Dropping Clues Along the Way

by Gayle Bartos-Pool

Gayle at Bill's House Sept 2022

I have read a lot of mysteries over the years and have written quite a few myself. My detectives, whether they are a professional or a talented amateur, always gets the bad guy or gal. Writers like a happy ending.

Most detectives, private or otherwise, usually spot a few clues toward the end of the story that help them pinpoint the culprit responsible for the previous mayhem. Jessica Fletcher in the Murder She Wrote TV series usually came across a major clue early on in the hour show, but she doesn’t put two and two together until after the last commercial break. It might be formulaic, but most of us like the show and the redundant plotline enough to come back for more.

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But there are a few variations of the theme that are kind of fun to write. While I was writing one of the new stories in my latest book called The Four Detectives, I was having trouble with how I was going to finally catch the would-be killer. In this new book, I have taken the three private detectives from my three previous mystery series, added a retired cop from a stand-alone book, and have them join forces in a new detective agency. But I couldn’t figure out how to get this one P.I. to catch the killer before she struck again.

First, I was going to have the killer turn the tables on Ginger Caulfield and blame her for the killing she was planning, but after researching how long it would take for Gin to go to court and deal with lawyers and judges and the media was way too time consuming. Some of these court cases take years. This was to be a short story, not Gone with the Wind.

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I knew how I wanted Gin to get ensnared in the plot against her, but getting her out was taking too long, so I had another thought. What if she smelled a rat early on and turns the tables on this would-be menace?

Not that this hasn’t been done before, but I wanted to actually drop a ton of clues throughout the story so my readers might start getting the hint early on and guess what was coming. This method would allow the reader become the detective, too.

I did this by putting quotation marks around a few words. That usually means the word has a double meaning. And I have a character grin at certain times after they say something that might not require a grin. That telegraphs to the reader that the statement probably has a hidden implication. Or I had a character hesitate when they shouldn’t be hesitating. That usually means somebody’s lying. I added a number of these “tells” just like a bad poker player does when his actions let other players know what kind of a poker hand the guy is holding. Usually a bad one.

As for me, the writer, I wanted to give the reader some clues that they might put in their fertile brain to see if they could solve the case along with my detective. It was a fun journey and I think my private detective got a laugh out of it, too.

Writers always need a way to tell a story that entertains the reader, but it’s fun for the writer when they can have some fun as well. Write On!

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Author: gbpool

A former private detective and once a reporter for a small weekly newspaper, Gayle Bartos-Pool (writing as G.B. Pool) writes three detective series: the Gin Caulfield P.I. series (Media Justice, Hedge Bet & Damning Evidence), The Johnny Casino Casebook Series, and the Chance McCoy detective series. She also penned a series of spy novels, The SPYGAME Trilogy: The Odd Man, Dry Bones, and Star Power. She has a collection of short stories in From Light To DARK, as well as novels: Eddie Buick’s Last Case, Enchanted: The Ring, The Rose, and The Rapier, The Santa Claus Singer, and three delightful holiday storied, Bearnard’s Christmas, The Santa Claus Machine, and Every Castle Needs a Dragon. Also published: CAVERNS, Only in Hollywood, and Closer. She is the former Speakers Bureau Director for Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles and also a member of Mystery Writers of America and The Woman’s Club of Hollywood. She teaches writing classes: “Anatomy of a Short Story,” (The Anatomy of a Short Story Workbook and So You Want to be a Writer are available.) “How To Write Convincing Dialogue” and “Writing a Killer Opening Line” in sunny Southern California. Website: www.gbpool.com.

16 thoughts on “Dropping Clues Along the Way”

  1. Gayle, thank you for taking us through your thought process regarding clues. Most of us mystery writers struggle with them until we come up with the right one, then we act as if struck by lightning with our brilliant idea! Sometimes we find a clue in an action to reveal the clue it is hiding. I often find mine in medieval musical instruments that are part of the plot. It’s all fun!

    jill

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    1. You are so right, Jill. Writers find these clues just like a private detective does. And sometimes they are right in front of us.

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      1. What a great post – I love reading of the thought processes of my fellow scribes. Planting clues seems to be an organic process for me – I think I stumble on them as I go along and so I hope my readers have the same experience. Jackie mentioned McGuffins … the wonderful Carolyn Hart once gave me some great advice when I was stuck on my plot ‘have a mysterious package arrive’ even if you don’t know what is in it. I still use that technique because it always turns out to provide a plot-altering clue.

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  2. Mysteries are like puzzles. As you have pointed out, there’s more than one way to produce an enjoyable mystery, whether it’s how or if the reader will figure out whodunnit, or trace how the detective will figure it out (a la “Columbo”).

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    1. I do like different ways to drop those clues. I hope the reader actually realizes some of these are for them to join in the hunt themselves.

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  3. How fun that you’re getting your multiple detectives to work together, Gayle! And all those clues… should definitely be a fun read.

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  4. Gayle – thanks for sharing your clever your clue-planting journey is. Mystery writing is a mass of jigsaw puzzle pieces. A subtle, seemingly insignificant clue early on is important as we begin the bread-crumb trail. And what a fun and challenging idea to have your detectives working together. I can’t wait to read the finished product!

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  6. I really enjoy reading mysteries, but I am not good at writing them. Your explanations are amazing! So I’m wondering who is the “hero” (grin) in your new book? Are there “McMuffins” or “Griffins” or “red salmons” too? Does the woman get her man, or does the man get his woman and live happily ever before? (just kidding)

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    1. Jaxon, Your puns always make fun reading. I might try adding a few of those “red salmons” to my stories. I usually add subtle humor, sometimes turning into sarcasm which sails over the heads of those who wouldn’t know a pun from a Hun. As for my detectives, they have been in the game so long, they always have cards to play…and maybe a few up their sleeve. But as always, they still play with a full deck. As for this writer, one or two cards might have fallen on the floor, but the Joker is still wild…

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