Writing the Mystery: A Start-to-Finish Guide for Both Novice and Professional

Acclaimed mystery and science fiction writer G. Miki Hayden brings her experience and reverence for the craft to readers in this authoritative guide to creating a compelling and commercially viable mystery.

Writing the Mystery begins with a thorough exploration of the genre, and then proceeds to take the reader step-by-step through the writing process, starting with character and plot development, the nitty-gritty of word choice, grammar, and sentence structure, maintaining pace, revealing killers, and tying up loose ends. G. Miki then goes one step further in guiding the reader through the post-writing process, explaining manuscript preparation, cover letters, acquiring an agent, and methods of successful promotion.

Writing the Mystery concludes each section with in-depth exercises, putting the lessons of the chapter into practice. The book also includes a special collection of interviews featuring such mystery major leaguers as Elmore Leonard, Sujata Massey, Dale Furutani, Laura Lippman, Seymour Shubin, and S.J. Rozan, who discuss the craft and offer their own valuable advice for the aspiring author.