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A secret, a riddle, a puzzle
Essential ingredients are an element
of crime mixed with an element of
detection
You have to find out the secret, and
solve the riddle or puzzle to find the
criminal or enemy and crack the case
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Introduction of the characters
Presentation of the mysterious or criminal
situation/setting
Suspects, motives, clues are given, including
“Red Herrings”
Addition of the subplots/distractions
The denoument or discovery of the
killer/culprit
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Littl
On your note page in the corresponding
section, answer the following:
1.
2.
What is a Private Eye?
How many synonyms can you name for
Private Eye?
Over the years, the types of detectives have
grown. There are
bumbling detectives and
doctor detectives. They
are young and old, male
and female, students and
professionals.
Likewise, the types of
mysteries have also
expanded to include forensic
mysteries, supernatural,
espionage, legal, romantic
and even culinary.
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Alibi – the excuse an accused person uses to show he or she was
not at the scene of the crime
Breakthrough – an advance or discovery that helps solve the
crime
Clue – an object or piece of information that helps solve the
mystery
Deduce – to use logical reasoning and thinking to infer
information
Evidence – a thing or statement that helps to prove who
committed the crime
Hunch – a guess or feeling not based on facts
Interrogate – to ask questions or seek information from people
Lead – information or clues concerning the case
Motive – an inner drive that causes a person to do something or
act in a certain way
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Perpetrator – someone who is guilty of committing a
crime
Sleuth – an investigator; another name for a detective
Suspect – a person who has a motive to have
committed the crime
Suspense – a feeling of tense excitement about
something unknown
Witness – someone who saw something related to a
crime
A red herring is a false clue or lead. The phrase means “camouflage” and
comes from the process of curing a herring (type of fish). When herring is
salted and smoked slowly over a wood fire, it turns a dark
reddish brown color and gains a strong flavor
and scent. The smell is so strong that it
overwhelms other scents. According to some
old tales, red herrings were pulled across the
trail of hounds to confuse and throw them off
the trail. Sometimes writers of detective fiction
deliberately “fake-out” readers by planting
misleading clues known as red herrings.
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.
On a separate piece of paper, list as many
sleuths who have sidekicks you can think of.
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. As in Murder She
Purred, the Scooby Doo gang of detectives has a
personified animal in their midst. Scooby, the dog,
is the sidekick who aids in the solving of the
mysteries for “the gang”.
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Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
Nick and Nora Charles
Frank and Joe Hardy
Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings
Nancy, Bess and George
Scooby Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang
Shawn and Gus
Monk and Natalie Teager
Motive – the prime suspect must have had
a reason to commit the crime
Means – the prime suspect must have had
a way to commit the crime
Opportunity – the prime suspect must have
had a chance to commit the
crime