I would like to know what readers want from a good mystery

[Deb3j]

I enjoy an intriguing mystery that develops each character slowly, from hero, victim, suspects and even to minor characters. The books by P.D. James and Josephine Tey are good examples. You settle into the story, feeling as if you are seeing it in real time. If it is a series, I like to find out new things about the continuing characters in each book.

[tcarousel]

I agree with some of the previous comments that I like to have all the information to solve the mystery, however it needs to be provided in such a way that there are several potential outcomes and I really need to think through them all to determine the outcome. I LOVE it when I get to the end and realize that I did know all the facts, but that they were a real challenge to solve.

[readbtwnthelines1]

I have to fall in love with the character/s right off the bat. They really have to be someone I can associate with on a personal level, otherwise I feel like I'm just watching the news and all of these bad, scary and mysterious things are happening to just a random "someone". While I can empathize & such, it just doesn't resonate with me, unless of course it's someone I'm attached to in some way. All about character development for me. Oh. & A shocking plot doesn't hurt either

[joytroupe]

I like characters who "feel" like real people to me. In other words, not all good or all bad. If they are also funny that's good, but mostly I like them to be multi dimensional. I also like it when I can't figure out whodunnit right away, but that's not a deal breaker.

[NovaJay2415]

In a mystery, I like when there is a huge plots twist. That is my absolute favorite thing. You're led to believe this way and then (BOOM) plot twist. Leaving the reader like: O . O

I also love when there are cliff hangers at the end of chapters, because that makes you want to keep reading. Not wanting to put the book down is something I love.

And of course, make up a original mystery story that you love.

[kismoody]

Me I like a mystery that is fast-paced, but engaging. The characters have to be someone I can relate to, which means they're more human-like to me. I hate it, however, when they make really dumb mistakes that don't fit or that don't fit what they do. For example, a cop touching a gun left in someone's desk with his own hands.

[Scooby]

The mystery books i always enjoy the most are the ones that you keep you guessing. They make it so you can't put it down because you have to see what happens next and the end is nothing you expected. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a really good example of that.

[standi69]

A good mystery has to have me guessing and I have to sure I know who the killer or bad guy is...then at the last moment they surprise you. You didn't see it coming at all. That is a good mystery. I hate being able to figure it out early, it kills the book for me.

[dhomespot]

I like a book that makes me want to read faster just to solve the mystery. I do not however, want to be able to figure out the mystery before the end of the book. I like the twists that take a reader by surprise.

[thsavage2]

For me, what distinguishes a good mystery book from a bad one is how I feel after I've finished reading it. If it was good, I'll be thinking, "Oh my god, I should have been able to tell that's who did it/that's how it happened!" but I won't actually be able to guess who did it until I read it, which sort of means the writer has won. Edgar Allan Poe is superb at this sort of thing. In one of his essays, he says, "During the hour of perusal the reader is at the writer's command." You should absorb your reader into your story, giving them clues but making them constantly revise their expectations. I recommend Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue," featuring the fascinating Dupin (you'll notice how similar he is to Sherlock Holmes, and it was actually Poe who came up with this type of character) and Borges' "Death and the Compass."

Also don't overlook character development, which writers often do in mysteries. See Agatha Christie's Poirot or JK Rowling's Cormoran Strike.

[SidnayC]

I think what will make me want to read on is if the author shows conveys in his writing just how unpredictable the ending will be. That will keep me hooked.

[alex_]

The twists, the turns, the unexpected. I think what makes a good mystery is thinking you know what is going to happen, but then something completely different happens, something that completely blows you off.

Also is when things in the story speed up, so lets say they're solving a mystery and then the answer isunraveling inside the readers mind quickly, that means the reader is literally flipping through the pages to find out what happend next.

[ipekbunsal]

I want to be surprised while reading a mystery book. But not ''extremely suprising'' just shocking events that'll make me keep the pages turning.

[rjhaug]

I agree with "not being able to guess the ending". I want to be blown away by the ending. Most of the time I can figure out who the bad guy is. I want the thrill and the mystery until the end.

-- 28 Jul 2014, 12:51 --

I agree with "not being able to guess the ending". I want to be blown away by the ending. Most of the time I can figure out who the bad guy is. I want the thrill and the mystery until the end.

[tracy1]

As a reader of mysteries I like a mystery that keeps me wondering what will happen. That has unexpected twists and a good plot. Also, if a mystery has surprises things I did not expect to happen I like that. A book that will keep me turning the pages so I can find out what all happens to bring the book to the conclusion and to see how the story will end.