The Mystery/ Thriller Novel Generator is a seven-month program designed to help a small cohort of writers complete the first drafts of their thriller novels. Apply now for the 2026-27 Mystery/Thriller Novel Generator! Deadline is Tuesday, July 7th. Learn more about the program here.

My students recognize a few of my catch phrases. One of my favorites? It depends. Seriously. Writing a mystery or thriller novel firmly depends on your own curiosity and imagination. Whether you’re researching 1910’s New England to enhance your plot or putting together a fictional timeline to create an airtight alibi for your protagonist, it’s all up to you.

1. Ask the Right Question

A notable portion of your upcoming novel depends on your ability to ask the right questions. I like to tell my students to think heavily about how to frame a question. How are you framing the question? What are you intentionally including or excluding from your parameters? What would happen if you changed the search criteria?

Framing a question is a bit like casting a fishing net into the sea. If you throw the net in the wrong place, you’ll probably get the wrong fish (or no fish), even if you sit there all day with the best bait in the world. In many ways, the same can be true when framing research and plot-related questions for your mystery or thriller novel. Recognize how changing the wording of your question might open up the search criteria for your answer.

For example, asking why a character would be guilty of a crime might generate a different answer compared to asking why your character wouldn’t commit the theft of the century.

Make sure the question you’re asking is large enough to encourage creativity and still direct enough to inspire a coherent answer.

2. Start from Your Passion

At this point, we’ve arrived at the question of all questions. How do you begin to write a mystery or thriller novel? It depends.

For some, the momentum moves in chronological order, for others, the answers unfold one clue or red herring at a time. Luckily, the key to a strong mystery or thriller novel tends to come from accurately building bread crumbs into the story’s plot. 

3. Breadcrumb and Build

Mystery and thriller novels require the perfect balance between intrigue and suspense. Add a few clues (also known as breadcrumbs) into the mix so your readers have the chance to play detective. Clues have the opportunity to open into engaging subplots, including but not limited to romantic entanglements and internal conflicts. The clues add details that breathe life into the story and impact the pace.

What if you really want a reader to apply their best sleuthing skills? Add a few false clues, also known as red herrings, into the mix. False clues help redirect the reader’s attention while enhancing the plot and increasing the suspense.

Keep in mind that how the crime or wrongdoing takes place in your story depends on the selected subgenre. For example, a cozy mystery (usually called a clean mystery) decenters gore from the heart of the story. While a murder usually happens at the start of a cozy mystery, the core of the story emphasizes character relationships, close communities, and memorable settings.

While only a blog post long, I hope you enjoyed noodling over a few key mystery and thriller tips. Yes, prior students, one final catch phrase to round out the page.
 

The 2026-27 Mystery/Thriller Novel Generator applications are due Tuesday, July 7th at 11:59pm ET. You can learn more and apply here.