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St Martins Press How to Write a Damn Good Mystery by James N Frey
Edgar award nominee James N. Frey author of the internationally bestselling books on the craft of writing How to Write a Damn Good Novel How to Write a Damn Good Novel II: Advanced Techniques and The Key: How to Write Damn Good Fiction Using the Power of Myth has now written what is certain to become the standard how to book for mystery writing How to Write a Damn Good Mystery.Frey urges writers to aim highnot to try to write a goodenoughtogetpublished mystery but a damn good mystery. A damn good mystery is first a dramatic novel Frey insistsa dramatic novel with living breathing charactersand he shows his readers how to create a living breathing believable character who will be clever and resourceful willful and resolute and will be what Frey calls the author of the plot behind the plot.Frey then shows in his wellknown entertaining and accessible (and often humorous) style how the charactersthe entire ensemble including the murderer the detective the authorities the victims the suspects the witnesses and the bystanderscreate a complete and coherent world.Exploring both the onstage action and the behindthescenes intrigue Frey shows prospective writers how to build a fleshedout believable and logical world. He shows them exactly which parts of that world show up in the pages of a damn good mysteryand which parts are held back just long enough to keep the reader guessing.This is an indispensable stepbystep guide for anyone whos ever dreamed of writing a damn good mystery.show more