mystery book report ideas

Writing Prompts

70 Mystery Writing Prompts That’ll Keep Your Readers Hooked

From whodunits to unsolved crimes, here are over 70 mystery writing prompts that will keep your readers hooked from beginning to end.

The mystery genre is all about gathering clues and evidence to solve a crime or mystery of some sort. Common mysteries to solve may include murder, kidnappings, theft and any other unsolved crimes. The thing that makes a mystery story so appealing is that no one knows who the true culprit is until the very end of the story. And the big reveal at the end is always shocking to the reader. The secret to a good mystery lies in the plot twist . You have to be two steps ahead of your readers – Get inside the head of your readers and think, “Who would your readers think the main culprit is?” Then switch it around, and pick someone who is highly unlikely to be the real baddie.

You can pick a random prompt from our mystery writing prompts generator below to practice your plot twist skills on:

In a mystery novel, characters are a huge part of the mystery. Common characters may include:

Street smart detective – They ask all the right questions, but are the answers to be trusted?
Bent cop – Known for planting fake evidence at crime scenes.
Mysterious guy – No one knows anything about them, and therefore they could be an easy suspect in the case.
The scapegoat – The one everyone is blaming.
The obvious suspect – All clues point to this person.
The unobvious suspect – No real evidence against this person, but somehow they link to the crime in question.

When writing your mystery story think about the characters you would include carefully before diving in. We even recommend creating character profiles for each character, and maybe even a mind map to show their connection to the crime in question.

Take a look at this collection of the best mystery books for teens for some more ideas!

70 Mystery Writing Prompts

List of over 70 mystery writing prompts, from unsolved murder cases to items that vanished into thin air:

The richest man on Earth has a hidden vault filled with millions of dollars, expensive jewellery and gems. One night he goes to add to his collection of gems and notices a sentimental piece of jewellery missing.
One-by-one random things keep on going missing in your house. First your watch, then a teapot. Who is taking them and why?
One of your classmates mysteriously stops coming to school. It’s been nearly 2 weeks since you last saw them. What could have happened to them?
A police officer finds a dead body at a barber’s shop in town. The cause of death was drowning. No one knows how the body got there and who did it.
A person takes a game of snakes and ladders too literally. In random locations around the city, snakes and ladders have been placed. Where do those ladders go? Why are snakes placed in these random places? Can you solve this strange mystery?
You wake up in a warehouse with no memory of how you got there. The warehouse office is filled with newspaper clippings of missing people from the past 20 years. Who is the kidnapper and why are you in this warehouse?
Last night a series of supermarkets and warehouses across the city were robbed. The thief or thieves only steal toilet paper. Can you solve this case?
Meet Benji, the cat detective. Benji is a feisty feline who is on a mission to capture the great tuna can thief.
At exactly 7.08 pm last night a scream was heard from 59 Pebble Lane. The neighbours knocked but no one was home. Later that night, the police arrived at approximately 2.13 am to find a cold dead body on the floor in a pool of spilt tea.
You are a reporter for the Imagine Forest Times newspaper, you are writing an article on the missing bird eggs in the local forest.
Imagine you are a security guard. It’s your first night shift at the local art Museum. The next morning a priceless painting goes missing, and you are blamed. You need to prove your innocence before you are sent to prison, but how?
Write a time travel mystery story where the main character keeps going back in time to find out who really murdered their parents.
You and your friends go to the fairground. You decide to ride the carousel. Round and round you go, and then the ride stops. When it stops you notice one of your friends is suddenly missing. Where did they go? (See our list of writing prompts about friendship for more ideas.)
The main character in your story is caught red-handed with the missing jewel in their hand. But did they really steal this jewel?
Write a diary from the perspective of a paranoid person who thinks their neighbour is stealing from them.
Write down an action scene where the main character trails the secondary character to an abandoned warehouse. What do you think will happen next?
Someone has been stealing mobile phones at your school. You think you know who it is, so you set up a try to catch the thief.
A bent police officer has been planting false evidence at crime scenes for years. Who are they protecting and why?
Write a script between two characters who are meeting in secret to discuss some new evidence in a murder trial.
Imagine you are a detective interviewing a suspect in the crime of jewellery theft. Write down some questions that you might ask the suspect. If you have time, you can also write the possible answers from the suspect’s point of view.
You discover a note in your bag. It says, “I know what YOU have done!” – Who can have left this note, and what are they talking about?
Write a story about a young police officer who is solving the murder case of his best friend from high school. The twist is that this police officer turns out to be the murderer.
For over 10 years, your twin sister was missing. But there she is – Suddenly walking in the middle of the street. Where has she been? What happened to her?
Imagine you are an investigator examining the scene of a murder crime. What types of clues would you look out for? Can you make a list of at least 10 possible clues you might find?
A police car is chasing a potential suspect in a murder trial. Halfway through the chase, the police car disappears. The suspect slows down their car, and wonders, “What happened? Why did they stop coming after me?”
You come home from school one day and notice that your mother’s things are gone. Your first thought is that she left you and your father. But the truth is that she was kidnapped by someone.
A mysterious person has stolen all your teddy bears and is holding them for ransom somewhere. Each day you get a cryptic riddle. If you can solve each riddle you will receive one teddy bear back each time.
It’s the year 3,000. Your main character is a lawyer for a robot. They must prove this robot’s innocence in a human murder trial. (See this list of sci-fi writing prompts for more inspiration.)
Someone keeps stealing textbooks from your school. One day you go to school and see a huge statement art piece outside the school made from the stolen textbooks. Can you find out who did this?
Cinderella has turned into a detective. She needs to solve the case of the stolen glass slippers. After all those glass slippers are super rare.
The main character in your story must prove their innocence in a murder trial. How would they do this? What evidence would they need?
The main character in your story discovers that their brother is the real killer. They then try to destroy all evidence linked to their brother to protect them.
“Poppy! Poppy! Where are you, buddy?” Mindy searched for her pet Labrador everywhere. But she was nowhere to be seen. It turns out all the dogs in town have been missing since last night. What could have possibly happened to them?
Someone has been leaving embarrassing photographs of various people all over town. Can you track down this person? Why are they posting these photos?
Write a mystery story titled, ‘Piece-by-Piece’ about a jigsaw puzzle thief who is stealing random puzzles pieces.
You notice some muddy footprints leading into a thick forest at your local park. You follow this trail of footprints to a secret hatch in the woods. The door of the hatch has been left open. When you go inside you discover something shocking.
Your dog digs up an old lunchbox in your backyard. Inside the lunchbox, you find a key, an address and some old newspaper clipping of missing people. You think you can solve this case of the missing people by just visiting that address. But things get a little more complicated…
This is a mystery story about a boy named Billy who’s home alone and is playing with a toy truck when he finds a strange box. His mother, a lady with a past, is suspicious of this mysterious box, so she calls the police. Billy’s mother is a detective, and they find that the box is really a trap, and Billy is kidnapped.
Write a crime mystery story about how a little girl’s dream of becoming a scientist led to her death. Why would anyone murder a young girl who wants to be a scientist? How did this happen?
A small-town sheriff gets caught up in the biggest robbery in history. When over a million dollars just vanish into thin air, people are quick to blame the shifty-eyed sheriff from out of town. But is he really the culprit in this crime?
When Sara was a young girl she was kidnapped by a strange man and woman who took care of her. But now Sara wants to know what happened to her real parents. Are they still alive? Are they still looking for her?
The clock is ticking. Somewhere in the city, a group of hostages are locked up. With every hour that goes by, one hostage will be killed. The main character, a street-smart detective must solve the clues to find the location of these hostages in time.
A police officer finds himself in a very unusual situation. It is just before 6 pm on a Friday night when police were called to a disturbance in the street. The call came from a man who was allegedly threatening a woman with a knife. The man was arrested at 6.05 pm and taken to the police station. However, it was later revealed that the woman left at home has been murdered by someone else, but who?
A murder mystery party takes a dark turn when one of the guests is murdered for real.
Write a mystery story titled, ‘Who Stole My Homework?’ The main character’s A* worthy English essay is stolen by someone, but who?
Use this sentence as inspiration: Inspector Robins pulls out his notebook and writes down two words: Green fingers.
“10 car windows broken in 10 days! What does it all mean? What does it mean?” Exclaimed Detective Riley.
During a stop and search, a police officer finds a dead body in the boot of a car. But is the car driver really to blame?
A lost bracelet ends up in your best friend’s locker at school, along with other precious items. Your best friend is wrongly accused of stealing these items.
One girl must find her stolen prom dress before the prom. In the days leading up to the prom, more and more of her accessories for prom night are being stolen. Who is this thief?
Write a mystery thriller titled, “Come and Get It”. It’s about an arrogant criminal who is stealing sentimental items from each police officer in the state, He leaves these items in random locations in the city, along with a note that says: Come and get it!
Every night the car alarms for every car on your street turn on at exactly 2.03 am. why is this happening, and who is responsible?
A mysterious hacker has hacked into the city’s power grid. They have the power to on and off electricity whenever they want. Can you catch them before they do any more damage?
A secret admirer is leaving expensive gifts for your main character. At first, these gifts seem great, but then they soon take a dark twist (see our Valentine’s Day Prompts for more inspiration).
Your main character is at their senior prom. Dancing the night away. Suddenly the lights go off. Pitch darkness for a minute. When the lights come on, your best friend is gone. And there’s a message in red paint on the wall: You’re next!
Your teacher gives back your English assignment, and you got an F! Looking closer, you realise that this is not your assignment at all! The same starts happening in your other classes. Someone has been swapping your assignments – But who?
For the past few days, you have been receiving anonymous emails from someone. The emails are telling you not to be friends with him. You don’t take any of these emails seriously until the police come knocking on your door.
A family picnic at the park becomes unbearable when you open up the basket to discover every family members untold secrets.
You are at a Chinese restaurant with your family. It’s time to open up the fortune cookies. When your mother opens up her fortune cookie, it says: “One of your children has been very naughty!”. Then your father opens his cookie up, it says: “Who’s been sneaking around behind mommy’s and daddy’s back?” All eyes at the table are on you. But what did you do?
Your main character is a bent cop. Trying to manipulate the course of justice, and helping real criminals get away with murder. One day, someone plants evidence that gets this bent cop arrested for a murder they did not commit.
Write down a scene between two characters. In this scene, the ‘real’ criminal is trying to convince a detective that someone else is guilty of the crime of stealing from a church.
There are three potential suspects in the murder case of Phillip Green. You are the lead detective on this case. What questions would you ask these suspects to find the real murderer? Make a list of at least 10 questions you may ask.
A health inspector arrives at a vegan restaurant to discover rotten vegetables, and raw, old meat. The owners know nothing about this and believe someone planted this as sabotage. Who can have sabotaged the vegan restaurant?
Write a short mystery story for kids titled, ‘Why is the sky blue?’ One child’s curiosity about the sky leads them to discover a secret playground in the park.
Your main character is a news reporter who is convinced that the killer of Rosie Moore is still out there. They know that the police have convicted the wrong person for this heinous crime. Can your main character find the real killer before the wrong person is sentenced to life in prison?
Someone has been replacing all shampoos around town with a hair removal solution. When half the town’s hair starts falling out, it is up to you, a top detective to solve this crime.
Write a mystery story set in the future where a secret cyber group called the ‘Merry Man’ are hacking the bank accounts of rich people and giving this money to the poor. Your main character is a police detective trying to hunt the members of this cyber group down.
A mysterious person is playing a nasty game of hide and seek with you. They have kidnapped your friends and family members and hid them in various locations within the city. You have exactly 1 hour to find each person before something bad happens to them.
Someone has left a note in your locker at school. The note reads: Help me, please! You ignore this note, but more notes start appearing in your notebooks, bag and even at home. Until eventually you get a package through the mail. You open this package and scream…
Write an animal mystery tale about a dog who wants to find the original owner of a doll he found in the park.
Can you solve this bonus mystery prompt: Someone has been stealing socks from the locals at night. Who could this be and why would they be doing this? (See video prompt below for more ideas.)

Did you find these mystery writing prompts useful when writing your own story? Let us know in the comments below!

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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67 Thrilling And Chilling Mystery Writing Prompts

You’re a huge fan of riveting mystery plots.

You’ve read some of the best mystery fiction ever written (some well-known, some not), and you just know you could create a mystery that would keep your readers enthralled to the shocking end.

Think how gratifying it’ll feel to hear readers raving that you kept them guessing until the final reveal!

All you need right now are some high-quality murder mystery ideas like the ones in this post. Read on to find the seed of your new bestseller .

May it lead to many others.

67 Mystery Writing Prompts

Look through the following mystery story ideas and make a note of those that get your mind working in strange and vaguely uncomfortable ways. You know better than anyone the prompts that speak to you louder than others.

If you get a chill as you’re developing the idea, chances are good, your reader will, too.

1. You’re a memoir writer with a complicated love life. An estranged cousin calls asking if you’ll help her write a “tell-all” memoir . Then she disappears.

2. You’re a private investigator looking into the murder of a philanthropist’s reclusive wife. Two people confess, each swearing they acted alone. You suspect another.

3. You’re the assistant to the creator of the first empathic AI, who disappears just as the first psychopath AI blows away the competition at a global tech convention.

4. Your candle shop wins a prestigious award. Last year’s winner is angry and slanders you and your products. You find their body behind your store, covered in wax.

5. You research your genealogy and find that several people from different branches all died in the same mysterious location — of unknown causes.

6. A well-known motivational speaker is about to give a TED talk when they take a drink from a fresh water bottle and collapse. Their assistant disappears.

7. She’s always been faithful to her husband. So, who’s been trying to frame her for adultery? And what does her husband’s dead lawyer have to do with it?

8. You’re lost in the woods, no thanks to a poorly-planned nature hike, when you find the hatch to an underground bunker. A picture on the wall stops you cold.

9. Someone is stealing items from the graves of historical figures buried in the New Orleans cemeteries near your home. What does your latest Etsy purchase have to do with that?

10. Every eligible woman was eager to claim his attention at the ball, but only one would add his name to her dance card — and something else to her collection.

11. A grandfather you never met has left you an unusual item in his will with a warning: “Don’t underestimate this gift. It’s always been meant for you.”

12. You’re a witness to the opening of an Egyptian sarcophagus that’s only just been discovered in a buried tomb. Resting on the mummy’s chest is an old camera.

13. A few minutes after you buy a friend’s older smartphone from them (for a bargain), you get a phone call from someone who’s tracking your every move.

mysterious man holding a sickle mystery writing prompts

14. Your business computer has just been hacked by a pro, who happens to be a resident in the local nursing home — and the father of last night’s date.

15. You’re on a solitary walk through the woods near your new home, and you find a set of fresh footprints leading deeper in, possibly toward the lake. You follow them.

16. You’re on your way home from a vacation when an airport official tells you your passport must be a fake. Your country of origin doesn’t exist.

17. You take a short walk out in the snow and come back to find a fresh, icy handprint on the glass by your door. There are no footprints leading to it.

18. You visit a tea shop, and a woman pulls you aside and convinces you to buy a special blend she’s created, warning you to only drink one cup a day — and only at night.

19. While looking for the cabin retreat you signed up for, you get lost and end up at a cabin that resembles what you expected. They welcome you.

20. Every night, a new house of worship in your town is ransacked. Each time, the thieves steal a hidden sacred object but leave more expensive things untouched.

21. A rogue doctor overseas has created a life-saving vaccine for a deadly pandemic but disappears before he can share it.

22. You’re a seasoned detective looking over a murder scene at your ex-wife’s residence. So far, her dog is the prime suspect.

23. The winner of the beauty pageant is the last person everyone expected. Then she wins the lottery jackpot and wakes up with a dead guy in her closet.

24. You’ve agreed to deliver a package to a recluse living in a neglected manor in exchange for $100,000,000. They never told you he’d want you to stay.

25. The night before you head home from college, someone calls you from the home phone and leaves a disturbing message. Now, no one’s answering the phone.

26. You think you know the identity of your “Secret Santa” until you see the most recent gift: a gem your suspect could not have afforded (and wouldn’t have given).

27. After the “prophecy,” he changed her name and never expected her to spell out the name “Petra” with her wooden blocks. The near-drowning was not an accident.

28. At night, she sleeps with a different stone beneath her pillow. This morning, she woke to feel as if she’d spent the night running. She wasn’t wrong.

29. The murder victims all had admitted to the same phobia. And all of them died just as they’d overcome it. Now, the hypnotist who’d helped them was missing.

How will you use these mystery writing prompts?

When it comes to storytelling, only a small share of the magic is in the gift of an inspiring prompt. The rest of it lies in you.

Begin by choosing one of these prompts and freewriting for a few minutes — or for as long as you like. Paint a picture for yourself, and describe everything your senses tell you.

Whether you lean toward horror or romantic suspense story ideas, you’ll find a way to make each chosen story prompt your own.

May each adventure teach you something new.

You’re a huge fan of riveting mystery plots. You’ve read some of the best mystery fiction ever written (some well-known, some not), and you just know you could create a mystery that would keep your readers enthralled to the shocking end. #writingprompts

1. Decorate a title page.

2. Write a summary with suspense all the way up until “who did it.”

Paste it inside on the left of the booklet. A graphic organizer or checklist of things for students to include is helpful!

a. Description of the main character and setting at the beginning of the summary.

b. Detailed information about the problem/mystery.

c. Plot is clear, evident, and easy to understand.

d. Good sentence structure and paragraph format.

e. Details have words that create a picture in the reader’s mind

3. Then write the ending and 2 other possible endings.

Paste it inside on the right of the booklet. **Make sure to tell your students to mix up the endings ! This will help when students present the mysteries to the class. They want to be able to stump their classmates and have them guess one of their own endings, NOT the real one!

4. Do a self-rating.

This can be the same as the checklist or a rubric so students make sure they included everything.

5. Present to the class and see how many people you can stump!

Whoever stumps the most, gets a prize! My students love it and I hope yours will too!

If interested in purchasing this book report along with many others, Click Here or the picture below!

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BRYN DONOVAN

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50 Intriguing Mystery Story Ideas!

Mystery Story Ideas: 25 Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem Prompts to Inspire Your Story

by Ruthanne Reid | 61 comments

What makes a mystery such a compelling type of story? Maybe it's the puzzle, the details that keep us guessing, or the quirky sleuth or investigator. If you love to read mysteries, too, why not give on of these mystery prompts a try today?

The mystery genre begins with a crime, a puzzle, or other situation that requires solving. Authors leave clues and red herrings that the sleuth (and reader!) follow to solve the case. Some of the most famous authors in this genre include Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, and Dorothy Sayers.

There are a number of sub-genres in the mystery category: cozy mysteries, police procedurals, detective, capers and heists, noir and more.

Need help with a structure to get you started? Take a look at our article on the nine types of stories here . And you might also like our full guide on How to Write Mystery Novel .

Today, let's look at some mystery writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing and your own mystery started!

Five Cozy Mystery Creative Writing Prompts

A librarian happens across a crime scene when they clean the basement archives.
A murder mystery party goes wrong and potential suspects point at each other to avoid arrest. (Especially effective if set in an enclosed location.
A secret society of mystery readers realizes that there is a real killer still on the loose and the clues are hidden in a dead author's books.
A murder scene on a movie set becomes reality when the star is found dead, and the prime suspect discovered missing.
A new restaurant owner in a small town uncovers a long-forgotten mystery from the town's past but the mysterious circumstances unearth a real killer.

Ten Crime Solving Story Ideas

6. Charles McDougall, Scotland Yard's best Inspector, is laid up in the hospital with a badly broken leg, but that doesn't mean he's off the clock! An online news headline describing a tragic gas leak/explosion catches his eye. Four people died: a housewife, a minor politician, a young chemist, and the daughter of a local mobster. Somehow, using only clues from the internet (and what he can worm out of his coworkers), he has to figure out which of those people was the actual target, and why.

7. Agatha Christoph (get it?) is a retired schoolteacher in a beautiful little town in New England. She never married and has no children, so her friends are everything to her. That's why when her best friend, Martha, is blackmailed with vague threats about some risqué photos from Martha's youth, Agatha jumps to the rescue. But Martha's youth was a LONG time ago. Who could have those photos? And what could they possibly want?

8. Mars is colonized, though there's no air outside the domes. Travel from dome to dome is by train. The Eberswalde Express is the “luxury” locomotive, filled with old-timey elegance and charm. It takes a day and a half between stops to give wealthy patrons full time to enjoy the amenities. AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT…THERE'S A MURDER! Weirdly, this murder mimics the plotline of The Orient Express, and Elsa, a librarian and mystery buff, recognizes the details. With a murderer on board and nowhere to go, everyone is in danger. Can Elsa solve this murder before the killer strikes again?

9. Ever heard the phrase, “It is not who fired the shot but who paid for the bullet”? This is a philosophy Tomoe Gozen lives by. Tomoe (who, by the way, was a real female Samurai ) serves her general well, but when a fellow soldier dies mysteriously one night after a game of Chō-Han, she can't simply accept that the death had no meaning. Brave and clever, Tomoe follows clues until she learns who ordered the murder: Emperor Antoku himself. But why would the emperor of Japan want to kill a lowly soldier? And why the subterfuge?

10. Medieval France. Fourteen-year-old Amée is a servant girl with a genius IQ stuck as a scullery maid in her fief lord's castle. She leads a lonely life, with plenty of time to think and analyze, though—and this is important—she can't read. But something strange is happening here. The fief lord keeps bringing new brides home… and within two weeks, those brides disappear. A new one—nearly Amée's age—has just been brought to the castle, and Amée knows the clock for survival has already begun to tick. She has time to figure this out. Will she before it's too late?

11. Omar Yehia is a colonel in Cairo's police department. The government is unstable, and the people are unhappy; he has his hands full with violent cases all the time. Unfortunately, one day, a slain prostitute turns out to have something on her person that no one in Egypt should have at all: Queen Mary's Crown . How on earth did she get that ? More importantly, what will Omar do with the 48 hours his superiors give him to crack this case before they report this to foreign authorities?

12. Sandra is a mystery-lover. She sees mysteries and hidden conspiracies everywhere they aren't , and her sister Carrie laughs this off as a silly quirk… until Carrie is framed for the murder of the man in the next apartment. Carrie's DNA is somehow all over the place, though she swears she's never even been in that apartment before. No one thinks Carrie is innocent but Sandra… and she has a limited amount of time to prove her sister is innocent.

13. Twelve-year-old Alexandra is a leader . She runs her school's newspaper, manages three after-school clubs (the book club, the fencing club, and the junior stamp-collector club), and doesn't have time for nonsense. Which is why when she sees a man dressed all in black carrying a manilla folder as he climbs out of her principal's window, her determination to get to the bottom of it knows no bounds. Look out, data-thief. Here comes Alexandra!

14. David is a senior software engineer for a major tech company, and he spends most days knee-deep in other people's databases, trying to figure out what they did wrong. One day, he happens across a piece of malicious code designed to steal financial information. He reports it and deletes it, but he comes across that same code again—in the database of a completely different company. He finds it again; and again. And the fifth time around, his manager drops a hint that the higher-ups think he's the best person to figure out who's planting it. Undercover, they send him to each of the company's data centers: one in London, one in Boston, one in Dallas, and one in Seattle. It's going to be his job—socially anxious as he is—to interview everyone and find out who's planting that code and why.

15. General March hires Detective Thomas to try to find the person who's been blackmailing March for the past twenty years. Thomas tracks the miscreant down, but finds that the man behind the threats has been dead for the past ten years. So who's carrying on the blackmailing? And is the secret that's held March prisoner this long something that should stay a secret?

10 More Murder Mystery Story Ideas

16. Defense attorney Bob Larson enjoys his job. He likes justice; he likes being right. Usually, he thinks right and wrong are really easy to spot. Then he ends up representing a young Navy Seal who shot and killed an elderly woman—and claims it was in self-defense. Who's really the bad guy?

17. Samuel sleepwalks. He also thinks he loves another man's wife. He's more surprised than anyone when he's arrested for that man's murder. Did he do it? Or is he being set up to take the fall?

18. Mystery writer Dan Rodriguez takes the subway every day. Every day, nothing happens. He wears earbuds and a hoodie; he's ignored, and he ignores. Then one evening, on his way home from a stressful meeting with his publisher, Dan is startled out of his funk when a frantic Middle-Eastern man knocks him over at a dead run, then races up the stairs—pursued by several other mysterious looking thugs. The Middle-Eastern man is shot; and Dan discovers a small, wrapped package in the front pocket of his hoodie. What's inside, and what does he need to do to survive the answer?

19. Wealthy, unmarried Anne Lamont is murdered, and she leaves her entire fortune to a man she met two weeks before, putting suspicion squarely on him. Detective Arnold thinks the man is innocent. He has a week to make his case before this goes before a jury. But when he digs into Anne's background, he finds the sweet old matron wasn't at all what she seemed.

20. A headless corpse is found in a freshly-dug grave in Arkansas. The local police chief, Arley Socket, has never had to deal with more than missing gas cans and treed cats. His exploration of this weird murder digs up a mystery older than the 100-year-old town of Jericho that harkens all the way back to a European blood-feud.

21. Someone is murdering homeless people in Phoenix, Arizona. Detective Sally Fortnight is determined to get to the bottom of it… but what she uncovers may be more deadly than she could ever guess.

22. On the Lovely Lady riverboat in 1900's Louisiana, professional gambler Lacroix is just doing his thing when a scream startles him and the other players from the poker table. It turns out the captain of the steamboat has been murdered, and only someone on the boat could've pulled it off. Lacroix already has a record. In two days, the Lady will pull into Shreveport, where he stands a good chance of being arrested… unless he can suss out the killer first.

23. Detective Donna Madison is on a completely routine case (bootleg watches, just so you know) when she stumbles across a ring of jewel thieves. Two murders, a clever fortune-teller, and a stuffed cat filled with clues later, and Donna finds herself uncovering a far bigger mystery than where stolen watches go.

24. It is the Cold War era. Private Eye Charles Nick searches for a missing cryptanalyst, all the while dodging an obsessed FBI agent who thinks Nick is a communist spy. The cryptanalyst, by the way, went missing for a good reason: he might have cracked the latest Russian spy code, and he's running for his life.

25. 1850's England: elderly Doris and her six young wards are caught in a storm and forced to ask for shelter at an enormous manor deep in the English countryside. But all is not well in this home, and before long, Doris faces a bizarre problem: the manor's lord, Sir Geoffrey, claims his estranged wife Alice is going to murder him that evening. Alice, meanwhile, claims that Geoffrey is going to murder her. After dinner, both are found dead, in the library, seated as if having a rational discussion, but dead as mice. There is no obvious murder weapon, and quite possibly, the murderer is loose in the manor. Doris is no detective, but she might as well figure this out. Given that storm, help won't be coming until it's too late.

(This is the fourth in my series of story ideas, by the way. If you're interested in the others, check out 20 fantasy story ideas , 20 sci-fi story ideas , and 20 romance story ideas. )

Do any of these story ideas get your inner-criminal devising? Let us know in the comments .

It's time to play with story ideas! Take fifteen minutes and develop one of these story ideas into at least one scene. Don't edit yourself! Set your imagination free, then post your results in the practice box below. Don't forget to leave feedback for other writers! Share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop , and leave feedback for a few other writers. Not a member? Join us .

Ruthanne Reid

Best-Selling author Ruthanne Reid has led a convention panel on world-building, taught courses on plot and character development, and was keynote speaker for The Write Practice 2021 Spring Retreat.

Author of two series with five books and fifty short stories, Ruthanne has lived in her head since childhood, when she wrote her first story about a pony princess and a genocidal snake-kingdom, using up her mom’s red typewriter ribbon.

When she isn’t reading, writing, or reading about writing, Ruthanne enjoys old cartoons with her husband and two cats, and dreams of living on an island beach far, far away.

P.S. Red is still her favorite color.

61 Comments

I hate giving presentations.

I am a software engineer. Or I used to be, until that fateful day my boss called me into his office to figure out who’s been trying to hack into our clients’ code. Now, I am a reluctant detective.

I got the job purely by chance. I happened to be the only guy working the evening (it was Valentine’s) that the malicious code first showed up. I deleted it and reported it to the higher-ups. I was then tasked with the incredibly boring task of searching through the millions of lines of client code that we had access to in order to ensure there had been no other security breaches. The work may have been tedious and time consuming despite the clever automation I baked in, but it was not as pointless as I’d expected: the same code was present in four other code bases.

And that is why I was standing there, sweating bullets and trying to keep my hands from visibly shaking as I presented my findings to the CEO of our company.

“All that’s great, Dave,” said the CEO, calm as ever, “but what are you going to do about it?”

“Well, we’ll have to find the parties responsible, Mr. Zheng.”

“And who do you think that could be, Dave?” He sounded mildly curious about the breach that could cost us our entire reputation and millions of dollars in lawsuits.

“The only people with access to the code bases of all these clients, and I confirmed this with them, is, well, us.” I said.

“So, what are we going to do about it?”

“Find the person and turn them in?”

“Wrong. First, we figure out a way to enhance security of our code base to prevent future attacks, even from within. Jane, put your best engineers on the job.” He said to my manager.

“And Dave, you have been relieved of all your duties so you can focus on finding me the person responsible. You have one week. You may leave now.”

I had a meeting with Jane the next day. I’d never seen her so frazzled before. But the CEO had that effect on people. It’s like he sucked the calm out of you. But he was a brilliant man. That’s why he was CEO.

“So, do you have any ideas, Dave?” she asked.

“I have one. But it’s risky and it may not work.”

“Go on…” she said, carefully.

“A coding competition open to all our employees. An amazing prize besides bragging rights that should draw any hacker in.”

“Ah, and the problem would be to hack into our system?”

“No, that would be too obvious. You see, after all these years on the job, I’ve learned that each person has a distinct coding style, a coding signature, so to speak. Code is personal. It tells you how a person thinks, how careful they are, how considerate etc. Even something as simple as formatting or variable declaration becomes ingrained in a person after years of coding. I believe I can find the hacked using this competition.”

“Well, it’s not like we have any other ideas. Whoever it was used a ghost ip so we cannot track them. This may be our only shot.”

If this were a novel-length piece, I’d go into the nuances of how I designed a problem that was original and yet challenging enough to entice a brilliant programmer working at the best tech company in the world. But suffice it to say that while solutions are difficult, they’re a piece of cake compared to designing problems.

The day of the contest came and entries flooded in. Everyone was interested in getting out of a day of work. Even Janice from accounting was there.

The contestants spent 24 hours hacking up a solution, powered by free pizza. I spent the next 24 hours scouring through thousands of lines of code to find the suspect.

Finally, I found a match. The aha moment turned into a head scratching one when I realized who had sent it in.

I couldn’t believe it. The hacker, and the person with the best solution, was Janice from accounting?!

Sana, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what you’ve done with this! You’ve managed to make it interesting, to set up characters, and to have a complete beginning, middle, and end. Terrific practice!

I find this interesting 🙂

Some great ideas in this post Ruthanne, I might have to take some of them with me to my writer’s group tomorrow as I know one of our members loves writing mystery. Number 16 really grabbed my attention and makes for a great paranormal mystery.

That would be great, Amanda! I hope they really enjoy them! 🙂

Feel free to turn any of these paranormal. 😉 I tried to keep them largely “normal” for the sake of the audience, but I personally love a little magic in my mystery. 😉

I was woken up by a loud thunder…. I shot out of bed, just to look out my large window and find out its pouring rain!! “Ping…ping…ping..”. I tun around back to my bed to see what all that noice was. It was my phone. Probably my boyfriend texting me and seeing what im doing, but the thing is, its not that hes not a good boyfriend, its just that im in love with someone else, someone whose name is Anthony… Anthony works with me in English class, were partners. My boyfriend hates when I hang out with him.. “HAZEL! TIME TO GET UP! SCHOOL STARTS IN 1 HOUR!”. What is she talking about? Whats all the rush? I have 1 hour left. That’s plenty of time! Whatever, im just going to go get ready and not fight about it. I walk to my new grey dresser, and open the handle in which leads me to my make-up and hair stuff, I sit down and look in the mirror while putting foundation on. After doing my makeup, it was time to do my hair, what am I going to even dress my hair up today? A pony tail? A messy hair bun? What would my thick, brown, long hair even look good in? its probably best just to straighten it. In the middle of straightening my hair I burn my hand, and threw the wand. “OW! OW! OW! OW!” I Scream, “ Stupid fucking straightener!” I swear. “EXCUSE ME YOUNG LADY! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!” My mom yells from down stairs. “ sorry mom! I burned my self! It wont happen again!”. My mom hates when I swear. She hate when anyone swears. But what was I supposed to do if I got a 3rd degree burn on a hair straightener? which is least likely to happen. “ PINGGGG- PINNNNGGGG-…..PINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG…PINGGGGG….PINGGGG.PINGGG” My phone kept on going, and going. And going. “GOD DAMN IT HAZEL ROYAL! JUST PICK UP THAT DAMN PHONE!” Ughhhhh why does she always make me do stuff!!!!!. So I go and grab the stupid phone. “ What? Why do you keep calling me adan?” I said as calm as can be. “ why are you not answering the damn phone babe?” well… PROBABLY CAUSE IVE GOT A LIFE OF MY OWN. But was I going to say that? No. I wasn’t. “sorry, im just in the middle of doing my hair. Can I call you later babe? I don’t want to be late for school, theres only 20 minutes left.” I replied. “okay, but youll make sure to hang out with me instead of Anthony?” adan russed while he spoke, “ yeah, I will, bye babe!” I mimicked his tone. “ bye” adan said. Finally, why does he always have to call me when im in the middle of doing things!? (thats what ive got down so far, im still trying to finish it)

These are the best by far in your story ideas!!!! I love them SO much, especially #20, #14, and #7. I am a mystery lover (I have all of the old Nancy Drew, some of the Trixie Belden, and several of almost 100 – and over- year old Girl Scout mysteries.) and these really “tickle my storytelling bones”. ;-D

Awesome, Renee! I grew up on the old Nancy Drew, too! I hope you take these ideas and turn them into something absolutely wicked fun!

What a great list. I’ve been skipping the other lists because they aren’t in my genre, but I had to read this. And not only because I’m currently stuck on my current work in progress.

I confess that I’m especially drawn to Number 7. Can you blame me?

Thanks for the boost!

This is awesome, Carrie! I’m so, so glad to hear it! I hope you can take that idea and spin it into something fabulous. 🙂

I’ve read all of your ideas and discover that you’ve provided more than just a list of ideas. Far more.

The ways you’ve played off known people and known characters (Agatha Christie and Nick Charles of Thin Man fame) have opened up a couple of doors to me that I hadn’t previously considered. All a of sudden, every novel I love and every character I admire has the potential to influence my own fiction.

Carrie, it delights me that you caught those silly references! 🙂 I’m just thrilled.

I’m also glad this has inspired you. I really believe that creativity is an ocean; if you’re in it, you’ll get wet! We’re all influenced by one another, and that’s the way it should be. 🙂

Hey! Those are pretty good! Thanks!

I’m glad you like them, LaCresha! Enjoy! 🙂

15. Just the smell of it makes me want to run home and hide under my bed. The sight of it, on the other hand, is enough to make me dizzy and feel as though I was going to pass out and vomit at the same time. All my life and throughout my career as a police chief, I’ve never had to deal with any big cases. Nothing ever happens in small towns in Arkansas. But, now, after fifteen years of being a chief and twenty five years of being a police in general, something interesting was finally happening. It just so happened that this happening happened to be a disturbing, horrific, gut-wrenching homicide.

When I got the call I could barely believe what I was hearing. Someone had found an uncovered grave, in which was a fresh (yes, fresh) corpse. Oh, and I forgot to mention-the corpse had no head. After years of dealing with petty middle school criminals and rabid cats, there was an actual crime to be had. But the crime seemed completely unbelievable. So, I sent a few men down to the local cemetery to investigate. The news I received about ten minutes later was enough to send shivers down my spine. The men had found the body, just as the eyewitness had described it. And on top of that, a close inspection of the surrounding land revealed various body parts hidden in books and crannies around the cemetery. Body parts! For Pete’s sake, why did this have to happen in my town? I didn’t have time to ask questions, though. There was a killer on the loose, a psychotic, genuinely dark, and horrifying killer.

I already feel sympathy for your character, and your description is very thorough without being overly so. Your pov is consistent throughout, and the revelation of there being more body parts keeps me wanting to read. A very captivating piece. Well done.

I really like how you make this shocking by making the sheriff so shocked! Good stuff. plus your description of the smell made me sick (in a good way ) 🙂

Great start, Annie! I really hope you continue this. I see characterization and solid voice, and your pacing is great. 🙂 I love what you did!

Can I use this?

Nope! Sorry :/

While Wein cannot copy Annie’s writing (which was fab), I doubt anyone can stake a claim to the prompt of “small town police force has to deal with actual real crime” as a plot–it’s been done before, it will be done again. It’s how you write it, the characters, details, twists and locations you craft that will make it your own!

So, SmartWein, make something originally yours based on the foundational concept. It will be better because it came from your brain and is shaped around the story you create! Find a different crime, or a different protagonist, pick a different setting, write it yourself and you’re golden! Pick a setting that means something to you. Pick a crime that personally horrifies you. Then drop in that bored detective who hasn’t solved anything more complicated than Roe the Regular Drunk, Annie the Irregular Drunk and Jen the Incontinent domestic squabbling, one single “hit and run” that left a sixteen year old with a broken ankle and he saw the license plate number and Matt fessed up straight away, and Laurie’s cat climbing into the rafters of Jo and Ted’s grill… in ten years… but this crime has shocked everyone in this sleepy quiet town down to their ruffled toilet cozies.

It will be better for it.

When I can’t think of an idea, I pick a story I consider to have been terrible and think about how I would take its foundational idea and run it to a superior place. In this case, I recommend you took at Annie’s writing and figure out why it appealed to you, what aspects of it worked. Was it the sensory description? The character? The horrific crime? Once you understand why it appealed to you, you will then have an idea of what to tweak in your own ideas! Perhaps now you know you need to describe the crime with more. But will it be the reeking decomposing head covered in wriggling white maggots, the slimy femur covered in slick moss recovered from the dog’s mouth, the red bloodwashed room that tastes of iron when you breathe, or the ear-splitting shriek that comes from the direction of the dock and endless ocean? What twisted, demented ideas can YOU come up with? What a great mystery indeed! Aha! Ahahahhaa!

If you’ve come up with all these ideas yourself, I do take my hat off to you. Or doff the old top hat, as P G Wodehouse would say. I could spend a week on these!

Agreed! These were fun and interesting ideas!

Thank you, Kat! 🙂 I’m so glad you like them.

Haha! Thank you, Christine! I definitely take inspiration from the stories our world is filled with, but I do my best to make each one unique. 🙂 Enjoy!

Yesterday I sat down and started with #1, writing an opening scene. Will post it here as a separate comment, but it’s LONG. 🙂

This is my first time doing a practice exercise.

20. It was Helen who had found the bodies of their hosts. The poor girl had gone into the library after supper at the invitation of Sir Geoffrey to find herself a book to read to the younger children. Her scream had ricocheted through the eerily empty halls, alerting both Doris and the manors’ butler Wilfred. That had been a while ago, and Doris was still attempting to comfort the girl unsuccessfully. Wilfred also had his hands full attempting to keep the younger children from entering the room where the bodies still sat. A single look passed between the two adults, followed by a slight incline of both their heads. Doris stood up, guiding Helen up the staircase with one arm around the girls still shaking shoulders. The other reached out towards the butler as they passed, a flask being swiftly stowed away for use on the unsuspecting children. As she reached the first floor landing, Doris turned to look back. He still stood at the foot of the stairs, watching after them. A silent sentinel, a pillar of strength in a time of such uncertainty. She allowed the briefest expression of gratitude to cross her face before continuing on. They would have time to talk she knew, once the children were asleep.

Intriguing! I like the pace. I feel like you have the beginning of a solid story line.

I LOVE it! Working on the characterization of the butler as well really helps to expand this beautifully. I hope you keep writing it! Great first-time practice. You’ve caught my attention!

#9 from the top half-this is a really rough draft – 15 minutes is very short. I like this idea a lot and hope to expand it to something real at some point

David lifted his head from the monitor screen, and pushed the thick frame of his glasses so they perched on the bridge of his nose. He stared down at the lines of code. This was no ordinary scripting. If allowed to exist in this environment the company would be a gateway for any hacker with any know-how at all to abscound with sensitive data, financial information, possibly even money itself. Anyone that got through that gateway would easily be able find their way to whatever information they desired. He looked over the code once more and checked the interface as well to see if there were anything obvious to the end-user. He decided the interface looked normal.

He took screen shots of the code and the interface, and logged the occurrence. Then he notified the project manager, Sam Wolfe.

He used instant message:

Hey, I found some strange scripting while updating the firewall. I sent u screenshots and logged the problem Check log h259.

Wolfe shot back

I’ll take a look and let u know what I think. Thanks 4 the heads up.

Back to the code. He deleted the miscreant code. Just for good measure he ran a scan on the machine and on the servers as well.

*grins* Oooh, I was hoping someone would grab this one! It’s one of my favorites (probably because this IS my husband’s job, haha).

I think this is a GREAT first draft. Your writing practice is terrific! Thank you for sharing it! I hope you continue it, too.

Scotland Yard’s top Inspector, recovering from a fall, has read about an explosion at a chemist’s. (I’m using the English term for drug store in this tale.) Four people died, including the chemist. ( Pharmacist over here.) Now McDougall is trying to determine the intended victim and the why.

“Nasty piece of work, that. I read the account in The Times Online last night.” Charles McDougall shook his head. “Hate to see innocent people killed. Or were they innocent? Which of them was the real target?”

Tony, his younger colleague reproved him. “Mac, old pal. You’re here to rest, relax, and heal up. You’re not to give a thought to mini bombs and targets right now. And the next time you go flying down some stairs, take a cushion. You could have broken your neck, you know, and Scotland Yard can’t function without you.”

“Right. The wisdom of my hoary head and all that. So who’s got the case and what has he found out so far?”

“Are you deaf, Inspector? I just said…” Tony paused as a pretty nurse entered the room. His dark eyes gave her the once-over as she set a small paper cup on McDougall’s bed table.

“Here’s your pain meds. Now let’s take your temps, love.” She stuck a thermometer prong in McDougall’s mouth. “Can’t have you getting infection on us.”

Tony grabbed at his stomach. “Ow! Help! I’ve got this sudden, awful pain. Gall bladder maybe, or appendicitis. Will you stick me in a bed somewhere and nurse me back to health, too, sweetie?” He gave her a big grin.

With one hand the nurse pulled a wicked-looking hypodermic needle out of her pocket and waved it in Tony’s direction. “See this? We poke everyone who complains of a pain with three of these. Hospital policy. You’d be surprised how many visitors it cures on the spot.” She set the syringe down beside him where he could fully appreciate its size, then turned to record her patient’s temperature on the chart by his bed.

Tony eyed the needle lying beside him. “Three, eh? I feel so much better already. Fancy dinner some evening — away from these barbaric devices?”

She laughed. “I’ll see what my boyfriend has to say about that. He’s quite partial to seafood, if that’s what you’re thinking of having.”

“Oh, well. Another time, then.”

She picked up the needle, gave him an exaggerated wink and walked out of the room.

“Some friend you are,” McDougall grumbled. “Here I am at death’s door and all you’re thinking of is running off with my nurse.”

Tony turned back to his fellow Inspector. “Hey, I’m a lonely guy. No one to come home to; no one to cuddle with in the wee hours. Can’t blame me for trying.”

McDougall snorted. “Maybe if you’d quit loving them and leaving them you’d have someone to come home to. You get distracted so easily, Weekes. I asked who got the case.”

“Barrows was asked to take a peek at it. Which he did, and reported the basics to us in a briefing this morning. Scotland Yard hesitates to get involved; minor stuff like this the local police should be able to handle. The only reason we’re looking into it at all is because two of the victims are ‘persons of note’ so there could be a bigger picture.”

“Adam O’Connor being one.”

“Right. Even though he’s small potatoes in local politics, it never hurts to take a look.”

McDougall shifted in his bed and wiggled his broken leg in the brace that held it. The younger man jumped up and stepped toward the bed, extending his arm and a bit of TLC. “Need some help getting settled there, Mac?”

McDougall grabbed onto Tony’s solid forearm and heaved himself up a bit. “Thanks. I’m good now. Hate this traction business! All because my sister’s grandson dropped his ice cream cone on the top stair step. Anyway, maybe someone didn’t like O’Connor’s particular policies? Or had he some shady involvement that got out of hand?”

Tony sat back down. “Doubt it. Pretty mild sort. At least not involved in any controversies apt to get him killed. And the other victim ‘of note’ was the daughter of Pierson Rathmore.”

“The mob boss? So that was the school girl. Rat-tat-tat.”

“Yeah. Her name wasn’t released in the news, least not as of this morning.” Tony brushed his fingers through his dark hair. “I wouldn’t want to be the bloke who planted that bomb. Not with Pierson Rathmore on my trail — and he will be. He’ll have several of his boys out looking for the fellow. As you say, ‘rat-tat-tat.’ If we don’t get the perp first, he’ll be floating down the stream without a boat.”

“But she couldn’t have been the target. Someone wanting to settle a score with Rathmore plants a bomb that hits her happenstance at a drug store? Not likely. Rathmore has a couple of sons, too; if this were to hurt him, seems the perp would have aimed for one of them rather. ”

“Well, the girl — his only daughter— was dear to his heart. Everyone knew it. And maybe not quite as much security clustered round her as around the heirs. Also, apparently, she had this regular habit: every Monday on her way home from school she stopped in at this particular chemist’s to buy a chocolate bar. One of our agents kept tabs of Rathmore’s children for awhile back when we were trying to nail him over some mysterious disappearances.”

“Every Monday? And she was eleven? Now that is curious.” McDougall’s gaze turned toward the window as he pondered this fact. How many eleven-year-olds would have a regular habit like that?

“We’re checking out the chemist who was killed, too. Blake Mederach, late twenties. Seems his name’s been mentioned in police notes a time or two. Possible traffic in prescription drugs. Nothing proven, though.”

“And the unidentified woman? Your average housewife stopped to fill a prescription?” McDougall frowned. “Hand me that glass of water, will you.”

Tony stood and passed him the glass. “Mrs Annette Reeves. Nothing on her at all. Active in the church ladies, PTA, that sort of thing. Likely an innocent lamb who stayed longer than she intended. A witness who left the drug store a few minutes earlier said they heard O’Connor nattering to her about one of his future projects for the community. Unless something turns up, we’re assuming being there at the time of the explosion was simple happenstance for both of them.”

“Yeah. A jealous husband or lover may pop in waving a gun, but bombs are a little out of their league. As you say, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. My wife should be dropping by shortly; I’ll get her to attend the lady’s funeral and keep her ears open. She won’t mind doing that.”

“I’ll mention that at the next brief. Now I’d best be off. Oh… Hello!” Tony’s eyes lit up as a slim young woman stepped into the room and looked around. Her long blond hair was pinned up on her head with a barrette and she was wearing a stethoscope round her neck.

“Hello, gentlemen. Hope I’m not interrupting something? I was just passing by and thought I’d take a peek in, see how you’re doing, Mr. McDougall.”

Her bright blue eyes studied him. He could almost hear Tony’s heart rate shooting up.

“I’m surviving,” he replied, taking note of her bright blue eyes. He could almost feel Tony’s pulse rate shooting up. Right now his visitor’s eyebrows were waggling up and down, signalling frantically for an introduction. McDougall sighed.

“Sorry, Love,” he said. “I know you’re the Resident for this ward, but I’ve forgotten your name.”

“Doctor Lundgren. At your service, sir.” She grinned at him, then picked up the patient’s chart. “All vitals well, I see. Much pain.”

“Not really. One bad one right now. Allow me to introduce my colleague, Anthony Wolf — I mean Weekes.”

“Pleased to meet you, Doctor Lundgren. Delighted. Enchanted, even,” Tony held out his hand. Behind her back, McDougall rolled his eyes upward.

She gave it a firm shake, responding to his smile with one of her own. “Nice meeting you as well, Mr-Wolf-I-mean-Weekes.”

“Sorry you have to go, Tony,” McDougall said pointedly. “Do come again this evening and bring more news.”

Dr Lundgren turned back to the patient, replacing his chart. “Well, keep up the good work, then. Get lots of rest.” She chuckled and patted his braced-up leg, then spun around and marched out of the room.

Tony followed her into the hall and McDougall heard him offering some worried-tone malarkey. “You know, Doctor, I’m quite concerned about my pal. He seems edgy and uptight, letting work issues bother him too much. Could we maybe discuss this over lunch?”

McDougall didn’t hear her answer. He shook his head. What was that old saying about chasing the butterfly of happiness?

Then he opened the laptop sitting on the night table in front of him. For now he’d do what he could to puzzle out the drug store bombing. Later, once he had his leg all plastered up with a sturdy walking cast, he’d give Tony a good swift kick in the pants.

I. LOVE. What you did with this. The humor is just fantastic! The pacing is really fun, and I wanted to keep reading! I hope you want to continue with it. 🙂

In fact I do. This is one “exercise” where I saw not just the opening scene, but more of the story unfolding and I want to work it all out. When I do, I’ll post it in parts on my fiction blog and leave you the link here.

And then I’ll start on suggestion #2. 🙂

This is TERRIFIC! Did you ever finish the story?

Thank you! No, I didn’t — shame on me! It got shoved to the back burner and seems to have fallen off the stove — but I think of it now and then. 🙂

Okay, here we go… #3 ( and I have never read The Orient Express either!)—

Elsa hops on the train and, book in hand, takes a seat. She relaxes and opens her book. Elsa looks around before she begins to read. She is a librarian and a mystery buff, and she enjoyed anything related to mysteries. Growing up, she was an only child and found ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ in the books she read. As Elsa reads, a scream pierces the air. Startled, she looks up; half thinking that she imagined it. But this was not true; people are nervously glancing around and an elderly woman had fainted. Elsa gets up and closes her book. She steps into the aisle, puts her book on her seat, and walks to where she thinks the scream came from. ‘In the back of the train… The bedrooms, maybe!’ Elsa thinks. She pushes her auburn hair away from her face and walks to the bedroom hallway. Elsa notices a door is slightly ajar, so she steps closer to it. In one movement, she flings the door open and steps inside. She gasps. A man lies prostrate on a bed, purple finger marks on his neck. Elsa turns on the light and walks to the man’s side. Suddenly, she thinks that she might be blamed for the murder, so she steps away. Almost immediately, a policeman and the conductor appear in the doorway. The conductor faints on the spot while the policeman rushes over to the dead man. With a quick glance, the policeman compares Elsa’s hands to the marks on the man’s throat. “You didn’t do it; I know better than that, anyway,” he assures her. Elsa nods and tells him, “A man did it, judging by those fingerprints.” The policeman covers the body with a bed sheet and blanket, and motions for Elsa to help him with the conductor. The policeman and Elsa drag the conductor from the room and into the hallway. Once there, the policeman releases his hold on the conductor and closes the bedroom door.

Elsa runs back to her seat in the front half of the train and something strikes her as odd. She picks up her book and flips to a certain page. Elsa finds that the murder (and the setting!) is identical to her book, The Orient Express. Elsa again flips through the book to see what happens next. The train crashes into a snow bank, the people on board are stuck, and the murderer is on the loose.

That night, Elsa lies in her bed looking out the window at Mars’ scenery, wide-awake. She tries to banish the bone chilling, fleeting thoughts flying through her head. A small thud announces the presence of something… or someone! She turns on the bedside lamp. A half-day more on this trip- and more if the train crashes! Elsa thinks wearily. She grabs something from under her pillow. Elsa turns the light off, while silently hopping out of bed and pulling on fluffy bunny slippers. She pads out into the hallway with a penlight and runs over the events in the story again. What was that? She spins around and flashes the light in the direction of the cargo/baggage hold. Elsa backs into a corner. The blood freezes on her veins when the sound of footsteps – not her own – filter through the cargo door. Elsa flicks the penlight off and hides behind a large vase nearby. There was just enough room for her to maneuver into a position where she could see the cargo door. The door opens and a person clad in black steps out from the shadows. Elsa stifles a gasp when she sees the person’s face. But she calms down when she holds the penlight tin one hand- and a gun in the other. She covers the penlight’s small bulb, turns it on, and throws it to the other side of the small hallway, creating a spinning light sure to catch the person’s eye. The person (or should I say man) quietly speeds to the light and Elsa courageously steps out with the gun pointed at the man. “Hands up!” she orders calmly. The man, startled, spins around. By the look on his face he is shocked… and amused. Elsa sure was a sight to behold: pink-and-red pajamas, bunny slippers, and tangled hair. The man slowly laughed and sped down the corridor only to be stopped by the policeman. The man gives; he puts his hands up. The policeman closes in on him and handcuffs the man. Elsa takes a breath. “Why, conductor?” she asks incredulously. The murderer was the conductor. “I’m a retired actor and I needed fame again, even if people didn’t know who I really was. The stupid movies makers thought I was getting useless, so they kicked me out with a coulpla’ hundred dollars in payment!” he shouted. “I was going to be the star in the movie production of The Orient Express, but they traded me in for some guy five years my senior. And plus, I knew how the plot went!” Elsa nodded.

Then, she explained her part: “I went to the policeman here and told him how it fitted tight along with the plotline of The Orient Express, and my suspicion of what was to happen. He agreed and he gave me one of his guns. Thankfully, I was right and now you are caught, the people are safe, and I can sleep.” Elsa handed the gun to the policeman and padded back to her room, where she collapsed on her bed and fell asleep.

WOO! What an exciting ride! I love that you chose present-tense for this; it made all the action more immediate, like I was walking alongside her.

The bunny slippers were a great touch, too! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

As the president of the drama club and debating society, a member of the music club and the vice-president of the Leaders Book Club, Tolu had a lot on her plate. She was also the Student Head of the junior school where she had only just enrolled at the beginning of the school term despite being a transfer student. She had had to turn down the position of class president when she turned Student Head.

She knew her classmates snickered behind her back everyday but there was nothing she could do about it. She was called an over acheiver and all sorts of names that made her ire rise but she turned a blind eye.

With just one more term to go before the end of the session, her parents were quite worried that she had not invited any friends home nor had she mentioned any. They had tried to broach the matter with her but it was futile.

Meanwhile, her studies did not suffer and she was the school’s darling. She was very organised and precise. But when the school decided to set up a chess club and make Tolu the president, without any votes, other children began to plot. The taunts became more obvious. The jeers became louder.

And so on a certain sunny afternoon when she left her class to make her way to the teachers office for a meeting with one of her tutors, she decided to take the long route in order to avoid some of her enemies. In her thirteen year old mind, she was plotting moves using an imaginary chess board. She was winning the chess game when a shadow momentarily blocked out the light. It lasted only for a few seconds but her curiosity overtook her. She was walking behind the windows and it seems that someone had just risked the principals wrath by sneaking into his office.

Worse yet, that person was holding a file, the kind opened in every students name when they join the school. The files that have details of students lives and the things that teachers observe without wanting the student to find out. As Tolu saw this, she decided to investigate. Still carrying her heavy school bag on her back, she decided to find out who it was and who was coward enough to steal students file. She resolved that she would investigate and inform the principal, afterwards.

Crouching, she stole closer to the principals window and peeped into the office.

Hi, is it alright if I use some parts of the ideas listed here in my own stories, rather than following the prompt word by word? I’ve been working on an episodic detective series for my college portfolio and I’m out of ideas. I really like a few of the mysteries presented here and would like my teen detective to solve them.

This isn’t any of the above just another story idea:

21. Cody is a casual teenager who wants to fulfil his dream of being hypnotised; when hypnotist David finally comes to town Cody pays a visit. David’s attempt to hypnotise Cody ha gone wrong; Cody is stuck in an unbreakable trance which has made a connection between his and David’s mind. Whatever David thinks, Cody does. Will David’s biggest desire of vengeance succed or will it fail….

This is the first time in years thats im trynna write fiction. This is #13 here, i forgot the name so came up with Mark.

It was a typical Sunday in the metro station, deserted. On any other day, the platform would be swarming with daily office commuters but on the weekends and especially Sundays there would be but handful. As Mark entered the platform, he was pleased to see the emptiness. Travelling in the stuffed metros was always a pain. He checked the clock hanging over head, 10 minutes for the next train. Less people meant lesser frequency of trains. He stationed himself right where he always stood , beside the first of many pillows along the length of the platform. A train hustled itself behind him on the opposite route. Among the people coming out were couples, families on a holiday trip and few other men and women. But one particular person caught Mike’s attention. He wore an old discoloured shirt and shorts, not what people wear when travelling. He looked sort of in his 30’s, physically well built but of stout height. He bad bruises on his cheeks, clear sign of being on the receiving end of punches. Walking hurriedly on the platform, he kept watching backwards. Suddenly he started running, tripped and collided with Mark sending both men on the ground. Before Mark could react, the man was up and away. It did not take Mark long to figure out why the man had started running, he saw a group of men coming towards him, apparently chasing that guy. They did not give him a second look and kept running.

Mark was surprised at the happenings. In his 3 years of travel though the metro, he had never witnessed anything like this. He was still coming back to his senses when another train pulled up. This time, it was on his desired route. He quickly walked to the edge of platform waiting for the train to stop. At that moment, he heard a loud bang ricochetting in the underground. He froze right where he stood. Unmistakably, that was a gun shot!

I just read these mystery ideas. I love them all so much. I was planning on writing a mystery for my first Nanowrimo novel in November. Idea #7 gave me so many great ideas for my novel! Do you mind if I use it?

I loved the ideas. I was looking for an idea to apply to a bunch of background material I have, but couldn’t find anything that fit, so I thought I’d mention it here and see if you have thoughts. In short, I’ve been in contact with the descendants of the mutineer’s on the HMS Bounty. If you recall, after taking the ship, they found an uncharted island in the Pacific called Pitcairn where the 30 descendants live today. I just happen to have tons of material on how they live, celebrate Christmas – many colorful stories for background color. I was trying to think of a cozy mystery idea on, or off, the island with a hypothetical descendant. They are visited by supply ships every other month and small cruise ships three times a year. Not much to go on. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Note – I’m a maritime history writer that’s looking to move the the Mystery genre.

16. Running though streets, abandoned, was something he had never seen himself doing in his mind’s eye. The steady rhythm of his feet was echoed by the equal rhythm of his attacker’s footsteps. Blood mixed with sweat ran down the lean, wrinkled face of the victim, his heart pumping as he realized that his fate would be the same as Melissa’s: death. He had reached a dead end in the street…and his life. His attacker grabbed him, threw him on the ground, then took his time in creating pain for the victim.

Sally Fortnight put her brick-red hair into a neat french braid as she remembered how nearly she had lost her head earlier on that year. She was tired of sitting at home on leave. Being a cop in the police department of Phoenix, Arizona, was her life, her being, and a psychopath cutting a careful line along her collarbone and a cut starting at her ear and making its way to halfway along her cheek, intended to go to her mouth, slow and painful without anesthetic. She touched her scars on her hands and looked down at similar scars on her bare feet where she had been drilled into a metal table. Her green eyes teared up as she remembered the look on his face as he went about his work. She had loved him, and she never knew what had hit her. Her daze was interrupted by a ring on the doorbell. She quickly grabbed her 9 millimeter and looked through her oaken door’s eye hole. A Phoenix detective badge was held up at the hole, and a female voice called out, “Detective James, Phoenix Police Department, Homicide!” Sally opened her door and embrace her best friend, her partner, and her confident in everything.

Could i take number 7 and turn it into a story and publish on Wattpad? Would that be okay?

Thank you very much!

You use Wattpad too?

My timer went off right as I was finishing up the last sentence… how ironic! I used #13 for this story.

Daniel Rodriguez – Dan to his few friends – was a simple man. He took the subway in the mornings to his day job, he always wore a hoodie (the train was cold, thank you very much), and he had to have his music. The swaying train coupled with the complete separation from outside noise made the perfect environment for him to write. He hadn’t been published yet, but he wrote nonetheless. He loved mysteries – he wanted to be famous for them some day. “Hey! Watch it!” “Look where you’re going!” Annoyed exclamations and shouts that Dan could actually hear over his music made him snap out of his thoughts. With a scowl on his face, he took out his earbuds, and looked up to see what the commotion was about. He saw a man, shoving past people and trying his hardest to run. The man had dark, tanned skin and intense features, but he couldn’t make out much else besides that and his clothes, which were distinctly middle-eastern. He stood to get a better look, but as soon as he had, the man nearly ran him over. With an ‘ooph!’ and a loss of breath, he was practically slammed back into his seat. Dan couldn’t even find the will to react; he only gave an incredulous look and shook his head. Whatever, it wasn’t his problem. By the time the middle-eastern man was out of sight, however, another strange occurrence happened. A group of men in dark-colored suits and sunglasses pursued him, moving equally as fast, if not faster. Saying nothing to anyone – and ignoring the cries of the people they pushed over in their pursuit – Dan watched them go by with intrigue. “Is it the feds? Are they chasing that guy?” he asked the woman sitting next to him, who seemed equally as intrigued as he was. She only shrugged. “No idea. Oh, hey, I think you dropped your notebook.” She pointed to Dan’s composition journal, which he wrote down all of his ideas and character designs. He mumbled a ‘thank you’ to the woman, embarrassed, but leaned down to pick it up. When he did, something small fell out of the pocket of his hoodie. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at it for a second. It was a small package, neatly wrapped in newspaper and tied with string. He had no idea what it was or where it had come from. He picked up his journal and the package, but before he had much time to think about it, there was a gunshot. Startled, he shoved both of them in his bag and stood. Everyone in the train car went deadly silent, waiting for what happened next. With a squeal, the train slowed to a halt. Police bombarded the subway when it stopped, and when the door to the next car opened, Dan could see what happened. “Oh my god… that guy was…” he choked out. The middle-eastern man from before was clutching a bloody stomach wound, barely holding on. The men in suits were nowhere to be found. With the last of his strength, the man looked Dan dead in the eye. Dan gulped, feeling a chill run down his spine. The man gave a short nod, and then his eyes slid closed and did not open again. Dan felt frozen in place – he could hardly process what was going on. Then, suddenly, he remembered the package. With trepidation, he pulled it out of his bag. “What in the world have I gotten myself into…?” he murmured, eying the package. And yet, even as he thought this, he knew he shouldn’t turn it in to the police. The man’s nod was one of trust, one that said he was depending on Dan. He couldn’t just give it up so easily. There was only one problem nagging at his mind: what was in the package?

I need a murder mystery escape room idea. U see, the group I was working with kicked me out but kept my idea as the purge. So I have to start all over, so I decided to start all over. I’m not sure what kind of clues I need AND materials. HELP!!

Hi! I’m 14 years old and I’m writing a story that is about a murder of a 14 year old girl’s boyfriend. I need some more ideas about how I should continue… Please help me!

Make it interesting by making the girlfriend murder him

Ahh… I should make her have a demon that controlled her that night and have her remember she killed him! Great idea! Thanks so much!

I’m thinking of using #18 (and adapting it, maybe for NaNoWriMo). Maybe the watch is a time machine.

Thank for sharing your crime Solving Idea’s. NeedAssignmentHelp provides the best python assignment help, python homework help in the US, Australia & UK at a pocket friendly price. https://www.needassignmenthelp.com/python-assignment

I like the ideas. They catch your attention and let your imagination free. It helps a lot for the young ones who want to take up writing in the future. Thanks. Waiting for a lot more ideas to help me become an author.

I spent nearly a year on my first book. It was easy because I inserted myself into the story line. It’s published and I am now working on a private detective novel. The ideas here are great but after 38,000 words I hit a brick wall. I have been stalled for 2 days now. thanks for the article

#1 Charles’ eyes riveted around the unfamiliar room. He stared at his leg, feeling perturbed. This had to be the WORST time to be a clumsy detective. He folded his arms and gave a sulky pout, like a five year old. Then, Christina, his lowly nurse, burst in with a large food tray. She gave Charles a big smile. “Looks like today’s full of mystery.” She set the food tray down. Charles’ eyebrows flew up. “What?” She looked around the room to see if anyone else was up. “Some gas leak caused an “explosion that killed 4 people.” Charles’ eyeballs almost bulged out of his head. “Killed who?” “There was the housewife, a minor politician, a young chemist, about twenty or so, and… oh yeah! Damian’s daughter.” Damian was THE worst mobster Scotland Yard had ever seen. Charles realized there was a mystery to solve. He smirked. I am a preteen so I know my little paragraph wasn’t the best. Any feedback on how to improve and polish my story will be great, thanks.

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

A student sample of a concrete found poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

A picture of a piece of text with comments and visuals added as commentary as an example of creative book report ideas

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

A mint tin is converted to a book report with an illustration on the inside lid and cards telling about different parts of the book inside as an example of creative book report ideas

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

A purple cake made from paper cut into slices

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

A book report made from different sheets of paper assembled to look like a sandwich as an example of creative book report ideas

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

A tri-fold science board decorated with a paper head and hands peeking over the top with different pages about the book affixed

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

A child wears a t-shirt decorated as a book report as an example of creative book report ideas

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

A pizza box decorated with a book cover and a paper pizza with book report details as an example of creative book report ideas

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

A group of students pose with their paper bag book reports

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

A manilla file folder decorated with elements of a book report as an example of creative book report ideas

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

A pyradimal shaped 3D book report with illustrations and words written on all sides

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

A girl stands next to a book report mobile made from a wire hanger and index cards as an example of creative book report ideas

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

A dodecahedrom 3D sphere made into a book report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

A book made from folded grocery bags is the template for a student book report as an example of creative book report ideas

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

A decorated paper hand with paper charms hanging off of it

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

A book report made from cardboard made to resemble a tv set as an example of creative book report ideas

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

A book report made from a paper background and attached flaps as an example of creative book report ideas

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

A girl stands holding a comic strip book report as an example of creative book report ideas

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

Book reports don't have to be boring. Help your students make the books come alive with these 42 creative book report ideas.

Book tasting sample books on a picnic background

Expand Your Readers’ Palates With a Book Tasting

A perfect way for kids to nibble on a book. Continue Reading

100+ Mystery Story Ideas – A Guide to Spark Your Imagination

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: September 20, 2022 - Last updated: December 28, 2023

Categories Writing , Inspiration , Storytelling

Are you a lover of a gripping mystery? Well, you’re in for a treat!

As an investigative documentary film director, I’ve always been fascinated by the art of mystery storytelling.

In this article, I’ll give you a treasure trove of 100 mystery story ideas, sorted by genre, to ignite your imagination and get your creative juices flowing.

Whether you’re an experienced author or just beginning your writing journey, these imaginative prompts will inspire you.

As you explore these enticing story ideas, you will find intriguing plotlines and unique elements that make your mystery stand out from the rest.

From cozy mysteries and crime fiction to false clues and fascinating characters – we’ve got you covered!

Key Takeaways

Discover 100 mystery story ideas sorted by genre, perfect for igniting your imagination
Uncover unique plot elements and tips to create a captivating narrative
Enhance your writing with intriguing characters, false clues, and unexpected twists

10 Mystery Story Ideas

A Mysterious Figure In A Hooded Robe Navigates Through The Dense Forest, Clutching A Lantern Tightly.

Lost Girl: Imagine a young girl vanishing from her small town, leaving everyone puzzled about her whereabouts and the events leading to her disappearance.
Unsolved Murder: Picture a murder case with many baffling aspects, lacking a definite suspect or reason behind the crime.
Forest Secrets: Envision a shadowy forest concealing innumerable mysteries and hidden forces.
Haunted Mansion: Delve into a spooky mansion with dark, dust-covered halls and empty rooms echoing with peculiar sounds throughout the night.
Murder Series: Think about a series of horrifying murders with no apparent links or discernable patterns, leaving law enforcement utterly perplexed.
Cryptic Riddle: Explore a mysterious riddle guiding you along a winding path full of unexpected twists, resulting in disorientation and bewilderment.
Ancient Secrets: Contemplate an ancient book containing cryptic symbols and mysterious text that appears to unlock forbidden or hazardous knowledge.
Town Mystery: Visualize a quaint, eerie town where inhabitants seem to protect a deep, dark secret.
Cult Mystery: Consider a person disappearing after attending an enigmatic cult gathering, never to be seen again.
Family Secret: Ponder the sudden reappearance of a long-lost family member believed dead, not explaining their absence or return.

10 Murder Mystery Plot Ideas

Werewolf Suspect: In a small town, the sheriff looks into the homicide of a local woman and starts suspecting that the murderer could be a werewolf.
Vanishing Killer: A detective is on the trail of a serial killer who appears to vanish without a trace after each crime.
Conspiracy Discovery: While trying to figure out the cause of their friend’s death, a group of friends stumbles upon a conspiracy, making them believe the government is involved in the murder.
Crime of Passion: After discovering her husband’s infidelity, a woman kills him in rage, leading the detective on the case to start suspecting her involvement in the crime.
Robbery Gone Wrong: A man’s death seems to be the result of a botched robbery, but the investigation goes awry when it turns out someone close to him might have been involved.
Rose and Glasses: A murder victim is found in an alley with just a pair of broken glasses and a single red rose as the only clues to solve the case.
Forest Symbols: The naked body of a woman discovered in the middle of the woods appears to be covered with bizarre symbols.
Undercover at School: A detective goes undercover at an elite prep school to solve a student’s murder and begins to suspect that the killer may be one of the student’s classmates.
Mysterious Cruise Death: After a wealthy businessman’s death at sea on a cruise ship is declared a suicide, his wife begins to question if there was foul play involved.
Computer Clue: The mysterious death of a man leaves behind only a puzzling note on his computer as the sole clue to solving the murder mystery.

In each of these scenarios, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with elements of murder, whodunits, and murder investigations, all while keeping readers guessing until the very end. So, sharpen your detective skills and get ready to solve these captivating murder mysteries.

10 Cozy Enigma Ideas

Here are some cozy mystery ideas you can explore:

Detective Retreat: Imagine a group of amateur detectives visiting a small-town bed and breakfast, only to find themselves entangled in an intriguing mystery.
Bookstore Sleuths: Picture a cozy mystery series starring two sisters running a charming little bookstore while solving perplexing crimes together.
Countryside Mystery: Imagine a retired detective moving to the countryside for a peaceful life but unexpectedly becoming involved in an exhilarating mystery when her neighbor is discovered dead on her front lawn.
Book Club Conundrums: Contemplate a lively neighborhood book club that delves into thrilling mysteries and scandals while attempting to untangle each one.
Sherlock the Cat: Think of a crime-solving cat named Sherlock, strolling through his snug neighborhood and assisting his human friends with investigating mysterious occurrences and disappearances.
Sleuth’s Journal: Visualize an amateur detective with an insatiable curiosity, writing a personal journal that documents every case she cracks, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
B&B Mysteries: Consider an aspiring detective who transforms her home into a bed and breakfast in the hope her sleuthing abilities will come in handy if any of her guests encounter trouble during their stay.
Baking Detective: Ponder is a sleuth who loves baking and works as a private investigator, unfolding various exciting cases and striving to solve them all.
Moonlit Mysteries: Imagine an amateur investigator haunted by images of a mysterious woman wearing a long white dress whenever she walks out under the moonlight.
Divorce Dilemma: Picture a series of murders connected to a man’s acrimonious divorce, where both parties receive a fortune in truffles and a sinister warning, demanding they sign the divorce papers within a month.

These ideas feature elements such as small towns, cozy mysteries, and elderly women to enjoy as you create captivating stories.

10 Crime Fiction Ideas

Heist Betrayal: Imagine a group of criminals joining forces to execute a daring heist, only to discover one is a traitor. The tension mounts as they scramble to figure out who’s betraying them.
Detective’s Dilemma: Envision a seasoned detective hunting down a relentless killer. As the investigator gets closer to cracking the case, they are shocked to realize they might know the culprit better than anyone else.
Amnesiac’s Mystery: Picture a woman waking up in a hospital with no recollection of her identity or how she arrived there. She soon learns she’s been accused of a crime she can’t recall committing, making her quest for the truth even more harrowing.
Friend’s Quest: Consider a young woman brutally murdered, leaving her best friend determined to find the killer. As she delves into the investigation, she stumbles upon a tangled web of secrets and surprises.
Wrongful Conviction: Put yourself in the shoes of a man wrongly convicted of a crime. Desperate to clear his name and uncover the perpetrator, every minute counts as he strives for exoneration.
PI’s Predicament: Follow a private investigator as they take on what appears to be a simple case at first. But everything changes when they realize they’re on the trail of a ruthless psychopath who won’t go down without a fight.
Writer Detective: Explore the world of a crime writer who doubles as a detective. They embark on a chilling cold case revolving around the murder of a woman with an enigmatic connection to their family.
Officer’s Investigation: In the shoes of a police officer moonlighting as a private investigator, uncovering chilling evidence that deeply implicates a serial killer in a string of gruesome murders. The proof is so damning that it leaves everyone involved reeling.
Underworld Debt: Picture a man trying to make quick cash to pay off his debts, only to find himself entangled in the dangerous underworld of organized crime. He quickly realizes that extricating himself from this web of deceit will be no easy task.
Mobster’s Trap: Imagine a woman unwittingly immersed in a world of crime and corruption when she attempts to help a friend repay a debt owed to a ruthless mobster. The stakes couldn’t be higher as she navigates this treacherous terrain.

10 Murder Victim Mystery Writing Prompts

Two Men In Suits And Hats Wandering Through A Mysterious Street.

The Stolen Dreams: A young woman’s life is tragically cut short before realizing her dreams and ambitions.
The Silenced Musician: A talented young musician’s life is senselessly ended without any clear motive.
The Deceptive Accident: An elderly woman’s death is ruled an accident, but suspicious circumstances suggest foul play.
The Night Out Nightmare: A college student meets a gruesome end during a night out with friends, shocking everyone.
The Businesswoman’s Unsolved Murder: A prosperous businesswoman’s baffling murder leaves her community in disbelief and confusion.
The Innocent Victim: A tragic murder of an innocent bystander caught in a gang shootout, leaving a painful void in their family and community.
The Philanthropist’s Dark Ties: A wealthy philanthropist’s death reveals deep connections to dangerous criminal organizations, shocking those around him.
The Truth Seeker’s Demise: An investigative journalist’s dedication to uncovering the truth ultimately leads to their untimely death.
The Tragic Addict: A young man’s life is abruptly ended due to his addiction, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled potential.
The Lost Artist: A young woman with exceptional artistic talent and the power to inspire others is senselessly robbed of her future.

10 Murder Weapon Ideas

Calculated Poisoning: Imagine a meticulously calculated poisoning where the ideal dosage is used to guarantee a swift, painless end.
Sniper’s Choice: Envision a sniper rifle or another long-range firearm employed to eliminate a target from a safe distance, avoiding detection.
Deadly Meal: Picture a razor-sharp blade secretly placed in someone’s meal or drink, causing a quick and excruciating end.
Bomb Trap: Think of a bomb concealed in a person’s dwelling or office, resulting in instant death from the blast or a slow demise due to unattended injuries.
Poison Dart: Consider an untraceable poison dart aimed with lethal precision and effectiveness at its target.
Assassin’s Knife: Visualize a keen-edged knife in the hands of an expert assassin, capable of inflicting deadly wounds effortlessly and accurately.
Savage Beating: A savage beating brings about various severe injuries to the victim, who eventually dies in agonizing pain on the cold ground.
Hidden Gun: A firearm concealed within a folded newspaper or newsstand, ready to be used at any moment to abruptly terminate someone’s life.
Remote Explosion: A remote-controlled explosive device set off by someone knowing their target would be nearby, granting the victim little opportunity to flee.
Rampaging Fire: Picture a rampaging fire that burns uncontrollably, with an insatiable hunger to engulf everything in its path.

10 Investigative Agencies

Shadow Police: You come across a shadowy organization functioning as a high-level police unit, focused on dismantling criminal networks.
Secret Intelligence Agency: A secret agency gathers intel on various foreign governments and extremist factions, acting as a key crime-fighting asset for the government.
Elite Agents Group: Discover a hidden group of elite agents highly skilled and trained to handle the most demanding cases.
Private Detective Agency: A private detective agency partners with local law enforcers, offering valuable insights and support for complex cases.
Missing Persons Organization: A private organization excels in locating missing individuals, acting as detectives for those who vanished without experiencing violence.
Abduction Specialists: A detective agency specializes in finding abducted or forcibly detained missing people.
Paranormal Detectives: A covert team of detectives and investigators focus on solving paranormal or supernatural cases that can’t be addressed through regular methods.
Quirky Investigators: Meet a quirky and charismatic team of private investigators skilled in unraveling peculiar or challenging cases with grace and expertise.
Innovative Crime Solvers: A group of proficient detectives armed with cutting-edge tools, much of which they invented, solves the most difficult crimes.
Dark Secrets Uncovered: A team of seasoned detectives shares collective experience in uncovering the world’s darkest secrets and bringing them to light. Remember to keep a friendly tone and maintain a second-person point of view while discussing these investigative agencies in your article.

10 False Clue Ideas

The serial killer’s deceptive trail : Imagine a serial killer leaving false leads to mislead investigators and keep them busy searching for non-existent clues.
Accomplice-planted misinformation : Consider an accomplice or associate of the culprit providing investigators with false information to protect the true offender.
Personal vendetta setup : Picture someone with a grudge against the victim planting fake evidence to frame them for a crime they didn’t commit.
Deliberately withheld key details : Visualize crucial facts intentionally kept from investigators, possibly by the killer themselves or by someone shielding a loved one from punishment.
Shifty informant misguidance : Envision an informant or criminal enthusiast willingly feeding false information to bring the case closer to resolution.
The killer’s fabricated alibi : Ponder a killer weaving an intricate web of lies to appear innocent and drive suspicion away from themselves.
Contradictory witness accounts : Think about witnesses providing conflicting accounts of the crime, whether due to faulty memories or intentional deception.
An uncontainable rumor : Contemplate a rumor that spread rapidly after the crime, causing confusion among witnesses and investigators about the true events and perpetrator.
The wildfire false lead : Reflect on a phony clue that gained traction and was taken as fact, further clouding the case and helping the actual culprit escape.
The victim’s puzzling narrative : Imagine a story crafted by the victim before their demise to confuse investigators and guarantee the actual offender gets away.

Keep these false clue ideas in mind as you craft your mystery masterpiece, carefully weaving in elements of misdirection and intrigue to keep your readers enthralled until the very end.

10 Ideas for False Witnesses

Bribed Witness: Imagine a witness who is bribed by the criminal to point the finger at someone else, effectively steering the investigation in the wrong direction.
False Testimony for Escape: Consider a witness hoping to disentangle themselves from a crime by testifying falsely, thinking it will help them avoid being implicated.
Perpetrator as Witness: Envision a witness who is the perpetrator, providing a dishonest testimony in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.
Protective Witness: What about a witness shielding the actual offender they care about and providing a misleading testimony?
Evading Responsibility: Picture a witness trying to evade responsibility for their role in a crime by framing someone else entirely.
False Claims for Leniency: A scenario exists where a witness makes false claims to dodge charges and achieve a more lenient punishment.
Inconsistent Testimony: You may encounter a witness whose testimony is confusing, leaving the investigators puzzled about the truth and reliability of their recollections.
Self-Protection: Consider a witness attempting to protect themselves from blame by avoiding another person’s accusations or appeasing their guilt-ridden conscience.
Compulsive Liar Witness: Beware of a compulsive liar witness willingly fabricating stories to throw the detectives off the trail of the actual wrongdoer.
Traumatized Witness: Sympathize with a witness who is so gravely hurt that their account of events is likely to be inaccurate due to their impaired mental state.

10 Crime Scene Ideas

An Illustration Of A City At Sunset, Evoking Mystery And Intrigue.

The Devious Setup: Picture a murder scene where the culprit cleverly staged everything to mislead investigators and throw them off track.
Tampered Evidence: Imagine a dead body that has been manipulated to destroy evidence or plant false clues, making the case even more baffling.
Gruesome Encounter: Visualize a crime scene so horrifying and shocking that it leaves you and other investigators feeling deeply disturbed.
Calm Amidst Chaos: Consider a crime scene that appears eerily tranquil and peaceful, in stark contrast to the savage nature of the crime that occurred there.
Clean Sweep: Envision a crime scene meticulously wiped clean of any DNA evidence, leaving investigators struggling to solve the case.
Isolated Incident: Ponder a crime scene situated in a remote, secluded location, making it difficult for you to access and conduct a thorough investigation.
Crowded Environment: Consider a crime scene in a bustling area, where constant interruptions make gathering evidence and speaking to witnesses challenging.
Hidden in Plain Sight: Imagine a crime scene in an ordinary location, with no apparent signs that something sinister has occurred there.
Public Sphere Complications: Visualize a crime scene within a public building, surrounded by witnesses and people with conflicting interests, further complicating the investigation.
Contaminated by Accident: Consider a crime scene inadvertently compromised by first responders, unwittingly tainting any potentially useful evidence.

What Makes a Good Mystery Story?

Engrossing plot development.

An intriguing mystery story thrives on suspenseful plotting. You want your story to grasp the reader’s attention from the get-go and hold it until the very end. Incorporate unexpected twists and turns, keeping your readers guessing and deeply engaged with the story. Crafting a mysterious and puzzling plot will leave your audience hungry for more.

Multifaceted Characters

To create a captivating mystery, you’ll need complex characters. Not just your protagonist, but also the supporting characters should be well-developed and believable. The most compelling mystery stories are those that make readers genuinely care about the characters and their predicament. Make sure your audience feels invested in the characters’ journey and eager for them to uncover the secrets and motives behind the mystery.

Gratifying Conclusion

Lastly, a rewarding resolution is essential for a great mystery story. Ensure that your story is well-crafted, tying up all loose ends in a neat and satisfying manner. The conclusion should make sense while avoiding any sense of disappointment or deception for your readers. Remember, the power of your mystery lies in your plot twists, suspense, and the unwrapping of hidden secrets, all culminating in a satisfying ending.

What Are Some Good Mystery Genre Topics to Write About?

Here are some captivating mystery genre ideas to inspire your creativity in crafting short stories or thrilling novels:

Delve into an unresolved cold case that has captured public attention for years, leaving readers wondering about the truth.
Explore supernatural occurrences in a haunted house where no one can stay for more than a year.
Uncover a dark secret simmering beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic small town.
Chronicles the search for a missing person with an unexpected outcome, either found dead or alive.
Investigate an identity theft ring specifically targeting people within a certain profession.
Connect the dots between a series of murders and determine whether they point to a single suspect or multiple perpetrators.
Follow the elusive con artist who always manages to outsmart the police.
Delve into the unexpected consequences of a botched hostage situation and who is responsible for it.
Question the honesty of a witness who has come forward with vital information about a crime.
Reveal the family drama stemming from buried secrets and lies, and the upheaval caused when the truth finally surfaces.

Remember to keep your writing engaging and friendly as you invite your readers to become part of these mystery genre stories. Good luck in your creative journey!

How to Craft a Cozy Mystery

Step 1: develop an intriguing set of characters.

To create a captivating cozy mystery, start by designing a group of characters readers can relate to and invest in. Your main character should be someone they can empathize with and support, while your villain should evoke dislike. Reflect on your favorite books and movies to identify the emotions you want to invoke in your readers.

Don’t forget to fill your story with an interesting array of supporting characters. They can offer humor, assistance, or play a role in the crime itself. Make sure each character is well-developed and captivating.

Step 2: Concoct an Ingenious Offense

Next, focus on the crime your main character needs to unravel. Consider creating a puzzling situation that is not immediately evident to keep things challenging. Rather than murder, opt for crimes like theft, embezzlement, or fraud. You can also personalize the crime for your main character, such as having their pet kidnapped or their home burglarized.

With the crime in mind, delve into the details. Who is the perpetrator? How did they commit the offense? And most importantly, for what reason? Addressing these questions will help shape your story with added intrigue for the readers. For instance, if the victim was at odds with your protagonist, it could provide an extra incentive for solving the mystery.

Step 3: Incorporate Deceptive Red Herrings

An essential component of any enthralling mystery is the use of red herrings—clues or information that mislead and distract both the investigator and the reader. Skillfully weaving red herrings into your narrative can add challenges for your main character and readers as they attempt to solve the case. However, be cautious not to overuse them, as excessive misinformation may result in confusion and frustration.

What Contributes to an Effective Clue in a Mystery?

The Importance of Clue Placement

An essential factor in developing an engaging mystery is the strategic placement of clues throughout the story. Providing key information too soon may leave your readers feeling confused, while delaying its reveal until the very end might result in frustration. To strike the perfect balance, aim to introduce crucial clues around two-thirds into the narrative. This strategy allows readers ample time to process previous events and gradually piece together the puzzle.

Subtlety: A Crucial Element

When crafting clues, it’s essential to be subtle and avoid any heavy-handedness. Overemphasizing vital information may cause readers to overlook or grow annoyed by its obviousness. Instead, sprinkle hints carefully and allow readers to make connections on their own. Trust us; they’ll appreciate the challenge and feel a sense of accomplishment when everything falls into place.

Focusing on Crucial Details

In a mystery, less is often more, especially when it comes to presenting clues. Including an excessive amount of evidence can overwhelm your readers and detract from the central storyline. Concentrate on one or two essential details that drive the narrative forward, and remember that additional information can be unveiled later if needed.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to craft engaging stories filled with satisfying clues and intriguing mysteries that keep your readers captivated until the final reveal. Make sure your clues are well-placed, subtle, and to-the-point to provide your audience with the gripping experience that they desire.

How to Create a Mysterious Character

Crafting a hidden past.

To establish an enigmatic character, it’s crucial to devise their hidden past. Consider the secrets they conceal, the hardships they’ve encountered, and the reasons behind their guarded nature. Developing answers to these questions will help you create a well-rounded character that intrigues your readers. As you work on their past, maintain a delicate balance—don’t disclose too much too early, but avoid making your character seem hollow. You may want to jot down potential secrets and gradually incorporate them throughout your story.

Describing Their Look

Another essential element for constructing a mysterious character lies in their physical appearance. Reflect on their appearance: do they don all black clothes and a lengthy trench coat, or do they have a more understated style? Similarly to their past, avoid revealing too much about their appearance too soon—only include essential details and leave the rest to the reader’s imagination.

Finding a Voice for Your Character

Discovering the appropriate voice for your mystery character can be challenging, as they should be hesitant to share information about themselves while avoiding being dull or flat. A helpful strategy is employing short, concise sentences for your character’s dialogue. This approach adds a sense of mystery and allows them to express themselves and engage with other characters throughout the story.

Deciding the Number of Suspects in a Mystery Novel

Choose suspects based on book length.

When determining the number of suspects in your mystery novel, consider the length of your book. A shorter book should have fewer suspects, as there’s limited space to develop multiple characters. On the other hand, a longer book can support more suspects, allowing you to explore their motivations and backstories in greater detail.

Keep Your Readers’ Abilities in Mind

It’s essential to think about your readers’ ability to track multiple characters. If your novel targets a younger audience, they might find it challenging to follow along if there are too many suspects. In this case, focus on one or two primary suspects. However, if your mystery novel appeals to adult readers, you can introduce more complexity by adding additional suspects.

What Do You Want the Story’s Resolution to Be?

Lastly, consider the type of solution you’d like for your mystery. If you want the readers to have a fair chance at guessing the solution, it’s better to limit the number of suspects. However, if you’d like to surprise your audience with an unexpected twist, more suspects can help you achieve that surprise element.

Mystery Writers to Study

As a budding mystery writer, immerse yourself in the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the legendary Sherlock Holmes. Additionally, explore Chris Van Allsburg’s intriguing collection, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Happy reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are engaging mystery story themes.

You might be wondering what themes can make your mystery story more captivating. Some themes to consider include haunted places, secret societies, or even cursed objects. Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources can help create a fresh and engaging story.

How to Craft a Unique Mystery Plot?

To create a unique mystery plot, focus on developing interesting characters, unexpected twists, and a strong setting. You could also try experimenting with different narrative structures or incorporating subplots to keep readers on their toes.

What Are the Main Elements for a Mystery Romance Story?

When writing a mystery romance story , it’s important to mix elements of both genres effectively. This means crafting a suspenseful mystery while also developing a compelling romantic storyline. Add layers of intrigue, emotional connection, and conflict to create a gripping tale.

How Can I Create Intrigue for Young Readers?

To make a mystery story appealing to young readers, consider featuring relatable characters and age-appropriate themes. Keep the plot moving at a steady pace and be mindful of your target audience’s attention span. Remember to maintain a sense of fun and adventure throughout.

What Makes Exciting Mystery Suspense Ideas?

Great mystery suspense ideas can be found by combining elements of danger, tension, and unpredictability. To create an atmosphere of suspense, consider placing characters in high-stakes situations or introducing a ticking time bomb (literal or metaphorical) to keep readers engaged.

How Should I Add a Surprising Twist to a Thriller?

To add a surprising twist to your thriller story , you could include well-hidden clues, unexpected character motivations, or a shocking revelation that sheds a new light on the central mystery. The key is to keep readers guessing while staying true to the overall story and logic.

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67 Terrific Mystery Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

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This is the third article in our 500+ free writing prompt series . In today’s article, we will focus on 67 mystery writing prompt for adults.

Check Out The Latest Mystery Best Sellers on Amazon Her e

As always, these writing prompts are meant to inspire your creativity. Please feel free to use any of these writing prompts as you wish.

Remember that writing prompts are only the seed to a potentially great story. The way you flesh out the plot and execute on character development while building suspense will ultimately decide the success of your mystery novel.

We’ve broken up these mystery-writing prompts into the following categories to make it easier for you to navigate:

Heist Writing Prompts
Bank Robbery Plots
Murder Mysteries
Kidnapping and Disappearances
Psychological Thrillers
Amateur Sleuths
Police Procedurals

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10 Heist Writing Prompts and Mystery Story Ideas

Some might consider this group of heist writing prompts very similar to bank robbery prompts and they’d be right. In fact, bank robbery plot ideas are just a specific type of heist storylines.

But in this section will focus on some heist plot ideas that go nowhere near Bank. I for one typically enjoy these types of heists a bit more fascinating.

1. A series of cathedrals are being ransacked and robbed throughout New York. What are the criminals looking for?

2. Interpol is called in to investigate a museum robbery. When they get there, they’re shocked to see every painting has been stolen. And they need to figure out who did it and how did they get out without anybody noticing.

3. The series of well-executed robberies strike across the globe within a 24-hour period. Due to the distance of each of these crimes they would otherwise be considered unrelated, if not for the fact, that each robbery the items were stolen were priceless Leonardo da Vinci artifacts.

4. A database of potential cancer eradicating research is hacked, stolen, and erased.

5. The presidential journals from every president in history are stolen from the Library of Congress vault.

6. A potentially devastating piece of secret DNA evidence is stolen from the royal archives threatening the legitimacy of the British royal family.

7. Blood banks across America are robbed simultaneously. Creating an instant shortage.

8. A decommissioned nuclear ballistic missile was stolen while in transit somewhere in the defunct Soviet Union. Now American intelligence officers must gain cooperation from the Kremlin if they are to help recover it.

9. The World Climate Change organization has its computers wiped and all data stolen from its databases.

10. Every Crypto Currency exchange is hacked and wiped clean on the same day, leaving world markets in a panic.

10 Mystery Writing Prompts With Bank Robbers Involved

No group of mystery writing prompts would be complete without the obligatory bank robber story ideas. In this section, we will take a look at a few mystery story ideas centering on just that, bank robberies.

1. A series of Middle Eastern banks are robbed however none of the cash taken. Instead, only select safe-deposit boxes are disturbed and emptied. When more enforcement looks into these boxes each was opened by a false identity.

2. When the national mint is broken into and robbed, and FBI behaviorist must recruit the nation’s most infamous bank robber to help him try and solve the robbery.

3. When an ex-CIA agents bank accounts and safe deposit boxes are emptied unexplainably, he is left with no choice but to try to track down the person responsible.

4. A series of bank vaults containing artifacts of some of the Renaissance Period greatest artists are robbed within hours of each other.

5. The Vatican City national Bank is robbed. None of the goals or cash is taken, only a series of ancient scrolls.

6. A cyber attack wipes out the World Bank. Now authorities must figure out who is behind it and how to recover the information before the world is thrown into utter chaos.

7. The largest bank in the Cayman Islands is robbed wiping out the fortunes of degenerates across the globe. Can the money be recovered before these miscreants unleash havoc trying to recover it themselves?

8. Fort Knox is thought of to be the most impenetrable gold reserve in the world. What happens when its contents inexplicably disappear overnight and all that’s left behind is a warning of more to come?

9. When the world’s biggest religious organizations side a historic treaty to acknowledge each other’s existence and store their greatest historical artifacts together in a world vault for preservation, the here heist to end all heists wipes it all away.

10. The first U.S. Bank to accept money from the newly legalized Cannabis Industry is robbed and 1% of the nation’s GDP is lost.

11 Murder-Mystery Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Everyone loves a good murder mystery. In most mystery authors, will try to tackle a murder mystery at some point in their careers.

Now murder can be a popular topic in any mystery, but here are a few writing prompts where the primary mystery is solving the murder itself.

1. A retired New York police officer gets wrapped up in a series of murders occurring on the small Caribbean island when the first person that turns up dead as a woman he was seeing.

2. A rich aristocrat dies, when 10 family members are called in for the reading of the will their weekend in the Château turns darker still. One by one, they are being hunted and killed. Now a local detective needs to figure out what’s going on before they’re all gone.

3. A small-time private investigator that normally specializes in catching accident fidelity suddenly gets thrown into a murder case when the man he was hired to trail turns up dead and so is the wife who hired him.

4. A body washes up on the Jersey shore, upon further inspection the corner find symbols tattooed on the victim’s body. What do they mean?

5. A female forensic detective is shocked when she inspects a recent victim’s mutilated body. This is no random victim, but one of her old flames. When he becomes the first in a series of old boyfriends to be horribly murdered, she’s to find the connection and who is behind it.

6. Seven murders occur in a small town on the same night. To make things even stranger, seven children show up at the police station the following morning confessing to the crimes, but they all insist they worked alone.

7. A police detective gets the call of all calls one night. When he arrives at the murder scene he finds his ex-wife dead, with forensic evidence pointing to himself.

8. A local beauty queen wins the city pageant, when her body turns up dead it’s found within item from each of the other contestants on it.

9. Spring break travelers head to Fort Lauderdale. When they all turn up dead, local police are left trying to find the motive and suspect.

10. The world’s leading climate change authority is killed hours before he/she announces the groundbreaking discovery.

11. A foreign dignitary is killed on American Soil while visiting the White House.

14 Fiction Kidnapping Story Plots and Writing Prompts

Anyone that’s ever been wrapped up in a compelling kidnapping story knows just how engaging it can be. I would be remiss in creating any mystery writing prompts or story list without including some good old-fashioned kidnapping and disappearance ideas.

1. A European tour bus operator driving a group of tourists through France has his riders disappear one by one throughout the trip.

2. A group of teens has their parents disappear on the same night. When they get no help from the police, their only choice is to band together and find their parents.

3. An MIT engineer working on a new biological energy source disappears without a trace.

4. An orphanage with a great track record of finding children new homes gets a knock at the door when a local detective connects an otherwise unrelated series of child disappearances.

5. At a political fundraiser for an up-and-coming congressman, a jovial night turns sideways when he disappears.

6. A small town sheriff is left to clean up the pieces when a series of disappearances ravish it. What’s most odd is that the disappearances started exactly in parallel with the opening of a new government facility that was hailed as the very thing that would save it.

7. A local detective is left investigating a series of disappearances from a local psychiatric hospital. The patients in this hospital were all wards of the state with no known relatives.

8. A series of ransom notes hit Hollywood. The odd thing is in each of the kidnappings; the ransom notes came prior to the person actually disappearing.

9. The Olympic village is thrown into panic as a series of athletes disappear on the same night without warning.

10. A London campus is in frenzy as five of their top professors, along with each of their top students disappear without a trace.

11. A famous national park trail becomes the site of seven disappearances in seven days. The FBI must now figure out what’s going on.

12. A family vacation to the Grand Canyon is thrown into utter chaos when both parents disappear, leaving two team children behind.

13. The crew to a well-known ghost hunting show visits and abandoned Castle has long been rumored to be haunted. The Internet erupts during a live stream from the castle where each of the crewmembers and actors inexplicably vanished without a trace.

14. A wife and her child disappear 2 hours before their supposed to be reunited with her returning veteran husband.

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7 Psychological Mystery Writing Prompts

Psychological mystery can be a little tricky because I think all good mysteries have a psychological component to them.

However, in these writing prompts wanted to throw some ideas out there where the unknown behind the crime it is just as unsettling as a crime itself.

1. A series of break-ins terrorize a small town, but what makes these break-ins so scary is that nothing is stolen or moved. However, the intruders go out of their way to make it clear that they were there.

2. A Woman walks into a small town police station reporting that her husband has gone missing. The odd thing is, both her and her husband were reported missing 10 years ago to the day. Stranger still, their bodies had been found three months later.

3. A mysterious box shows up on the desk of a detective in Erie Pennsylvania. When he opens it he finds evidence that will reopen the case that had been shut over a decade ago.

4. An international flight vanishes without a trace. What’s even more unsettling is every record of the passengers on board that flight disappears along with it.

5. A small town psychic comes into a police station with information home where they can find a dead body. Upon further investigation, nobody is found. One day later, a woman disappears from her home and is found dead in the very spot Law enforcement searched the day before.

6. A series of murder-suicides hit a small town hard. There is no known link except for the proximity in which they occurred.

7. An orphan of foreign dissent shows up at a local church in the middle of the country. She doesn’t speak, has no papers, and there’s no trace of her family. But upon her arrival, children her age start to disappear throughout the town.

10 Amateur Sleuth Mystery Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

The amateur sleuth is always a fascinating mystery trope. It could be because we enjoy seeing ordinary people do extraordinary things.

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I might be because many times these inexperienced crime fighters bring just the right amount of high jinx with their imperfect approaches. But either way, the amateur sleuth is a very entertaining and cozy mystery when done right.

1. A man that recently moved down to the Caribbean to start sea sidebar, is this tasked with helping beautiful local resort owner solve a series of mysterious happenings around her bread and breakfast.

2. A close-knit group of friends sets out on a wild adventure when one of their middle school classmates disappears on their way home despite only living one block away.

3. A woman moves to Arizona to be near her elderly mom when she notices unsettling coincidences among the deterioration of her mother and the other residents. With no proof, she’s left to investigate the matter herself.

4. A Brooklyn deli owner and neighborhood will do or is unsatisfied with the local police his answers when it comes to the disappearance of a young girl that worked in the shop. He’ll now take it upon himself, to solve this neighborhood mystery.

5. A young crime stoppers club who put on elaborate reenactments of real-life crimes the size to play out and act investigation, but when they uncover new evidence in the case they become the only people who can solve it.

6. A small-town magician gets more than he bargained for when his beautiful assistant and fiancé disappear for real in the middle of his magic act.

7. A Vegas showgirl refuses to sit by any longer as more and more of her friends turn up dead in local authorities continue to have no answers .

8. A chemistry high school teacher tries to solve a rash of student deaths when the latest victim turns out to be his niece.

9. A Parisian priest gets obsessed with a series of cult-like occurrences outside the small town of Fre’jus .

10. An amateur filmmaker’s horror thriller is unexpectedly entered into the Cannes Film Festival. When parts of his movie start happening in real life he’s compelled to figure out what’s going on.

5 Police Procedural Writing Plots and Prompts

Now it’s clear how popular police procedural fiction and TV shows have become. A good police procedural will not only take the reader on a journey to solve the mystery but will make the reader feel as if they are truly part a law enforcement.

Want Some Inspiration- Check Out The Latest Police Procedural Best Sellers on Amazon

A police procedural needs to be well executed in the details true crime-fighting techniques. They take a lot more research in specificity around the particular crime-fighting unit question, but when done right they bring a whole other level a reality to your mystery plot.

1. A member of the FBI’s behavioral unit investigates a new serial killer who uses well-known criminal profiles to throw law enforcement off their trail .

2. A homicide unit investigates a series of homeless murderers ravishing the city parks.

3. When the city counselor’s daughter turns up dead on the steps of Capitol Hill local officers race find the killer.

4. When a series of witness protection informants begin to turn up dead ahead of a high-profile case, the FBI agent who helped put the case together now help protect his final witnesses.

5. The narcotics division of the local Police Department these dealing with a new synthetic drug as they’d never seen before. Now they need to find out was bringing it into their neighborhood.

That’s the conclusion of our mystery writing prompts and story idea article. I hope you can use one of these ideas as inspiration to write your next mystery thriller.

Remember this is just one post in our series of 500+ writing posts, check out the writing prompt hub page to find free writing prompts and other genres.

As always, thanks for reading and more importantly Writing!

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Incredible Mystery Story Ideas: 65 Creative Mystery Writing Prompts

March 9, 2022

There are few things as satisfying as fleshing out a fantastic idea. It’s a great creative writing exercise . Many writers use short writing prompts as inspiration for story starters.

What makes a good prompt? It’s relatively simple: a good prompt has a who and a what. You don’t necessarily need a where or when, but they can be included to form a more specific mystery plot.

But what if you can’t think of anything? Here are 65 mystery writing prompts to get you started. Any of these ideas can be turned into a short story or a mystery novel!

Mystery Story Ideas And Mystery Writing Prompts

Mystery story starters.

Below are starters to help you in conceptualizing, imagining, and creating a new mystery story:

The fast-paced city you currently reside in turns out to be moving irregularly one day. People wander around slowly, cashiers swipe items slowly, and cars seem to be slower than your walking pace. Everything slows down except you.
A man visited his best friend’s house, only to find a scrapbook with pictures where his face has been intentionally erased.
A woman has arrived home after work one night, only to noticed that there is not one other light in her apartment building that is on except for hers. Where did the other people go? And who is inside her apartment?
A group of teenagers were looking for an adventure, they end up at an abandoned house; a series of screams followed their entrance.
A man was browsing his emails one night, when a new email pops up saying: “Someone will knock on your door; no matter what it takes, secure the door.”
A person is detained for a crime and believes that they are innocent but their DNA is on the murder weapon and the clothes of the dead body. As a detective, you have to find ways to prove their innocence.
A woman’s grandfather passed away and left his last will. However, on the day before its reading, the attorney was nowhere to be found and has disappeared without a trace.
An 80-year-old woman is convinced that you were her teacher in 1950 and added that you were her favorite. However, you were born in 1994.
A man wakes up and everything feels like deja vu . Is it because of the wrong choice he made the night before?

Historical Story Ideas and writing prompts

The following prompts include mysteries in the ancient world.

As the head archaeologist on the dig, you get the honor of opening up the sarcophagus. What a surprise it is to find a cell phone in a thousand-year-old tomb.
An ancient artifact arrives at the museum you work at. Your mentor is tasked with dating and placing the piece. When you come in the next day, you find your mentor murdered and the artifact missing.
A man who struck it rich in the gold rush suddenly disappears, leaving nothing but a cryptic note.
A sharp-tongued guard and the mayor’s aid team up in WWII Germany and try to find the true killer of the mayor. Plot twist: it’s the guard.
A defense attorney and the high school-aged son of the murder victim team up together to find the murderer, only to realize it’s actually a suicide.
The main character is a mafia member in 1920’s New York who has to get away with murder.
A story set in the 1900’s where the entire police force is complacent in the crime.

mystery writing prompts for mystery stories, mystery writers

Classic Murder Mystery Plot Ideas

A new boy arrives in your small town just in time for something to go terribly wrong at the yearly homecoming parade, resulting in at least one death. As chaos depends on your high school, one has to ask, “Who is responsible?”
A dead body turns up at your apartment. The local police chief of your small town is convinced you are responsible, and he’s determined to find the evidence to arrest you.
A woman is missing and presumed dead. As a private detective, you aren’t limited by the law the same way police officers are. You’re stumped, that is, until the next-door neighbor is killed, and you were the last person to see her alive. Well, besides the murderer.
Even as an experienced detective, you’re still surprised when someone confesses to a murder they’re convinced they committed, mostly because you know they didn’t do it. Or did they?
A relationship ends, and the following day the man is found dead.
A recording of a confession of murder is dropped off at your station. As the head detective, you’re tasked with finding out who the victim is and who the killer is.
A hardboiled PI and a stranded bridesmaid enter the underbelly of society after a mass grave is discovered.
A baker who consistently stumbles into trouble is the main suspect in a murder investigation.
A story starts with, “I was twenty-one when I first met my killer.”
The detective is atoning for murdering a man in his youth.
A murderous hitchhiker must be caught before he strikes again, but it’s the 70’s and everyone hitchhikes.
A housekeeper that is a hoarder finds a decayed body in her home under a pile of things.

Mystical/Magical writing prompts

Your best friend goes missing, and in the chaos that ensues, you find out she’s a practicing witch. Does this have anything to do with her disappearance?
You follow the detective as he solves the murder, only to find out he’s narrating how his own death occurred.
You find a secret door in an abandoned manor you’re exploring. Upon opening it, you step back in time. Who put the door there and why? Why is the house abandoned?
Murder victims keep turning up surrounded by strange symbols. They look like ritual killings but end up being something entirely different.
You buried your sister years ago, yet here she is at your doorstep. Which one was the imposter, and which one is your real sister?
You’re haunted by your lover’s ghost (literally), and you have to find out who killed them.
A haunted house is sold in the suburbs. The protagonist can hear the ghosts, and they’re begging her to solve their murders.
A lost wallet appears in front of you on the sidewalk, and when you pick it up, you’re transported back in time and must solve the missing person’s case before you can return.
A flight vanishes mid-air, lost in another dimension.

General writing prompts

Someone is proposed to. The only problem is, where is their current spouse?
Your best friend stops by to say hi. The only problem is they’ve been missing for the better part of five years. They have no recollection of any missing time at all.
Secret Santa starts off with a bang when the first present is a mangled hand. Unfortunately, as the rest of the presents are unwrapped, the manager’s body emerges, piece by piece.
The family is together for the first time in a decade, all to read grandpa’s will and see who gets what. No one was prepared for the winner to take all approach that grandpa took towards catching his murderer.
A reporter investigating policy corruption disappears.
A house fire and a burglary next door appear unconnected, but a mysterious note implies otherwise.
An heiress is missing and doesn’t want to be found. Is finding her the right thing to do?
A forensic scientist and a babysitter are drawn into a decades-old cold case. Is the killer even alive anymore?
A serial killer that’s never been caught aids in the investigation of a different serial killer.
A manipulative janitor finds a missing child in the basement of the school he works for. How did he get there?
A hardboiled PI with a double identity must keep his secret safe, as he is thrust into the spotlight.
A whodunit story about drug trafficking that starts with a live alligator being thrown through the farmhouse window.
A story where every witness is lying about everything but one fact and when those facts are combined the truth can be found.
A story where the key suspect is a hallucination.
A story where the protagonist is the murder victim.
A story idea where the detective solved the crime but is suffering amnesia.
Evidence arrives at the detective’s door that may reopen a decade-long cold case.
The husband is in denial that his wife is missing at all and keeps trying to give evidence that she’s still around.
A story is set in a prison where the killer is already caught, but no one knows it.
A priest’s dead body is found by his congregation.
A story where the murder scene and mystery are told through a child who doesn’t understand everything.
A story where two characters who are never in the same scene together turn out to be the same person.
The FBI agent is completely incompetent yet somehow stumbles across the truth.
A story where a minor character is actually the killer.
A story where one of the characters has a secret that everyone knows exists but is never revealed.
A story where the protagonist fails, and the killer gets away (for now).
A story that simultaneously takes place in two different timelines.
A story where the protagonist’s main objective is revenge, and he’ll take down anyone who gets in his way, regardless of who they are.
They’re racing the clock to find someone buried alive.
A story where a blue-collar crime spans four decades and two generations.
A story that is non-linear and involves a spy searching for a murder weapon.
A story where the protagonist is a sociopath, but the reader doesn’t know. They may or may not be the actual villain.
A story where the key witness is a compulsive liar.
Write a story that is a retelling of a Shakespearean tragedy.
A journalist is wrongfully accused of murder and thrown in jail. From there, he must find a way to solve the crime and bring the actual murderer to justice.
A story where the serial killer had been put to death a decade ago, but it is now back.
A story where someone overhears something they aren’t supposed to and is kidnapped. The detective has to find them.

Mystery Story Ideas to improve your writing skills

Using These Prompts as Plot Ideas

There is no right or wrong way to use these mystery writing prompts, whether you write them exactly as suggested or you alter them as you see fit.

The purpose isn’t to come up with a perfect piece that follows the prompt exactly, but rather to get your brain flowing so you can write more within the mystery genre.

Depending on the amount of time you have and the length of the piece you decide to write, you can easily work through a prompt a day. Choosing a prompt is as easy or as complicated as you make it. You can randomly choose one, or you can sort through them to find the perfect prompt.

Once you have the right prompt , the length of the story has to be determined. You can write a snippet, a short story , you can write a full-length novel or begin a small series of mystery novels. It’s entirely up to you.

It’s always helpful to have prompts lying around, whether the prompt is from your own mind that you scribbled down or if it was from someone else because prompts help you get the creativity started.

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Reader – writer – curated resources – & more, 50 mystery plot ideas and writing prompts.

by Bryn Donovan

Hi, everyone! You know how I love working on story ideas and creative writing exercises, and I’ve been reading a lot of mystery novels lately — mostly cozy mysteries, not gritty crime novels, although I might enjoy those, too. That inspired me to write this list of prompts — and pieces of plots — for mystery stories.

The basic mystery plot formula is pretty simple. Early on, a dead body turns up, a valuable item goes missing, or a puzzle begs to be solved. The reader knows that by the end of the book, questions will have been answered, which is a comforting element in even the most gruesome murder mysteries.

The originality and charm, of course, is mostly in the execution. Ten different writers could take the same writing prompt here and write ten vastly different stories, so there’s no reason to worry about whether it’s okay to get inspiration from here.

You can also use this list as an idea generator for free writing. If you’re like me and you have a hard time keeping your writing habit when life gets hectic, grabbing a journal, going to a coffee shop or library, and writing to an idea starter can be a wonderful break. Whether you stumble across a story idea you love in the process, or you just get your creative writing juices flowing again, it’s so worth it.

Although I had mystery novels in mind, some of these could become a subplot in a different fiction genre, from fantasy and romance (especially romantic suspense), to historical fiction and young adult novels.

See the list at:

50 mystery plot ideas and writing prompts, if you enjoyed this article, why not share it with all your friends, online connections and groups - go on - you know you want to, 4 thoughts on “ 50 mystery plot ideas and writing prompts ”.

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To rattle off 50 plot ideas. Now that’s a mind that runs nonstop. 😀 Thanks for sharing, Ape. Fun post.

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19 Unputdownable Thrillers & Mystery Books for Book Clubs

Mystery and thriller novels can be just as discussion-worthy as other genres! Whether you’re looking for something deeply emotional or light and funny, many mysteries explore interesting themes that are perfect for book clubs. Here are the best book club worthy mystery books and thrillers to read!

thriller and mystery books for book clubs

**Please note, some links on this page are affiliate links. If a purchase is made through an affiliate link, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure policy here . Thanks for your support!

Best Mysteries & Thriller Books for Book Clubs

The mystery and thriller genre is one of my favorites to read – not only for the excitement of suspense and the twisty puzzles to solve, but also for the range of emotions and thematic elements these stories can invoke.

I’m sharing some highly-rated, discussion-worthy mystery books in this list, including a wide variety of page-turning thrillers, emotional literary mysteries, funny mysteries with loveable characters, and more.

There are lots of great options to choose from for your next book club pick!

Need more book club ideas ? Here are more wonderful, discussion-worthy book club books of 2024 , engaging literary and contemporary fiction book club books , and funny and feel-good novels perfect for book clubs .

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

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Popular podcaster Alix Summers meets a woman named Josie in a bar. Alix is drawn to Josie’s unsettling life story, and decides to make her a subject in her podcast series.

But shortly after Josie has entangled herself into Alix’s life, Josie disappears – and that’s when Alix really starts to discover Josie’s secrets.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Written by the bestselling author of Code Name Hélène , this historical mystery novel is set in Maine during the late 1700s.

It follows the midwife of a close-knit community, who’s drawn into the investigation of a shocking murder – despite the risks it poses to her and everyone she cares about.

This popular book has gotten tons of rave reviews on Goodreads , and was also a Good Morning America book club pick.

Here are more engrossing historical fiction novels perfect for book clubs !

The Push by Ashley Audrain

Genre: Domestic Suspense/Thriller

This dark psychological drama is about motherhood and nature versus nurture. It’s beautifully written, intense, and utterly engrossing. It might not be for everyone, but I could not put it down!

(I’m not including a synopsis here, because I think it’s best to go into this book without knowing too much.)

All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Crime

Titus Crowne – a Black sherrif in a southern town – is involved in a fatal school shooting incident. But when he digs further into what happened, he finds out the victim and the perpetrator knew each other – and that there’s much more going on than anyone knows.

The Maid by Nita Prose

Genre: Cozy Mystery

The Maid is like a cross between Clue, Eleanor Oliphant, and a modern Agatha Christie novel.

It’s about a woman named Molly who works as a maid in a fancy hotel. She has trouble understanding social cues, and lives her life by the teachings of her beloved Gran.

But things take a turn when she finds a man dead in his room, and she becomes involved in a murder investigation.

This is a fun and cozy locked-room mystery with a unique, lovable protagonist! Molly the maid is a wonderful character that’s easy to root for.

I really enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a lighthearted mystery! (Here’s a guide to The Maid series , including the sequel!)

Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister

If your book club is looking for a twisty mystery that will also spark discussion about themes of family, motherhood, and morality, this suspense novel about a missing young woman and a detective with a devastating secret is a great choice!

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

Seven Shakespearean theater students at an elite arts college live together in a dramatic off-campus home, isolated from the outside world.

In their fourth year of school, the typical roles they play are shifted, causing rivalries to ensue. And soon, someone turns up dead.

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

A woman returns to her elite Southern college for a 10-year reunion, reconnecting with her tight-knit group of friends from all those years ago. But they each have dark secrets to hide, and being at the college brings back memories of their friend’s unsolved murder.

Was one of them involved? Someone certainly thinks so, and they’ll do anything to find out the truth.

This thriller is compulsively readable, and one of the best I’ve read in years! If you love mysteries set on college campuses, this is a must-read.

Here are all of Ashley Winstead’s books in order !

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

A shocking thriller that sheds light on institutionalized racism, Ace of Spades follows two talented students at a private school who have secrets to hide – and someone is determined to reveal them.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction/Gothic

Famous, aging author Vida Winter summons a biographer – chosen for reasons known only to Winter – to finally tell her incredible life story.

The story Winter tells is strange and eerie, about a family, a haunting, and a terrible fire. But is it true?

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Genre: Contemporary Mystery/Domestic Suspense

From the author of Miracle Creek comes a novel about a Korean-American family in a desperate search for their missing patriarch – and the truths they will uncover along the way.

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

When a homeless woman named Lee rescues a rich woman from drowning, they strike up a fast friendship. But when her new friend makes a strange request, Lee questions everything she knows about the woman.

Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera

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Years ago, Lucy was found wandering the streets, covered in blood. Despite her “golden girl” status in her small Texas town, everyone believed she killed her best friend.

But Lucy doesn’t remember a thing. Luckily for her, she isn’t convicted.

Now, a podcast decides to cover the story, forcing Lucy to relive her past in order to figure out what really happened that night.

Here’s a list of Listen for the Lie book club questions, a character list, and more !

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

In the middle of a blizzard, an intruder breaks into a woman’s house. She and her children quickly hide in a secret room hidden behind a wall, but it seems the intruder will try anything to lure them out.

Eventually, the woman realizes the man is familiar to her. She knows exactly why he’s there, and it’s even worse than she imagined.

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

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These Silent Woods follows a father and his young daughter who live in a cabin in the Appalachian woods, living off the land – and hiding a secret.

But when their yearly supply delivery doesn’t show up and they stumble on a stranger in the woods, the father is forced to make a decision.

This book had so many things I love: a remote wilderness setting, great characters, and an undercurrent of mystery.

While I would describe it as more of a slow burn mystery, I never felt bored and I could not stop reading. Overall, it’s an absorbing and well-written story!

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

As young girls, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia experienced family tragedies and were taken in by a foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The girls became sisters, living what seemed like a happy life on a beautiful farm.

But there was more to Miss Fairchild than anyone else knew – like her strict rules and her unpredictable moods. One day, the girls decide to run away and never come back.

Years later, a body is found beneath the house they grew up in. Were the girls somehow involved, or are they innocent witnesses who can shed light on the crime?

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

I loved Chris Whitaker’s novel We Begin At The End , and I’ve heard exciting early praise about his newest upcoming book! It’s a blend of crime thriller and love story, with a twist.

It’s set during 1975 in a small town in Missouri where girls have been going missing. A young, one-eyed boy named Patch saves a girl from a wealthy family from being abducted. But his act of heroism is intertwined with heartache.

Publication date: June 25th, 2024

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

The bestselling author of Long Bright River is back with a new multi-layered family drama/mystery novel.

When a girl goes missing at summer camp in 1975, tensions flare between the rich family that owns the camp and the blue collar community that serves them.

Even stranger, this isn’t the first time one of the family’s children has gone missing – the girl’s older brother disappeared sixteen years ago.

Is it a pattern, or mere coincidence? And who’s to blame?

Release date: July 2nd, 2024

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Mystery

If you love books with quirky characters, read this! It’s about a reclusive woman named Lenny Marks who sticks to a very particular schedule, and rarely leaves the house aside from work.

But when something from her past resurfaces, she’s forced to join the community around her and meet new people. Will she finally reclaim her life, or will her past catch up with her first?

Publication date: July 9th, 2024 (in the U.S.)

Have you read any of these thrillers or mystery books for your book club yet? What did you think?

33 Free Book Report Forms and Templates for Kids

Published: April 11, 2019

Contributor: Annette Breedlove

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

I loved writing book reports growing up. My kids, however, do not share the same sentiment. They love to read books and retell the stories to me, but they have a disconnect when it comes to putting it down on paper. That’s why I love using a free book report template to give them a little extra help.

Fun Book Report Ideas

There are many different ways children can share about a book they read other than writing about it. Check out all of these fun ideas:

Act it out. Young students and even older students may enjoy acting out a story that they read in lieu of writing about it.
Make a 3D diorama . This is a great way for students who like to work with their hands and create visuals.
Draw it out on a poster . For young kids who don’t have strong writing skills yet, drawing out what they read is a great option.
Make a comic book with a free comic book template we have included below.
Oral narration . Narrating back a brief summary of the book they read is another alternative to writing a book report. You can see if your children comprehended what they read or at least got the main points of the story by asking them basic questions about the book.

Types of Book Reports

If you prefer using book reports, they come in a variety of types and styles. You can write plain-Jane ones or get a little more creative, like the comic strip option below for a different way to format a book report. Whichever you choose, having the option to use a book report template can be helpful for kids.

While I enjoy book reports and see their value, I much prefer my kids enjoy reading a lot of books and sharing, over the finer points of proper form. So if we can use a simple book report template to keep them excited about reading and not dread the reports, I call that a win-win.

Mix it up with the different types of book reports that you assign to your children. Keep it fun and engaging and they will want to read more books and tell everyone about what they have read.

Using Book Report Templates

As with anything we print out for school, I like to find cute printables with book report designs and age-appropriate graphics. This is especially for my middle school-aged daughter, who thinks some of the free worksheets I find are too childish.

Using a book report template for 3rd grade might look a little different than what I’d want to use for 7th grade. A pdf book report template for high school students definitely needs to be less kid-friendly and more informative.

There are simple book report templates for beginning writers and more advanced ones. The options are endless when it comes to choosing a book report template for your homeschool children.

Printable Book Report Forms

Whether you are looking for a short book report template or one for high school, book report templates will help students get their thoughts on paper. They will learn to organize their thoughts so that their finished book report project is a success!

Book report templates can encourage all the readers in your homeschool to crank out an organized, thorough book report that they are proud of! Once you select a free template, you can get started. Let your children choose one of their favorite books for their first report as it will help to keep them engaged.

How to Use a Book Report Template

When you are looking for the perfect book report template, keep in mind the age of your child. Some one-page forms are perfect for young children and beginning readers with boxes to draw, lines to write down main characters, setting, the plot, etc.

When you have a high school student needing to write a paper or a book report, you obviously need something more in-depth. A book report template can help them get their ideas on paper well enough to organize thoughts and personal opinions for an essay, or even a research paper.

The key point of using worksheets for book reports is to have an easy way to get thoughts on paper. A book report template can help your student stay organized so they are able to draft a well-written paper. These types of graphic organizers make book reports a breeze!

What’s included in a book report?

A good book report will consist of the book title, author’s name, main idea, main theme, plot points and important details.
It will explain the narrative and setting, and cover the main elements of the story as well as describe important characters of the book.
You’ll also want to include details on the time period, major conflicts and the book details, or rather a plot summary of the book.
Don’t forget to include unusual facts and key elements that stand out.

Character Description

Besides adding basic details about the key characters in the book, it’s a good idea to include character details. You will want to include details such as; appearance, interests, and list out some adjectives that describe characters on the book report form .

Analyze what your character looks like so the reader of the book report gets a vivid description of the character. What color is their hair and skin? What is their clothing style like? Do they have a best friend or an animal that is constantly with them?

Is the character an animal? If so, what type of animal are they and what do they look like?

Character Development

Characters develop on in the story as you read about them. Make sure to make note of positive and negative character traits and how those change throughout the plot. Is there a hidden message or reason why the character is behaving the way that they are?

Make notes of how your character has changed and why you think they changed and the reasons for the actions that they took. You can take it a step further and explain how their actions either harmed or helped the story to move along.

Printable Book Report Templates and Forms

If you want a book report template quickly, simply scroll to the bottom of this post to download ours FREE.

DIY Book Report Kit {works with ANY book} This printable book report template is more like a graphic organizer , in my opinion. You can print several different template pages to organize different aspects of the book so you can create a great book report.

Free Book Report Template for Elementary Students Get your 1st -4th graders writing book reports with ease with these pdf book report pages.

Book Review Templates This cute pack of 5 different book report template pages would be perfect for early learners who know how to write .

Printable Book Report Form I like this simple book report template that’s perfect for a new reader. The free printable book report template is organized and will prompt your kids to be creative.

Elementary Book Reports Made Easy An easy one-page pdf download of a book report worksheet that would be good for elementary students.

Printable Book Report Forms (Non-Fiction, Fiction, Biography, Mystery & Fable) You have lots of different options for book report templates. Whether or not you need a book report form for a biography, non-fiction resource , or even a fable, there are several different pdf templates to choose from. There are also multiple book report poster forms for those kids who prefer to draw.

7 Different Versions of Book Report – If you are looking for different versions for different age levels or grades then these reports are worth reviewing.

Easy Book Report – This features an easy form for younger students as well as outline form for older students.

Book Report Templates for Younger Students

There are different styles of book report templates that you will want to focus on for younger students. A book report template that you use with your middle school aged child will be too difficult for beginning writers.

You will want to look for a book report format with dashed lines, boxes to draw a picture in, and more.

My Book Report Worksheets These book report worksheets are suitable for children in kindergarten or first grade.

Comic Strip Book Reports If you have a reluctant writer , or a comic book lover, these free printable comic strip book report templates will likely make a book report less dreaded!

Reading Logs and Bookmarks

Reading Log and Book Report Templates If you are on the hunt for cute reading log printables, these are perfect for elementary students. There are a few different templates that offer options to rate the book and write a review. Using a creative book report template like this might take the sting out of writing book reports for reluctant writers.

Free Reading Log and Book Report Forms My Joy-Filled Life has a 2-page book report template and a printable reading log that you can slip into your homeschool binder .

Free Reading Logs, Bookmarks and Charts – Encourage your readers with fun and colorful bookmarks and charts that they can use to track their reading time as well as the books they have read. Free Instant Download included!

Book Report Template

Book reports don’t have to be boring or something that your children dread. They may be overwhelmed because it is a new thing that they have never done before and may need just a little guidance to get started.

Our FREE DIY Book Report template pack includes four pages of graphic organizers, question prompts, illustration boxes, and more. It is a great start to guiding your children on how to write a book report in a non-threatening way.

You can download it for free in our subscriber library .

In Conclusion

The body of the book report should include the title, the author of the book, characters, setting, major conflicts, direct quotes, and plot. The conclusion can include a personal opinion. Book reports are a fun way to develop critical thinking skills and teach students how to gather information to format into a writing assignment.

Annette Breedlove

Annette has been married to her husband and best friend since 2003. Together they are raising their six children to follow the Lord’s will, no matter what. Annette longs for the day when she will meet her angel babies who have entered heaven before her. She enjoys creating UNIT STUDIES and FREE PRINTABLES for homeschool families. You can follow her crazy life at In All You Do where she blogs about homeschooling, homemaking and marriage while trying to maintain her sanity. She is also the owner of Thrifty Homeschoolers where she shares her tips on homeschooling without breaking the bank.

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Best Mystery/Thriller Book Review Blogs in 2024

Showing 114 blogs that match your search.

Hooked From Page One

https://hookedfrompageoneblog.wordpress.com/

On my blog, you’ll mainly find reviews for crime and psychological thriller novels. I do take part in blog tours, and I also feature author interviews, guest posts and giveaways.

Blogger : Jacob Collins

Genres : Mystery/Thriller

🌐 Domain authority: 21

👀 Average monthly visits: 500 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Email

⭐️ Accepts indie books? Yes

The Kindle Book Review

https://www.thekindlebookreview.net/

We are a book review and promotion site but we NEVER charge for reviews. There other other sites that have tried to imitate us. We are The Kindle Book Review dot Net. We've reviewed over 1,750 books on Amazon since 2009. We promote quality ebooks and authors, post author resources, and we've sponsored the annual "Kindle Book Awards" since 2012 with industry pros like Digital Book Today, K-Boards, Author Marketing Club, Bargain Booksy, and others.

Blogger : Amber & Team

🌐 Domain authority: 38

👀 Average monthly visits: 7,000 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: Website contact form

Jessicamap Reviews

https://jessicamapreviews.com/

What exactly will you see here? Books. Reviews about books. A random chocolate lab. Then some of the awesome subscription boxes and other bookish things.

Blogger : Jessica

🌐 Domain authority: 24

👀 Average monthly visits: 5,000 p/mo

Bite into Books

http://www.biteintobooks.com/

Hi there! My name is Esther, I'm a 25 year old teacher from The Netherlands. Since I started this blog, I've been getting requests to review books. I've made you a Q&A to be sure we speak the same language.

Blogger : Esther

🌐 Domain authority: 23

👀 Average monthly visits: 3,000 p/mo

By The Letter Book Reviews

http://www.bytheletterbookreviews.com/

Please be aware that I get a lot of requests and will only reply to people on the books that I can commit myself to. If you have not had a reply within 2 days of sending me an email it will more than likely be that I am unable to take on more books at the present time.

Blogger : Sarah

🌐 Domain authority: 36

⭐️ Accepts indie books? No

Books And Pals

http://www.booksandpals.blogspot.com/

Please read the instructions carefully. Failure to follow them will result in your submission being ignored with no acknowledgement. All reviews are final. Prior to submission, we would advise reading this post and the Guide to Reviews, as well as getting a general feel for the book review blog.

Blogger : Al & Pals

🌐 Domain authority: 43

👀 Average monthly visits: 18,600 p/mo

Bookbugworld

https://bookbugworld.com/

Bookbugworld stays true to its promise. A fun and niche virtual space where you can discuss the books you love or find new ones to add to your TBR.

Blogger : Rejitha

🌐 Domain authority: 12

👀 Average monthly visits: 250 p/mo

Jill's Book Cafe

https://jillsbookcafe.blog/

I read a variety of genres but you will normally find me reading UK based police procedurals and psychological thrillers, well researched historical fiction, and I’m partial to a bit of chick lit (or Choc Lit as I prefer to call it) of the more intelligent and humorous kind. I also enjoy quirky and interesting novels and what would be described as women’s fiction/romance but not of the Mill’s and Boon variety (nothing wrong with M&B just not my thing).

Blogger : Jill Doyle

🌐 Domain authority: 10

👀 Average monthly visits: 1,500 p/mo

Best Thrillers

https://bestthrillers.com/

Featuring trusted thriller book reviews, awards and author lists, BestThrillers.com helps mystery and thriller fans discover the best new books and writers.

Blogger : Bella

🌐 Domain authority: 14

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,300 p/mo

💌 Preferred contact method: online form

Independent Book Review

https://independentbookreview.com/

Independent Book Review is a celebration of small press and self-published books.

Blogger : Joseph

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,500 p/mo

9th Street Books

https://www.9thstreetbooks.com

9th Street Books is the place to go for everything about the literary life, including book reviews, lists, and more.

Blogger : Grace Pursel

👀 Average monthly visits: 1,800 p/mo

Caffeinated Book Reviewer

http://www.caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/

I cannot guarantee a favorable review, but I will be honest, respectful and fair. My reviews generally take seven days from start to finish. I read books in order of release date, and try to accommodate your requests.

Blogger : Kimberly

A Thin Slice of Anxiety

http://www.athinsliceofanxiety.com/

A Thin Slice of Anxiety is an independent publication which strives to nurture and promote the best up-and-coming writers of our generation.

Blogger : Cody Sexton

🌐 Domain authority: 16

👀 Average monthly visits: 2,000 p/mo

Literary Titan

https://literarytitan.com/

We review books, conduct author interviews, and have monthly book awards.

Blogger : Thomas Anderson

🌐 Domain authority: 30

👀 Average monthly visits: 12,000 p/mo

The Bibliofile

https://the-bibliofile.com

The Bibliofile is a book blog. I mostly review new releases, bestsellers, literary fiction, mysteries, and popular non-fiction. You can also get updates on bookish news and find other book-related content.

Blogger : Jennifer

So you want to find a book blog?

If you’re a voracious reader, you might think of a book blog as an oasis in the middle of the desert: a place on the Internet that brims with talk about books, books, and more books.

Well, good news — we built this directory of the 200 of the best book blogs to satiate your thirst. Take a walk around, use the filters to narrow down your search to blogs in your preferred genre, and feel free to bookmark this page and come back, as we do update it regularly with more of the best book blogs out there.

If you’re an aspiring author, you might see a book blog more as a book review blog: a place where you can get your yet-to-be published book reviewed. In that case, you’ll be glad to know that most of the book blogs in our directory are open to review requests and accept indie books! We expressly designed this page (and our book marketing platform, Reedsy Discovery ) to be useful to indie book authors who need book reviews. If you’re wondering how to approach a book blog for a review request, please read on.

You’ve found a book blog. Now what?

Let’s say that you’re an author, and you’ve found a couple of book blogs that would be perfect fits to review your book. What now? Here are some tips as you go about getting your book reviews:

Be sure to read the review policy. First, check that the book blog you’re querying is open to review requests. If that’s the fortunate case, carefully read the blog’s review policy and make sure that you follow the directions to a T.
Individualize your pitches. Book bloggers will be able to immediately tell apart the bulk pitches, which simply come across as thoughtless and indifferent. If you didn’t take the time to craft a good pitch, why should the blogger take the time to read your book? Personalize each pitch to up your chances of getting a response.
Format your book in a professional manner before sending it out. Ensure that your manuscript isn’t presented sloppily. If the book blogger asks for a digital ARC, you might want to check out apps such as Instafreebie or Bookfunnel.
Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Wading through so many book blogs can be troublesome — not to mention trying to remember which ones you’ve already contacted. To save yourself the time and trouble, use a simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of your progress (and results).

Looking to learn even more about the process? Awesome 👍 For a detailed guide, check out this post that’s all about getting book reviews.

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The Best Recent Mysteries for Your Book Club

Erica Ezeifedi

Erica Ezeifedi, Associate Editor, is a transplant from Nashville, TN that has settled in the North East. In addition to being a writer, she has worked as a victim advocate and in public libraries, where she has focused on creating safe spaces for queer teens, mentorship, and providing test prep instruction free to students. Outside of work, much of her free time is spent looking for her next great read and planning her next snack. Find her on Twitter at @Erica_Eze_ .

View All posts by Erica Ezeifedi

After you’ve checked out the finalists for the 59th Nebula Awards , I’ve got some recent mystery/thrillers for you to discuss with your book club.

These mysteries will take you everywhere, from Nigeria to Japan and Ireland, and are written by established faves and newcomers alike.

Nibbles and Sips

These french toast bites are made with Hawaiian rolls and sound dangerous! For the ingredients and instructions, check out GrilledCheeseSocial on Instagram .

The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino, translated by Giles Murray

This is the final book in a popular Japanese detective series, the nature of which means you don’t really need to have read the other books. Here, a Tokyo detective reaches out to detective Kyoichiro Kaga about two cases — one involving a woman mysteriously far from home using a fake name and the other a houseless man. Turns out there is a connection to the death of Kaga’s mother, who ran away from her family and died over a decade ago.

cover of There Should Have Been Eight Kindle Edition by Nalini Singh

There Should Have Been Eight by Nalini Singh

In this gothic locked room mystery, a group of friends who first met when they were teens meet up again as adults under a cloud of grief. Their friend Bea died nine years ago, and now that the group has gathered at Bea’s family’s estate to remember the good times, the story surrounding her death is questioned. And the truth will come out after they get snowed in, no matter what.

Gaslight by Femi Kayode

Here’s a murder mystery set in a place I don’t usually see with murder mysteries: Nigeria. Philip Taiwo starts working on a case based around a megachurch in Ogun State, where a bishop’s wife was murdered, and a young woman went missing. As Taiwo will soon learn, there are secrets that, if uncovered, will threaten the entire church.

The Hunter by Tana French

The Queen of Irish detective fiction is back with another Cal Hooper entry, but as with a lot of other detective fiction, I don’t think you necessarily have to have read the first in the series to enjoy this one. Here, Cal retires from the Chicago PD early and moves to the Irish countryside to find quiet. He gets the peace he’s looking for and more — he, local woman Lena, and Lena’s troubled teen daughter Trey start to form what feels like a supportive family. But then Trey’s trifling biological father, Johnny, shows up with a scheme to get rich, and everything goes south. The delicate, newly formed connections of Cal’s family are threatened by a search for gold that turns into a search for a killer.

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The Most Read Books on Goodreads This Week

This is a line drawing, mostly black-and-white but with lime-green details, that shows a figure in a dress standing in front of a church.

4 Great Fictional Detectives

The books in this month’s column have something in common: unforgettable main characters.

Credit... Pablo Amargo

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By Sarah Weinman

June 30, 2024

You’d think that one of crime fiction’s prevailing ideas — that chaos can be transformed into order — would mesh well with explorations of faith. Yet mystery novels that incorporate religion in a significant way aren’t all that common. Thankfully, the inspiring Patricia Raybon, a veteran nonfiction writer and novelist, has been threading the needle in just the right way with her Annalee Spain series, set in 1920s Denver.

In the third book, TRUTH BE TOLD (Tyndale House, 385 pp., $29.99), Annalee’s deep commitment to her church does not detract from her work as a private detective — in fact, the opposite is true, since she gets plenty of investigative leads from her community. She’s attending a garden party at the home of a wealthy Black philanthropist when a young woman turns up dead on the premises, one whom no one is keen to identify.

Annalee begins to investigate — not an easy or particularly safe thing for a young Black woman to do in a city controlled by the Ku Klux Klan. Aiding her are church friends; her pastor paramour, Jack Blake; and a young white orphan named Eddie, who “had flat-out saved her life during her ruthless first case.”

The cover of “Truth Be Told” is an illustration of an elegant young Black woman in a purple dress. Behind her are the slightly blurred figures of people who appear to be at a garden party.

Annalee hasn’t been a detective long, but she’s smart and resourceful, and has figured out a lot about what drives someone to murder: “People kill people — or kill other people’s dreams, hopes and spirits, even kill their accomplishments — for fear of losing something themselves.”

She’s also funny. Finding herself trapped in a dangerous situation, she begins to pray, then worries that God will find her prayer lacking. “But she couldn’t ponder that now. Not at a moment like this. Instead she just wanted God to help. Good grief, Jesus. Please. ”

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IMAGES

Mystery Genre Book Report "Case File" Project, Rubric, Student Pages+
Book Reports
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Mystery Book Report- 5 Steps
Mystery Book Report Templates with Vocabulary, Practice, and Two Fun

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Mystery Book Episode 3
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Reading the First Chapter of 12 Mysteries to Select Our Book Club Picks for Summer!!
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COMMENTS

69+ Mystery Story Ideas To Keep Your Audience Guessing Until the End
murder mystery story ideas. 1. The best friend of a murder victim is the prime suspect, but evidence starts to disappear into thin air as the murder investigation progresses. 2. A renowned magician is found dead after a performance, and it's up to the detective to determine whether it was an accident or murder. 3.
70+ Mystery Writing Prompts & Story Ideas
January 26, 2022. From whodunits to unsolved crimes, here are over 70 mystery writing prompts that will keep your readers hooked from beginning to end. The mystery genre is all about gathering clues and evidence to solve a crime or mystery of some sort. Common mysteries to solve may include murder, kidnappings, theft and any other unsolved crimes.
67 Mystery Writing Prompts (Thrilling And Chilling Ideas For Writers)
You know better than anyone the prompts that speak to you louder than others. If you get a chill as you're developing the idea, chances are good, your reader will, too. 1. You're a memoir writer with a complicated love life. An estranged cousin calls asking if you'll help her write a "tell-all" memoir.
Mystery Book Report- 5 Steps
1. Decorate a title page. 2. Write a summary with suspense all the way up until "who did it.". Paste it inside on the left of the booklet. A graphic organizer or checklist of things for students to include is helpful! a. Description of the main character and setting at the beginning of the summary. b.
50 Intriguing Mystery Story Ideas!
Mystery Story Ideas. 1. A woman asks a writer to write the story of her life. Then she goes missing. 2. Murder victims are found buried with some of their wordly goods, Viking style. 3. Three people close to the murder victim have confessed. Each of them swears they acted alone.
20 Mystery Story Ideas
10 More Murder Mystery Story Ideas. 16. Defense attorney Bob Larson enjoys his job. He likes justice; he likes being right. Usually, he thinks right and wrong are really easy to spot. Then he ends up representing a young Navy Seal who shot and killed an elderly woman—and claims it was in self-defense.
42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Every Grade and Subject
15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report. This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person.
100+ Mystery Story Ideas
10 Murder Mystery Plot Ideas. Werewolf Suspect: In a small town, the sheriff looks into the homicide of a local woman and starts suspecting that the murderer could be a werewolf. Vanishing Killer: A detective is on the trail of a serial killer who appears to vanish without a trace after each crime.
67 Terrific Mystery Writing Prompts and Story Ideas
This is the third article in our 500+ free writing prompt series. In today's article, we will focus on 67 mystery writing prompt for adults. As always, these writing prompts are meant to inspire your creativity. Please feel free to use any of these writing prompts as you wish.
Incredible Mystery Story Ideas: 65 Creative Mystery Writing Prompts
Historical Story Ideas and writing prompts. The following prompts include mysteries in the ancient world. As the head archaeologist on the dig, you get the honor of opening up the sarcophagus. What a surprise it is to find a cell phone in a thousand-year-old tomb. An ancient artifact arrives at the museum you work at.
75 Murder Mystery Story Ideas To Create Your Next Story
14. The Carnival Curse: After a string of murders at a traveling carnival, the main character, a former police detective turned carny, must solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. 15. The Sleepwalking Slayer: A woman wakes up at various murder scenes with no memory of how she got there.
38 Mystery Writing Prompts
A businesswoman's grandfather dies, leaving behind a ranch. When she goes to inspect the property, she finds a corpse in his freezer. An estranged family gathers for the funeral of their patriarch at his southern plantation. The granddaughter finds a puzzling message etched into a tombstone in the family graveyard.
50 Mystery Plot Ideas and Writing Prompts!
The basic mystery plot formula is pretty simple. Early on, a dead body turns up, a valuable item goes missing, or a puzzle begs to be solved. The reader knows that by the end of the book, questions will have been answered, which is a comforting element in even the most gruesome murder mysteries.
How to Set Up A Mystery Book Club
The Basics. Setting up a book club doesn't have to be as daunting as it sounds—and a mystery book club is no different. The first step is to decide if it's going to be a physical, in real life club that meets periodically, or an online book club, that could meet through Skype or Google Hangouts (or not). Rioters before me have written ...
PDF Mystery Book Report Project 2021-22
Welcome to your next big case, detectives! Over the next six weeks, you will complete a mystery book report project. Get ready to gather clues and solve the mystery in your books! Steps: Choose a mystery book. You must bring in your mystery book choice by November 15th. Read your mystery book. Complete Winter Reading Wreath project about your book.
101 Crime Story Ideas to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
35. Buried Alive in a Mystery: The main character wakes up buried alive and discovers he is part of a serial killer's twisted game. He must solve riddles to escape and then find the killer. 36. The Ghostwriter's Murder: A ghostwriter is hired to write a true crime book but ends up becoming part of a live murder investigation. A blend of fiction ...
19 Unputdownable Thrillers & Mystery Books for Book Clubs
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. Genre: Contemporary Mystery/Domestic Suspense. Order on Amazon | Order on Bookshop.org. From the author of Miracle Creek comes a novel about a Korean-American family in a desperate search for their missing patriarch - and the truths they will uncover along the way.
30 New Mystery Suspense Story Ideas To Get You Writing
15 Mystery Suspense Fiction Prompts. A simple house party goes horribly wrong when all the guests vanish at once. You're a necromancer. The dead are constantly trying to hire you to help solve their murders. Alternately, write about a character with the ability to make people confess if they're guilty or not.
11 Mystery book project ideas
Oct 11, 2016 - Explore Amy Robinson's board "mystery book project", followed by 114 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about mystery book, book projects, teaching reading.
33 Free Book Report Forms and Templates for Kids
Elementary Book Reports Made Easy An easy one-page pdf download of a book report worksheet that would be good for elementary students. Printable Book Report Forms (Non-Fiction, Fiction, Biography, Mystery & Fable) You have lots of different options for book report templates. Whether or not you need a book report form for a biography, non ...
Best Mystery/Thriller Book Review Blogs in 2024
Accomplished book critic and columnist reviewing a selection of fiction and nonfiction. The editor also enjoys interviewing authors, creative and art directors, and book cover designers. Blogger : Sean Loughran. Genres : Mystery/Thriller. 🌐 Domain authority: 10. 👀 Average monthly visits: 5,000 p/mo.
The Best Recent Mysteries for Your Book Club
Gaslight by Femi Kayode. Here's a murder mystery set in a place I don't usually see with murder mysteries: Nigeria. Philip Taiwo starts working on a case based around a megachurch in Ogun State, where a bishop's wife was murdered, and a young woman went missing. As Taiwo will soon learn, there are secrets that, if uncovered, will threaten ...
The 30 Best Mystery Books of All Time
8. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré. Packed with interesting codenames and stressful covert actions, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is about an ex-spy, George Smiley (codename Beggarman), who is pulled out of retirement, to his relief, to weed out a Soviet mole in the British Intelligence Service.
4 Great Fictional Detectives
In the third book, TRUTH BE TOLD (Tyndale House, 385 pp., $29.99), Annalee's deep commitment to her church does not detract from her work as a private detective — in fact, the opposite is true ...