How to Write a Mystery

“An embarrassment of riches … [How to Write a Mystery] overflows with enough pithy wisdom and hard-boiled humor to deserve its place on any mystery lover’s shelf, even if they never intend to write a thing… . A snappy, wise and expansive guide which in explaining how to write a mystery ends up illustrating much of what makes the genre so engrossing.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A wonderful book, a seminar in genre writing conducted by some of the genre’s most accomplished practitioners… . a writing guide that readers and writers will turn to again and again.” —Booklist, starred review

“Everything you wanted to know about how to plan, draft, write, revise, publish, and market a mystery, courtesy of the cheerleaders from the Mystery Writers of America… . A chorus of encouraging voices that mix do-this instruction with companionable inspiration.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Tempted to try your own hand at a tale of crime? How to Write a Mystery gathers sound and often witty advice from nearly 70 contemporary practitioners.” —Wall Street Journal

“One of the best and most inclusive manuals ever… . How to Write a Mystery is a splendid technical treatise for writers of any stage or level… . Reading the book feels like taking a graduate-level course… . an immensely worthwhile investment for the storyteller in us all.” —BookTrib

“All this input from some of the most successful mystery writers alive makes for an invaluable guide to crafting mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers. These experts offer practical, current, and surprisingly easily digestible advice.” —The Big Thrill

“Budding authors looking for pro tips will find some useful tidbits.” —Publishers Weekly

Lee Child, previously a television director, union organizer, theater technician, and law student, was fired and on the dole when he hatched a harebrained scheme to write a bestselling novel, thus saving his family from ruin. Killing Floor went on to win worldwide acclaim. The Midnight Line is his twenty-second Reacher novel. The hero of his series, Jack Reacher, besides being fictional, is a kindhearted soul who allows Lee lots of spare time for reading, listening to music, and watching Yankees and Aston Villa games. Lee was born in England but now lives in New York City and leaves the island of Manhattan only when required to by forces beyond his control.

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