Mystery Writing Suspense

Whether you’re plotting your first whodunit or revising your tenth thriller, this comprehensive guide is your trusted partner in crime. Packed with practical advice, real examples from bestselling mystery novels, and a touch of wry humor, Writing Mysteries That Matter walks you step-by-step through the entire writing process—from crafting a gripping opening to planting clues, building suspense, and delivering a twisty, satisfying ending. You’ll learn how to: • Structure your story for maximum tension • Create complex, compelling protagonists • Plant clues (and red herrings) that...

A #1 Amazon Best Seller Mystery Writing in a Nutshell Edgar Allan Poe Award Winner John McAleer & Andrew McAleer Edgar Allan Poe Award winner, Pulitzer Prize nominee, and best-selling author John McAleer, Ph.D. (Harvard), taught crime fiction at Boston College for nearly four decades, nurturing authors like George V. Higgins (The Friends of Eddie Coyle), Chuck Hogan (The Town), Margaret McLean (Whitey on Trial), Edward Hannibal (Blood Feud), James Devlin (Elmore Leonard), James F. Murphy, Jr. (Quonset) and Ted Murphy (the Belltown mysteries). Now, in Mystery Writing in a Nutshell, he and ...

Two patients in comas, not expected to live: when they both recover, sharing the same bizarre symptom of blue urine, it’s a medical miracle that Dr. Roger Clark cannot explain. One of the patients happens to be Sharon Wilder, a beautiful Hollywood starlet. When she offers Dr. Clark the chance to accompany her to the private Caribbean island called Eden, he has to accept—if only to learn more about the bioengineering company Advance, Inc., and their promise to make your wildest dreams come true.

Gemma loves the quiet life of her bookshop, the Bookworm—a haven for book lovers in a quaint town in the heart of Derbyshire. But everything changes when Gemma discovers the body of local author Dominic Westley during the shop’s latest book signing event. When the police rule the death as an accidental overdose, Dominic’s estranged widow points the finger at one of his past lovers. Gemma and her trusty assistant, Mavis, won’t rest until they uncover the truth. Was it an accidental overdose or something more sinister?

Unlock the Secrets of Fear. Master the Mechanics of Dread. Whether you’re crafting a pulse-pounding thriller or slow-burning supernatural horror, Writing Suspense and Horror is your complete guide to gripping your reader—and never letting go. This comprehensive handbook takes you deep into the psychology of fear and the structure of tension. Learn how to create unforgettable characters, build dread scene by scene, and design plots that twist, tighten, and terrify. From atmospheric worldbuilding to heart-stopping finales, this book covers everything from genre history to hands-on craft. ...

"It's a fantastic thriller series that has terrific characters, lots of humor, drama, mystery, suspense, and unexpected twists and turns that will hook you from beginning to end." (Amazon Reviews) Bill McGee, former CIA Director and U.S. Navy SEAL Commander, is America's most decorated military man and is the presidential candidate to beat. But an unlikely saboteur promises to stop Republicans from ever attaining the White House again. When an Air Force pilot en route to Japan defects with an F-22 Raptor, it is a national crisis. The intelligence community confirms the jet sits in a North ...

When ex-detective inspector Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, author Anthony Horowitz, are invited to an exclusive literary festival on Alderney, an idyllic island off the south coast of England, they don’t expect to find themselves in the middle of murder investigation - or to be trapped with a cold-blooded killer in a remote place with a murky, haunted past.

Introducing Jack West, a tenacious Houston homicide detective who believes even the dregs of society deserve justice. After solving an exhausting murder case involving teenagers, Jack and his partner, Dawson Luck, are assigned a cold case dating back 25 years. One case: an unsolved murder of a woman found dead behind a seedy motel, the other about a missing prostitute.

How to Write a Short Mystery Story: A Comprehensive Guide to Intrigue, Characters, and Clues reveals the secrets of compelling storytelling. This comprehensive guide shows aspiring writers how to create captivating short mysteries. Learn the fundamentals of the mystery genre, how to create an intriguing plot, and how to create complex characters. Learn how to plant clues and red herrings, keep the audience guessing, and deliver satisfying reveals. Explore the editing process to improve your narrative, develop your writing style, and successfully navigate the publishing process. Not only ...

Doing Time: For the prison writers whose work is included in this anthology, it means more than "serving a sentence"; it means staying alive and sane, preserving dignity, reinventing oneself, and somehow retaining one's humanity. For the last quarter century the prestigious writers' organization PEN has sponsored a contest for writers behind bars to help prisoners face these challenges. The contest honors the best short stories, plays, essays, and poems among hundreds submitted annually by men and women nationwide.

It’s been over a decade since renowned author Beckett Ryan set foot in her bleak childhood hometown on the southern coast of England. When her estranged parents die within a week of each other, she reluctantly returns to bury them, only to find herself as reviled in the community as they were revered. Of course, the locals didn’t really know her parents. Nobody did. Then a warm welcome emerges from the sea of cold faces: Leanne. Beckett’s best friend when they were younger, and now a super-fan. Only… Beckett is pretty sure she’s never met her before in her life.

Houston Homicide Detective Jack West is back at work. A fresh case he's working might be connected to a murder case fellow detectives Chang and Severson are working. The medical examiner's report shows some similarities to each murder, but the victims are strangers with nothing in common. A third murder victim found under a bridge on the Buffalo Bayou confirms Houston has a serial killer on the loose. Three very diverse people are dead—are these hate crimes, and if so, how many more will die? The clock is ticking; Jack and his team need to catch this killer before another body shows up.

When a craft fair turns deadly, Gemma and Mavis investigate a local man’s murder, unearthing many secrets. In the peaceful town of Belper, Derbyshire, Gemma, the owner of the Bookworm bookshop and café, and her trusted assistant Mavis are exhibiting books at the town’s annual fair. But the tranquillity of the town is shattered when the body of a local man is found in the church. A man is arrested amidst the chaos, and the evidence against him is compelling but Gemma and Mavis don’t buy it and set out to clear his name and uncover the truth.

Every night John Cabrelli relives the tragic events that ended his career. While struggling to find himself again, John inherits his uncle's cabin and returns to the lake where he spent much of his youth. Little does John know that danger waits for him when he uncovers suspicious circumstances of his uncle's death. Few people will talk about it as John unravels a mystery that could forever change the landscape.

Aria Wright stumbles upon the body of Vietnam veteran Emerson. Unfortunately, the masked killer sees and threatens her. Flash back to 1968: Young Emerson is shipped to Vietnam on the day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Weeks later, a deadly encounter in Bangkok results in the murder of Emerson's best friend. The perilous tale alternates between the troubled life of Emerson from 1968 through the present day and two propulsive and dangerous weeks in March 2024 as Aria and Jax try to solve the mysteries surrounding the murder.

Nightshift clerk and high-functioning insomniac Jack is back to work, trying his best to keep out of trouble. But when his chain-smoking coworker discovers a mysterious radio signal revealing the guarded secrets of their town, Jack will learn that an annoying new dayshift manager is far from the worst of his problems. In this second installment of the Gas Station saga, Jack finds himself entangled in his most harrowing adventure yet.

When a book of unexplainable occurrences brings Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay together, strange things start to happen: seemingly unrelated events connect, an eccentric old woman seeks their company, and an invaluable Vermeer painting disappears.

After Olivia and Chief Rawlings enjoy an all too brief honeymoon on Palmetto Island, they're joined by the rest of the Bayside Book Writers for the Legends of Coastal Carolina Festival. The event's highlight is Silas Black, celebrity screenwriter and television producer, who is currently working on a popular television show in North Carolina.

When Jack’s car breaks down in the middle of a cross-country road trip, the mysterious house at the top of the hill is a beacon of hope. If he can borrow a phone to call for help, he’ll be on his way in no time. But someone - or something - has other plans. Soon, Jack finds himself trapped in a nightmare that defies logic, where a depraved killer on the loose is the least of his problems. Will Jack escape before it’s too late?

"An unbeatable military thriller that's explosive and one you don't want to end." –BestThrillers.com After CIA contract pilot, Duncan Hunter eliminated virtually every man from the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist List, it’s time for celebration and some down time. Hunter’s counterterrorism successes in Africa and the Middle East have propelled the CIA Director and America's most decorated military man, Bill McGee, to national prominence. At the annual Pumpkin Papers Irregulars Dinner, McGee announced he will seek the Office of the President. The chief financier of terrorism and the ...