The Technique of the Mystery Story

Carolyn Wells's The Technique of the Mystery Story gets to the heart of a craft she defined despite coming to it late in her career. Wells offers a valuable framework for writers looking to follow in her footsteps or readers looking for access to the mind and process of a woman revered in her field, exploring the history of the genre, defining its many different forms, and illuminating the stylistic choices that keep a mystery tale running smoothly. This work begins with an argument for mystery as a legitimate literary art form, supported by numerous quotations from authorities. Then, moving through her topics in a systematic manner, she explains and illustrates the mystery-writing craft with excerpts from mystery works and quotations from literary critics and notable authors. This is essentially a mini-course in mystery story creative writing.