by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Red herrings, or false leads, can add a lot to a mystery and serve different purposes.
How red herrings add to mysteries:
They make the mystery more complex. They send the sleuth and reader off in different directions (maybe there was a false confession…someone protecting someone else, for instance).
They add length to the book. If your mystery is too straightforward, you’re going to end up with a shorter mystery.
They keep the reader from figuring out the killer too early in the story. Red herrings can be an argument, another body, or something that appears to be an important clue or lead. It can be an alibi that’s disproven. They all help to keep the reader from coming up with the murderer’s identity. Continue reading