry Mason’s visitor’s chair. (I stole that for the way Mallory sits in the visitor’s chair in the lobby of her office.)

Speaking of Mallory Petersen, she also stole Harry’s catchphrase of “Let’s get on with it” because I like it. Blonde hair being in her face. And of course, she has to use several martial arts techniques in her stories.

Harry Reznik grouses about cases and internal politics.

Tarfari Selby is the quiet partner but when he speaks, he uses lengthy sentences and explanations. He also waits for Harry to finish his portion of the interview then asks a pertinent question.

Kiera: I mentioned her alexithymia in a previous post. This poses a challenge for me to keep her straight-laced and unemotional. She can’t have any emotional judgments about people or situations. She has to come at everything with logic and calculation.

Seek inspiration from classic and contemporary mysteries.

If you look closely enough, many of today’s mystery series will tap into styles and plots from decades ago. An example I can cite is John Lescroart’s The Hearing which reads like an Erle Stanley Gardner novel.

Mallory Petersen: I took Bogart’s portrayal of Sam Spade for inspiration in that she wears the trench coat and fedora.

Sabastian Habeck: I purposely harkened back to the days of the noir, drinking, smoking PI. Yes, he lives in the present day, but he has a lot of the qualities of those investigators of the past.

So, this ends the list of tips for a thriving mystery series.

Let me know your list of mystery series you enjoy. Why do you like them? Do they include some of the elements I’ve listed in the last few weeks? Do you have other reasons you continue to read them that I didn’t include?

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – V

We’re well into the list of tips for a thriving mystery series. Let’s look at a few more.

Develop a distinctive detective style or method.

I cite Ellery Queen. You have the crime and the detective comes in. Lots of clues laid out for the reader to put together. Ellery solves everything at the end.

Nero Wolfe sent Goodwin out to gather the interviews and clues. After deliberation, he gathers all the suspects and lays out the case pinpointing the criminal.

Perry Mason gets a client who’s in trouble. That client is arrested. During trial or the preliminary hearing, Perry, after having gathered all the evidence from Paul Drake and his own investigations, puts on a “razzle-dazzle” show in the courtroom, identifying the criminal.

Successful series will stay consistent with methodology. It wouldn’t be right if Watson suddenly said, “Hey, Sherlock. I know who the bad guy is because I figured out the clues.”

Mallory Petersen: One consistency I have in the books is her running around town to different locations for scenes. Not many take place in the office. Some at home, but mostly on the road. I like to use actual locations even if I have to fictionalize the business or company.

Reznik/Campisi: An event occurs. The two team up and investigate the event, running into danger and problems. Reznik’s reluctance throughout each book is tempered by Campisi’s explanations.

Reznik/Selby: I plan the series to be police procedurals. The crime. The interviews as part of the investigation. The ferreting out the clues and discovery of the bad guy.

Explore different sub-genres within mystery.

Years ago, writers jumped on the bandwagon of mystery sub-genres. Niches for the detective. Decades ago you had the noir/hardboiled PI and the whodunit. Today, you can name a hobby or a profession and you’ll find a mystery series (usually in the form of cozies). Real estate, cooking, baking, crossword puzzles, sewing, publishing, cats, dogs.

Elaine Viets has a mystery shopper series and a Dead End Job series.

Mallory Petersen: A private investigator who has some quirky cases and a serious case with each story.

Reznik/Campisi: Supernatural mysteries. The plan is to use the word “night” in each title.

Reznik/Selby: As mentioned above, I plan for this to be a police procedural with members of the homicide department. Reznik and Selby are the main detectives, but I’ll have another pair involved, too.

Include twists and unexpected revelations.

Address social and moral issues in your stories.

This is an interesting tip. Examples of this include:

Colin Dexter’s Morse, who often contemplates moral and ethical dilemmas in Oxford.

Connelly’s Bosch brings issues like police corruption, justice, and institutional problems to light.

Mallory Petersen: While I don’t go heavy into social and moral issues, I do include stories with children. Beta, the second book, has Mallory chasing after a kidnapped girl and discovering a child pornography ring. In the fourth book, she’s protecting a young boy who stole a technically enhanced comic book. In the seventh mystery, she helps a teenage girl. The girl, in turn, helps out an abused preteen boy.

Reznik/Campisi: Nothing so serious. Just good fun scary supernatural stuff.

Reznik/Selby: In the first book, I hit politics hard. Other books are just good suspenseful murder mysteries.

Let’s go one more week and the final tips for a thriving mystery series.

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – IV

What makes a thriving mystery series? Some last only a few books, some have almost reached the end of the alphabet (Sue Grafton) and some have accomplished the goal and started over (Mary Daheim’s Alpine series). Let’s look at more tips for writers to include.

Offer a satisfying resolution in each book.

Whether you have arcs or sequels, you should end each book succinctly. Matthew Reilly’s Jack West, Junior series is the exception. Up until the end, there’s always one more thing Jack needs to accomplish. The reader is left begging for more. I was down to the last book and desperately waiting for Reilly to publish it.

Otherwise, mystery series should have an ending. The mystery is solved, the bad guys are arrested, killed, or they escape to do battle in future books. The hero is vindicated if changed.

What this means, is don’t have plot holes that leave the reader questioning the writer. You don’t want books like that. I remember one story (not in a series, but just as an example) that was magnificent. Excellent writing. Vivid action and setting and characters. I loved the book. The author writes great stuff…

…except for a glaring hole and question I had. When the two main characters break into the locked cellar that’s been abandoned for decades…how did the owner get out of the room and lock the door? The key was inside and there was only one way to get in. Unfortunately, the author never did answer that question when I inquired. Darn him!

Try to vary the endings (hint, hint, Robb. Lol). I remember one series where the ending for several books was “bad cop.” Come on!

Don’t leave the mystery unsolved or with lots of questions. Don’t have the detective suddenly know the solution and spring it on the reader without a good build-up. Readers feel cheated.

Mallory Petersen: I want each story to end and be read as a stand-alone, but also with the aforementioned arcs coming into play, too. I hope to put in pieces that make the reader wonder what’ll become of this or that character in the next book. It’s part of the development of each character. However, there has to be a resolution with each book. Mallory must finish the case to the best of her ability and as much as she can resolve the case.

Reznik/Campisi: Each story ends with our heroes defeating the enemy. There may be epilogues that hint at an ongoing story outside their purviews. In one story, I envision the final scene with Reznik killing off the last creature and saying, “No sequels!”

Reznik/Selby: Again, each story will be a complete story. I don’t envision cliffhangers, and I seek to have everything resolved at the end.

Introduce recurring side characters or companions.

What makes protagonists memorable? Many times it’s the supporting cast. Stephanie Plum wouldn’t be nearly as successful without all of the quirky characters who tag along on her adventures.

Holmes and Watson. Wolfe and Goodwin. Dresden and Bob. Dallas and Peabody. In Robb’s series, Roarke and Summerset and McNab, and many other supporting characters return book after book.

Mallory Petersen has Darren and Harry Reznik as recurring characters. Brougham and Kiera play heavily in later books.

Harry Reznik has Heidi Mark and Captain Gravatte to help out him and Selby.

For the Reznik/Campisi series, I don’t have any recurring characters other than Gravatte. They’re pretty much a team, but I haven’t gotten far enough into the series to develop recurrences. Let’s not stop now. We’re rolling along with more tips for a thriving mystery series coming next week.

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – III

Moving through several tips for a thriving mystery series.

Outline each book’s plot carefully.

I’m not saying the other tips aren’t important. However, along with memorable characters, good plots for each book in the series are what I look for and expect with each new book.

How many times have you been reading a pretty decent series and one book turns out to be a dud? You hesitate before reading the next, right?

Just as we had consistent settings earlier and later we’ll talk about consistent characters, you want plots that are well thought out, engaging, and satisfying.

 Eve Dallas in the …In Death series is a good example. Consistent if formulaic plots. Consistent presentation with the same elements each time. Murder. Dallas on the case. Dallas having sex with Roarke at least twice. Peabody’s quirks about fashion and life. The candy thief. Dallas’ antagonism with Summerset. Several suspects. Dallas investigating via computer (even illegal ones). Dallas with the murderer in the interview room.

Consider the Lincoln Rhyme series. Deaver must create a complex and intriguing plot while he continues to develop the main characters over the series.

The same is true for Davenport in the Prey series from John Sandford. Each plot is gritty and pulls you right in.

Mallory Petersen: So, here’s the thing about the plots of her series. I want to use the title of the books (each a letter of the Greek alphabet) and have elements in the story that relate to the title. For instance, in book four, I have several mentions or references to Gamma. The rock group, the comic book the boy steals, and the medical instrument Brougham’s mother needs. In the seventh and ninth books, I use the titles as references to each story’s theme.

Reznik/Campisi: As I do for all my stories, I develop an outline. I may have to change things as I’m writing, but I want a spooky story for each.

Reznik/Selby: These are more complex, especially the first in the series. I had to conduct a lot of research and am doing a lot of editing and rewrites to strengthen the plot.

Sabastian Habeck: I haven’t mentioned this character in this discussion, but only because I haven’t decided whether to keep going with the series. I have ideas, but the plots are very complex. In the forthcoming re-release of New Year Gone, I have rearranged elements of the plot to improve it. This means tinkering with character attributes and every scene.

Incorporate red herrings and misdirection.

This is a good follow-up to the previous tip. This works well when writing whodunits. Each book should contain these. In one of Sparkle Abbey’s Pampered Pet books, the authors have put in a mystery of what that white powder is that the heroine notices on the face of one of the suspects.

Poroit is a master of ferreting out the red herrings.

Since I don’t write whodunits, I don’t use red herrings. Most of the time, the bad guy is known upfront. It becomes a matter of Mallory investigating and fighting the bad guy in the end. Let’s continue the discussion next week. More tips for a thriving mystery series in seven days.

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – II

Continuing with tips for building a thriving mystery series.

Create a unique and intriguing setting.

Setting plays a definite role in whether the series is successful…but again, not always.

I cite Perry Mason. There was more focus on how Mason handled the pesky clients. Gardener stayed consistent with his character (to be discussed later), but except for a few motor courts and other outside settings, there wasn’t much attention paid to Mason’s office or Los Angeles where he was based.

On the other hand, Nero Wolfe had the setting of the brownstone in New York. Wolfe’s office and the orchid room. Stout paid more attention to the plot and quirky characters, but there was a bit of setting.

The group of writers who went and still go by the penname of F. W. Dixon makes it a point to put the Hardy Boys in a variety of settings. Okay, not much detail, but enough to engage the reader.

Tim Dorsey’s novels that are set in Florida have a LOT of great settings and Tim makes sure you know all about wherever his characters are.

Mallory Petersen: I chose to place her in Des Moines. For this series, I use both real and fictional places. I wanted a location that was different from the typical Chicago, New York, L.A., Houston, San Fran, and Miami locales seen in other series. Plus, since I know the area, I can better find and describe the setting for each scene.

I chose to stay in Des Moines for the Reznik/Selby series, too. For the Reznik/Campisi series, the first book is in Des Moines, but the second is in a fictional town in Illinois. Future stories are back in Des Moines.

Establish a consistent tone and atmosphere.

Are you light-hearted and quirky (Stephanie Plum)? Light-hearted and free-spirited (Archie McNally)? Crazy, kooky, and crafty (Serge Storm)?

Make sure you keep this tone throughout the series. If you go dark, stay dark.

Mallory Petersen: In this series, I do a combination of humorous and serious. Mallory takes on a lot of non-serious cases that are shown in the novels. All of the books have serious plots (for the most part). I’ve tried to vary each book (going against the consistency rule), in that while the danger is real, the overall tone is lighter in some while others stay serious throughout. I’m using the rule that you can break the rules if it works.

Reznik/Campisi: I want some serious stuff while having a 1980s horror book/movie feel to each story.

Reznik/Selby: Serious stuff with cop humor thrown in.

Plan out the overarching series arc.

One way mystery series maintain interest is by having arcs throughout several books. Consider Matthew Reilly’s Jack West, Jr. series. Starting with The Seven Deadly Wonders, the readers are hooked by the seemingly never-ending adventure to save the world. This series should be read in order. This is a risk Reilly took. Sure, go ahead and pick up any in the series and start reading. There’s enough information to let you know what’s going on, but you’ll miss so much by not starting with the first adventure.

Mallory Petersen: I have several arcs. In each of the first two books, I have one scene where Mallory talks to the cops about the murder of one of her classmates. The third book finishes that arc but leaves room for a follow-up. It also starts the next arc where Mallory deals with her forced heroin addiction. This lasts for the next two books. In book five, I introduce a new character and start an arc with her and a major bad guy. This ongoing story continues through book eight where I introduce another new character. I haven’t gotten past book nine on where I want to go.

Reznik/Selby: As mentioned before, I have a developing relationship between Reznik and another detective in the department. This will last for the first three books. Except for an idea, I haven’t developed the series further.

Reznik/Campisi: No arcs other than mentions of previous adventures and how Reznik grouses about Campisi showing up for another supernatural case.

Let’s continue next week with more tips for building a thriving mystery series.

Tips For A Thriving Mystery Series – I

What makes a successful mystery series? The characters? Plots? Author’s writing style? Cliffhangers? Perhaps a combination of two or more? How do writers keep fan loyalty throughout a series? For the next few weeks, let’s delve into tips for building a thriving mystery series as well as look at how I incorporate them for the number of series I write.

Develop a compelling and relatable protagonist.

It should start with character, right? You can have a great storyline but if the readers don’t like the main character, they’re not going to read too far. Even if you write about a  superhero, you have to keep the character “human.” Emotions, faults, weaknesses, pain, etc. You can one that is “larger than life,” but at some point, the reader must be engaged and want to root for the character. You up the risks for the protagonist, you paint him/her into a corner, and you provide a reason for the reader to care.

Do they develop as the series progresses? This is one key element to know. Does a character age in each book? Does what happens in book one affect the character in book four?

Consider Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder. Block aged his character with each book. If, for instance, Scudder was 30 in book one (I don’t know the age, just giving an example) and the next book came out two years later, he was 32. And so on. He developed throughout the books from alcoholic to being on the wagon.

However, Nero Wolfe, Perry Mason, and (so far) Stephanie Plum do not age through the series, nor do they develop.

Mallory Petersen: I do age her and add developments. So far, at the time of this writing, I have nine books written, as works in progress, or planned.  As seen later, I develop her through arcs and using pieces of plots from one book in future stories.

Harry Reznik/Lori Campisi: I would like this to be an ongoing series. Currently, I’m waiting for the re-release of Night Shadows and whether the second in the series will be accepted. I do plan to develop the relationship between the two, but want to focus more on the plots

Harry Reznik/Tafari Selby: In this series, I do develop them a lot in the first book, and the relationship strengthens in the subsequent novels. Again, I’m focusing on the plot a lot. However, I do want to develop a relationship between Harry and another character during the first three books. As for Tafari, I’ll have to think about his outside relationships.

Next week, let’s continue this discussion. I realize I highlighted only one tip this week, but it’s important. When you’re reading a mystery series, what do you notice about the protagonist(s) that keeps the series thriving?