DETECTIVE FICTION
Lesson #1
Detective fiction is one of the most popular types of the mystery
genre among both children and adults. Detective Fiction is a puzzle that
must be solved like a mathematical equation, a musical score, or a scientific
experiment. According to P.D. James, a contemporary mystery writer,
the classic detective story usually involves a mysterious death. There is a
closed circle of suspects, and each suspect must have a credible motive as
well as a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime. In addition, the
central character is a detective who eventually solves the mystery by logical
deduction from facts fairly presented to the reader (Mysteries 6). This
classic structure has been the springboard for hundreds of variations on the
form. By placing the clues into the mathematical equation, playing them like a
musical score, and moving through them methodically, like a scientist would
do, you too can play detective while reading a detective fiction novel.
Project Due at the End of the Unit:
Period 2
Let’s jump ahead so that you know where we’re headed. (Don’t
panic, we’ll return to Square 1.) The culminating project of this unit will be a
“Detective’s Handbook” based on the mystery novel you’ve chosen. You have
received a handout and rubric, so let’s review them now.
1. Cover
2. Foreword
3. Table of Contents
4. Expository entry about sleuth’s character traits
5. Expository entry about nature of mystery
6. Descriptive entry about the crime scene
7. Expository character sketch about sleuth’s sidekick
8. “Wanted” poster of prime suspect
9. Detective’s Log
10. Persuasive Letter to the Chief of Police proving the suspect’s motive,
means, and opportunity
Project Due at the End of the Unit:
Period 1 and 3
Let’s jump ahead so that you know where we’re headed. (Don’t panic, we’ll return
to Square 1.) The culminating project of this unit will be a “Detective’s Handbook”
based on the mystery novel you’ve chosen. You have received a handout and
rubric, so let’s review them now.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Cover
Foreword
Table of Contents
Expository entry about sleuth’s character traits
Expository entry about nature of mystery
Descriptive entry about the crime scene
Expository character sketch about sleuth’s sidekick
Detective Log – follows your detective through 18-24 hours.
“How To” paragraph that takes the reader step-by-step through the
process by which the sleuth solved the mystery.
10. Persuasive Letter to the local chief of police convincing him/her who
should be arrested and why
11. Front Page newspaper article about the case.
Lesson #1
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
A detective’s appearance can have a major
affect on his/her effectiveness on the job. For
example, Ironside, a detective your grandparents will
remember from television, was in a wheelchair.
Suspects did not think he was a threat because he
was physically challenged. Similarly, Agatha
Christie’s Miss Marple is an elderly woman. Again,
suspects do not find her threatening and tell her
things they might not tell the police.
So, Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover!
While appearances can work both for and against detectives who
are solving mysteries, character traits can do the same. Thinking
about sleuth Adrian Monk from the TV series Monk, let’s answer the
following questions.
1. What are Monk’s physical traits?
2. List some of Monk’s positive character traits.
3. How do these strengths enable Monk to be a
good detective?
4. List some of Monk’s negative character traits.
5. How do these weaknesses hurt Monk’s detecting
capabilities?
6. Which of Monk’s character traits can be either
strengths or weaknesses depending on the situation?
7. How do these strengths and/or weaknesses
contribute to the successes and failures Monk
encounters while trying to solve the mystery?
Let’s practice writing together first.
Statement:
Tell what it is you are going to explain. This is what you
used to call a topic sentence.
Reason:
Explain why your topic is important.
Example #1:
Give an example, from the movie, that shows your topic
sentence to be true.
Explanation #1:
Tie example #1 back to your reason to show why
the reason is valid.
Example #2:
Give another example, from the movie, that shows your
topic sentence to be true.
Explanation #2:
Tie example #2 back to your reason to show why
the reason is valid.
WDDIM?:
“What difference does it make?” or “Who cares?”
Explain the big picture in a way that ties your entire
paragraph together.
In what way do your sleuth’s character traits contribute to his/her
strengths/weaknesses as a crime-solver?
Statement:
Adrian Monk is a fictional character with traits that contribute to
his crime-solving abilities.
Reason:
It is the very human combination of weakness and strength that
make him the perfect detective for this television series.
Example #1:
Explanation #1:
For example, Monk has a strict code of ethics which can make him
unforgiving.
It is this unforgiveness that makes him refuse the case at first,
because it was Monk’s old partner , Joe Christie, that called him. Joe
was once accused of evidence tampering which led to the release of a
criminal. Even though Joe maintains his innocence, Monk is still angry
about the serious code violation and breach of trust.
Example #2:
On the other hand, Monk’s attention to detail forces him to pursue the case,
even after it is ruled an accident.
Explanation #2:
Monk is the only person to notice that the stamps all come from the same roll.
This leads him to the obvious conclusion that the same person sent all the
Complaint letters, which leads to ______ losing her credibility with the store
manager.
WDDIM?:
Adrian Monk is a successful crime solver because his
strengths and weaknesses allows us to consider him a “friend.” We
understand his weaknesses and admire his strengths.
Here is what your completed entry will look like when it’s all
put together:
Adrian Monk is a fictional character with traits that contribute to his crimesolving abilities. It is the very human combination of weaknesses and strengths
that make him the perfect detective for this television series.
Monk has a strict code of ethics which can make him unforgiving. It is this
unforgiveness that makes him refuse the case at first, because it was Monk’s
old partner , Joe Christie, that called him. Joe was once accused of evidence
tampering which led to the release of a criminal. Even though Joe maintains his
innocence, Monk is still angry about the series code violation and breach of
trust.
On the other hand, Monk’s attention to detail forces him to pursue the case,
even after it is ruled an accident. Attention to detail,, a positive character
trait, allows the viewer to accept Monk’s weaknesses by forcing them to admire
him as a person. As the detective, Monk must have the audience’s support in
order for the story to be well-received.
Adrian Monk is a successful crime solver because his strengths and
weaknesses allows us to consider him a “friend.” We understand his weaknesses
and admire his strengths.
Now it’s your turn! Remember the object of this
exercise is to write Detective’s Handbook Entry #1
based on the following:
In what way do your sleuth’s character traits
contribute to his/her strengths/weaknesses as a
crime-solver?
Notes:
• You do not have to be very far into your book to write this entry.
Initial impressions are fine.
Lesson #3
The Scene of the Crime
In each story, there is a “scene of the crime”. You may
not be reading a book where an actual crime has been
committed, but instead there is a mystery involved. In
other words – what is the setting?
Here are some questions you need to consider while
working on your rough draft:
a. What is the overall setting of the story?
* Year/decade?
* City/town?
* Season?
Within the overall setting, consider the following:
a. Does it take place in a school? A house? A
combination of different places?
b. If there is a crime, where exactly did the crime take
place?
* outside or inside?
* in a specific room?
* at a specific time?
c. If there is a puzzle to be solved, where did it start?
* Are all the pieces to the puzzle solved in one
place or in different places?
Let’s practice writing together first.
Introduction:
Description:
Adrian Monk ends up solving several mysteries around San
Francisco but it all starts with the murder of Edna
Caruthers. Edna was killed at the local Mega Mart store
where she worked.
The Mega Mart is a chain retail store, similar to
Wal-Mart. Edna is lured to the storage room by the
murderer. It is a large, dark and dusty warehouse
located at the back of the store. Floor to ceiling
shelves create aisles, much like a library. Instead of
books, they hold all the merchandise for the store.
The shelves are placed far enough apart for a
forklift to drive through, which is parked at the
back of the warehouse. The darkness helps to
create a feeling of foreboding when Edna arrives.
Now that you can describe the scene, write it
from the perspective of the sleuth.
Introduction:
Description:
Adrian Monk ends up solving several mysteries around San
Francisco but it all starts with the murder of Edna
Caruthers. Edna was killed at the local Mega Mart store
where she worked. Here is Mr. Monk’s description of the
scene of the crime.
Sharona and I arrived at the Mega Mart, a local chain retail
store, similar to Wal-Mart. We were directed to the back of
the store, to a warehouse. I was immediately struck with how
dusty it was as soon as I walked through the door. I expected
my allergies to start kicking in any minute. There were lights on
in the front, but I could see that the room was quite large. It
was very dark, towards the back, where the lights were still off.
Several other officers had already arrived at the scene,
including Captain Stottlemeyer. Floor to ceiling shelves, packed
with store merchandise, were to my right. In front of me, in the
midst of about 15 large television boxes was a chalk outline of
the victim, Edna Carruthers.
Now it’s your turn! Remember the object of
this exercise is to write Detective’s Handbook
Entry #3 based on the following:
Describe the crime scene. Include sensory
details – what does the sleuth see, smell,
and hear?
Put the reader at the scene of the crime
by writing as if you are the detective on
site.
Lesson #4
Some sleuths receive assistance from sidekicks who are
either paid helpers or friends who help. These sidekicks
serve as “sounding boards” for the sleuth to explain how
certain bits of detection are done. If the sleuth is not, in
some way, connected to law enforcement, one of these
characters usually is. The sidekick is sometimes a pet or an
animal.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You?
Sometimes sleuths work in pairs or in groups.
For example, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes
has a partner in Dr. Watson. Similarly, the Scooby
Doo gang has five very different personalities to solve
mysteries. Scooby, the dog, is the sidekick who aids in
the solving of the mysteries for “the gang,” just like
Sharona and Joe aid Monk in solving mysteries.
You are the company you keep!
We will now begin work on expository Handbook Entry #4. In this
entry, you must complete a character sketch about the human or
animal sidekick(s) in your mystery novel. To get started, answer the
following questions; then complete the graphic organizer character
sketch.
1. Who are the sidekicks in Monk?
2. How does each one help Monk solve the crime?
3. Not only do the sidekicks help Monk, but they
also serve a purpose for the audience. What is it?
4. Explain the answers to 1-3 in expository entry
#4.
Mission: Possible
Your mission—and you must accept it—is to create a
“Wanted” poster for the villain in your novel.
Include the following:
• a picture/illustration of the suspect (large
enough to be seen from a distance)
• suspect’s name and alias, if applicable
• physical description of the suspect
• the offense of which the villain is accused
• the trouble the offense has caused
• where the suspect was last seen
• warnings the public should be aware of
• whom to call with information
• a reward consistent with the nature of the
crime
WANTED!
• For murdering Edna Coruthers
and attempted Bank Robbery
• Suspected of assaulting Adrian
Monk and leaving the guard
dog out to further attack him.
• Short, brunette, feisty
• Last seen driving a brown van
• Suspect is to be considered
dangerous
• If you have any information,
please call Captain Leland
Stottlemeyer, SFPD at (724)
555-1234
Jennie Silverman
$100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of
Jennie Silverman
Lesson #4
Detective’s Log
TODAY’S DATE
8:00am -- Got to work and began shelving boxes. Jennie arrived for work
and after going to her locker, reported to check out register 3.
9:30 –Observed Jennie checking out two customers. Morris claimed that
they were the same guys that beat him up in the parking lot last week.
Noticed that Jennie did not need to ask them for their zip code but she
acted like she didn’t know who they were.
9:45 – Called Sharona and asked her to look into Jennie Silverman – see if
she has a criminal background.
9:50 –Returned to work. Clean-up on aisle 7 kept me busy for almost 15
minutes.
11:30 – took my lunch break. Someone keeps taking a bite out of my
sandwich. I may need to look into that mystery next.
Now you create a detective’s log for your sleuth.
Lesson #5
• Fact
Solving the Mystery
Something that cannot be disputed
Edna Coruthers is dead.
• Assumption A guess
Edna Coruthers was murdered.
• Inference
A guess based on the facts
Whoever murdered Edna Coruthers wanted
something she had.
• Deduction
An educated guess
Jennie Silverman must have killed Edna in
order to get her parking spot.
Three Rules of Crime Solving
The prime suspect must have had
a reason to commit the crime.
The prime suspect must have had
a way to commit the crime.
The prime suspect must have had
the chance to commit the crime.
Clues
• Suspicious items (shoe heel located several feet
from the body)
• Suspicious behavior (used to hang out with the
other employees but now she is a strict “rule
follower”; caught lying on several different occasions)
• Benefits (became “Employee of the Month” after
the death of Edna.
• What people say about themselves/others
• Connections between and among people (Jennie clearly
knows the two customers but she pretends she doesn’t)
Your turn!
Write an expository entry which details the clues
your sleuth followed to the solution to the mystery.
This piece is based on cause and effect. Complete the
Cause/Effect graphic organizer, and write your entry
from there.
Let’s do it together first!
Cause
Effect
1) Monk observes Jennie at the
cash register automatically
entering the customers zip
code.
1) Monk concludes that she really
knows the customers. Why then is she
pretending not to know them?
2) Monk has Joe locate the
“Employee of the Month” chart
from last month and discovers
that Edna was in the lead until
her death
2)Monk suspects that she was
murdered for something that she
received as “Employee of the Month”
- but what and why?
3) Monk noticed the van hitting
the speed bump at the end of
the day but not in the morning.
3)Monk concludes that the van is
heavier in the afternoon than in the
morning. Why?
Now, your write the expository entry that follows the
clues of the mystery through its end.
Statement:
Reason:
Cause #1:
Effect #1:
Cause #2:
Effect #2:
WDDIM?:
Lesson #6
Arrest that Man!
You, (as the sleuth in your novel) must write a persuasive
letter to the local chief of police. Your thesis statement will
read something like this: “Due to the proof against her, you
should arrest Jennie Silverman immediately!”
In addition, you must have three main supports: motive,
means, and opportunity. Explain how each can be proved by using
textual proof from the book, and make sure you cite the page
number, on which the proof is found, within the letter. Use both
citation methods—direct quotation and paraphrasing. Part of
your textual proof should include the clues found as well as your
inferences and logical deductions.
Example
Mr. Adrian Monk
Header
1111 Fisherman’s Wharf Drive
Apt. 114
San Francisco, CA 94102
(670) 555-0878 [work]
Date
October 31, 2013
Captain Leland Stottlemeyer
San Francisco Police Department
1108 Catchum’ Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
RE: Edna Coruther’s Murder
Dear Captain Stottlemeyer:
Recipient’s Address
“Heads Up”
Salutation
Introduction
Three supports
After careful consideration of the events that occurred at the Mega Mart this past
month, I have come to the logical conclusion that your prime suspect in the case is Ms. Jennie
Silverman of San Francisco, CA. The clues of receipt of position held by the victim, suspicious
behavior and suspicious van lead directly to Ms. Silverman and contribute to proof of motive, means,
and opportunity. Based on the evidence, you should arrest Ms. Silverman at once.
Support #1
Thesis
Motive is the backbone behind any crime, and Jennie had to procure the coveted
parking space in order to provide a way of getting the stolen money out of the bank as well as a
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1
quick get away. Initially, Jennie was observed pretending not be acquainted with two customers
that she clearly knew well enough to know their zip code without asking. When confronted, she
denied this, which only made her behavior more suspicious. When it was discovered that Jennie
had become “Employee of the Month” with the death of Edna Coruthers, it became necessary to
discover why that was important. With the position came a coveted parking spot which is right
over a grate. The grate covers a pipe system that leads into the bank next door. When
Jennie’s van was seen hitting the speed bump, it became obvious that her van is heavier at the
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2
end of the day. The customers she claimed not to know were seen buying shovels and pick
axes. Thus the clues prove that Jennie was working with the two customers to rob the bank.
Logical Conclusion
Support #2—means
Support #3—opportunity
Conclusion
• Restatement of thesis
• Restatement of three supports with
personal conclusions drawn in between
Sincerely,
Sign Here
Adrian Monk
San Francisco, CA
What if your novel does not have a crime but has a
puzzle or mystery? Instead of writing a letter
persuading the police to arrest someone, you are going
to write a letter persuading the mayor to reward
someone who was instrumental in solving the mystery.
After careful consideration of the events that occurred at the Mega Mart this past
month, I have come to the logical conclusion that Joe Christie should be awarded a medal
of honor.
Joe was instrumental in solving the murder of Edna Caruthers.
It was Joe Christie who insisted on the case being pursued, even after
Edna Caruther’s death had been ruled an accident. It was Mr. Christie who called
in Adrien Monk, the well-known detective, to consult on the case. Even though his
relationship with Mr. Monk was strained due to a situation from years earlier, Mr.
Christie looked beyond that and contacted the one man who could solve the case.
It was also Mr. Christie who worked tirelessly with Mr. Monk, exploring all the
clues which led to the arrest of the murderer. For these reasons, Joe Christie
should be awarded a medal of honor.