Mystery & Suspense TermsHistorical and Cultural Text

DEFINITIONS TO LEARN1. Sleuth: k. “private eye”/private

investigator/detective investigating the case

2. Sidekick: q. ”helper,” person/animal who helps detective investigate the crime

3. Victim: p. person to whom the crime happened

4. Snitch: g. person who tells on someone else

5. Suspect: e. a person who may be involved in the crime

DEFINITIONS TO LEARN6. Witness: o. someone who saw what happened7. Culprit: d. person who committed or

assists in the crime8. Fugitive: h. person running from the law9. Secondary Source: t. witness who has

information s/he heard from someone else10. Crime: n. illegal act that is committed 11. Clues: a. pieces of the puzzle that help

solve the mystery

DEFINITIONS TO LEARN12. Lead: l. information or clues concerning the case13. Interrogate: s. to ask questions related to the crime14.Alibi: j. proof that a suspect was nowhere

near the crime15.Evidence: f. something that helps prove

who the criminal is

DEFINITIONS TO LEARN16.Deduction: c. using the facts to infer a conclusion17.Breakthrough: b. A discovery that helps

solve the crime

18. Hunch: r. A guess or feeling not based on

facts

19. Motive: m. A reason that a person does something-can include anger, hatred, love, or greed20. Red Herring: i. a false clue or lead

Elements of a Mystery•A crime•Variety of characters

•Clues•Suspense and tension

•Solution

RED HERRING• The phrase means

“camouflage” and comes from the process of cooking a herring (type of fish). When a herring is cooked over a wood fire, it turns a dark reddish color and gains a strong flavor and scent. The smell is so strong that it overwhelms other scents.

DEFINITIONS TO LEARNRed Herring: a false clue or lead• According to some old tales,

criminals would use red herrings to confuse search hounds and throw them off the trail. • Sometimes writers of

detective fiction deliberately “fake-out” readers by planting misleading clues—known as red herrings.

Mystery •A story is a mystery if there are “unknowns”•Who, what, when, where, why??

DETECTIVE FICTION:• One of the most

popular types of the mystery genre • It provides a puzzle

that must be solved like • a mathematical

equation• a musical score• or a scientific

experiment.

DETECTIVE FICTION:• TYPICALLY:• involves a mysterious

death• the protagonist is a

detective • he/she solves the

mystery by deduction• there are multiple

suspects• each suspect must have

a motive as well as a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime

DETECTIVE FICTION:

• Why is it fun to read?• The reader can act

as the detective (or sidekick) and piece the clues together to solve the mystery

SIDEKICKS• A sidekick can act like a sounding board

Sherlock Holmes• Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created

by author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.• A London-based "consulting detective" whose

abilities border on the fantastic, Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to adopt almost any disguise.• Holmes, who first appeared in publication in

1887, was featured in four novels and 56 short stories.