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How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript
Edgar award nominee James N. Frey, author of the internationally best-selling 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 high-not to try to write a good-enough-to-get-published mystery, but a damn good mystery. A damn good mystery is first a dramatic novel, Frey insists-a dramatic novel with living, breathing characters-and 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 well-known, entertaining, and accessible (and often humorous) style , how the characters-the entire ensemble, including the murderer, the detective, the authorities, the victims, the suspects, the witnesses and the bystanders-create a complete and coherent world.
Exploring both the on-stage action and the behind-the-scenes intrigue, Frey shows prospective writers how to build a fleshed-out, believable, and logical world. He shows them exactly which parts of that world show up in the pages of a damn good mystery-and which parts are held back just long enough to keep the reader guessing.
This is an indispensable step-by-step guide for anyone who's ever dreamed of writing a damn good mystery.
Frey urges writers to aim high-not to try to write a good-enough-to-get-published mystery, but a damn good mystery. A damn good mystery is first a dramatic novel, Frey insists-a dramatic novel with living, breathing characters-and 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 well-known, entertaining, and accessible (and often humorous) style , how the characters-the entire ensemble, including the murderer, the detective, the authorities, the victims, the suspects, the witnesses and the bystanders-create a complete and coherent world.
Exploring both the on-stage action and the behind-the-scenes intrigue, Frey shows prospective writers how to build a fleshed-out, believable, and logical world. He shows them exactly which parts of that world show up in the pages of a damn good mystery-and which parts are held back just long enough to keep the reader guessing.
This is an indispensable step-by-step guide for anyone who's ever dreamed of writing a damn good mystery.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 12, 2004
176 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
About the author
James N. Frey
24 books42 followersJames N. Frey is an American novelist and acclaimed writing teacher, best known for his influential guide How to Write a Damn Good Novel. He has authored both fiction and non-fiction, including thrillers and several popular books on writing craft. Frey taught at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was honored as Teacher of the Year in 1994. He continues to lecture on creative writing at various conferences and institutions. His fiction has earned critical recognition, including an Edgar Award nomination. Frey lives in Berkeley, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
November 8, 2021
This book is dense, and provides a lot of information. I found that a lot of it is quite restrictive, and it’s a little dated (it came out in 2004). For instance, the guidelines surrounding what a protagonist should be like were stifling, and if you take into consideration the current trend with unreliable narrators, a lot of these “rules” are no longer valid or even followed in mainstream fiction.
All that said, there’s a lot of information to consider, just take it with a grain of salt, and don’t consider this to be the holy bible of mystery writing. The author does talk a lot about creating “step sheets” for mysteries, and provides a very detailed example using The Maltese Falcon. The book is worth checking out for that reason alone.
All that said, there’s a lot of information to consider, just take it with a grain of salt, and don’t consider this to be the holy bible of mystery writing. The author does talk a lot about creating “step sheets” for mysteries, and provides a very detailed example using The Maltese Falcon. The book is worth checking out for that reason alone.
January 13, 2016
Many writers--especially outliners--may find the system in this book helpful, but the woman-negative content of the examples in the book generated too much cognitive dissonance for this reader to pay proper attention to Frey's techniques.
In chapter 4, Frey generates an example murderer complete with backstory to demonstrate his writing process. This murderer's backstory should presumably lay the groundwork for why he is a murderer and Frey's brief explanation of the murderer's family implies that the mother was the problem. His father is described in less than one complete sentence as "drunk" and "weak" whereas 10 lines/2 paragraphs are dedicated to detailing how the mother was a "slut".
In chapter 5, Frey shows us how to create journal entries from the perspective of the murderer. From the murderer's perspective, it appears that the father being an alcoholic had little to do with the murderer's upbringing, but the mother sleeping around had a profound effect on him--which seems incongruous to me. An alcoholic parent often has an affect on children.
I thought Frey might use the protagonist to juxtapose this underlying woman-negative theme he created in the murderer. Not so. In chapter 7 Frey generates the protagonist's backstory and she is described as having been a problem child who "seduced a sixty-one-year-old teacher when she was fifteen." To me, that doesn't sound like edgy, problem child behavior--that sounds like statutory rape.
During the protagonist's introductory journal entry the protagonist "hated [her] mother, but not [her] father". In one sentence the father is described as merely absent and then the next 14 lines describe how the mother was vain and uncaring. Both of these parents are neglectful and would have contributed to the protagonist's backstory problems, but only the mother is held accountable by Frey.
Later in the protagonist's backstory the protagonist is described as having had a spiritual transformation which leaves her celibate. This doesn’t do well against the murderer's "slut" mother, the protagonist's own neglectful mother, or the protagonist's history of sexual abuse. It is as though by being celibate the protagonist is excused from the unacceptable sexual behavior exhibited by the problem women in the story, especially her younger self.
It's possible that Frey intended to show the protagonist as having gained control over her own sexuality, which would be fine, but then in chapter 8 Frey introduces a romance-novelish, cowboy love interest. This recalls outdated beliefs that sexually "immoral" women (lesbian, asexual, rape victim) can be "fixed" by sex with a cishet man.
Frey doesn't seem to be aware of this woman-negative tone in his example murder mystery. If it was intentional, that would be one thing, but trying to navigate through a series of problematic depictions of women while also absorbing the lessons about writing-as-a-craft generated a kind of cognitive dissonance for me that was too distracting to push through.
In chapter 4, Frey generates an example murderer complete with backstory to demonstrate his writing process. This murderer's backstory should presumably lay the groundwork for why he is a murderer and Frey's brief explanation of the murderer's family implies that the mother was the problem. His father is described in less than one complete sentence as "drunk" and "weak" whereas 10 lines/2 paragraphs are dedicated to detailing how the mother was a "slut".
In chapter 5, Frey shows us how to create journal entries from the perspective of the murderer. From the murderer's perspective, it appears that the father being an alcoholic had little to do with the murderer's upbringing, but the mother sleeping around had a profound effect on him--which seems incongruous to me. An alcoholic parent often has an affect on children.
I thought Frey might use the protagonist to juxtapose this underlying woman-negative theme he created in the murderer. Not so. In chapter 7 Frey generates the protagonist's backstory and she is described as having been a problem child who "seduced a sixty-one-year-old teacher when she was fifteen." To me, that doesn't sound like edgy, problem child behavior--that sounds like statutory rape.
During the protagonist's introductory journal entry the protagonist "hated [her] mother, but not [her] father". In one sentence the father is described as merely absent and then the next 14 lines describe how the mother was vain and uncaring. Both of these parents are neglectful and would have contributed to the protagonist's backstory problems, but only the mother is held accountable by Frey.
Later in the protagonist's backstory the protagonist is described as having had a spiritual transformation which leaves her celibate. This doesn’t do well against the murderer's "slut" mother, the protagonist's own neglectful mother, or the protagonist's history of sexual abuse. It is as though by being celibate the protagonist is excused from the unacceptable sexual behavior exhibited by the problem women in the story, especially her younger self.
It's possible that Frey intended to show the protagonist as having gained control over her own sexuality, which would be fine, but then in chapter 8 Frey introduces a romance-novelish, cowboy love interest. This recalls outdated beliefs that sexually "immoral" women (lesbian, asexual, rape victim) can be "fixed" by sex with a cishet man.
Frey doesn't seem to be aware of this woman-negative tone in his example murder mystery. If it was intentional, that would be one thing, but trying to navigate through a series of problematic depictions of women while also absorbing the lessons about writing-as-a-craft generated a kind of cognitive dissonance for me that was too distracting to push through.
September 11, 2023
It amuses me how much writers seem to hate "how to write" books, judging by their Goodreads reviews. They're dying to find flaws so they can feel like a better writer than the "how to write" author. That may preserve your ego, folks, but I don't think it helps you improve your books.
Part of writing better is listening to what others advise. That's what I'm trying to do. Criticizing and being defensive is easy. Listening to advice and taking it seriously is more difficult.
I think this book has a lot of helpful advice. I'd add some more helpful advice: read a lot of novels. I think I lot of people who want to write novels fail to read enough. That's why they think they're so great -- because they don't read.
I'm trying to write. I'm not sure which genre. This was an interesting and helpful book. Sometimes it's sexist. But just because someone hasn’t analyzed their own unconscious biases yet doesn't mean they have nothing to offer and I can write off their advice. There is a lot of good advice in this book despite moments of underlying sexism.
After reading this, do you feel defensive and full of criticism for Frey and the novel he outlined within this book? If yes, chances are, I'm not interested in your writing. Stop defending your bad writing and start improving.
I'm interested in improving. I want to write books that aren't a chore to read. I don't want to have to beg for readers. I want them to beg for more.
This is a helpful book.
Part of writing better is listening to what others advise. That's what I'm trying to do. Criticizing and being defensive is easy. Listening to advice and taking it seriously is more difficult.
I think this book has a lot of helpful advice. I'd add some more helpful advice: read a lot of novels. I think I lot of people who want to write novels fail to read enough. That's why they think they're so great -- because they don't read.
I'm trying to write. I'm not sure which genre. This was an interesting and helpful book. Sometimes it's sexist. But just because someone hasn’t analyzed their own unconscious biases yet doesn't mean they have nothing to offer and I can write off their advice. There is a lot of good advice in this book despite moments of underlying sexism.
After reading this, do you feel defensive and full of criticism for Frey and the novel he outlined within this book? If yes, chances are, I'm not interested in your writing. Stop defending your bad writing and start improving.
I'm interested in improving. I want to write books that aren't a chore to read. I don't want to have to beg for readers. I want them to beg for more.
This is a helpful book.
September 15, 2024
This is the second book on how to write a mystery that I’ve read this year, which might lead the casual observer to believe that I am planning on writing a mystery. I’m not yet ready to commit to that, but this book – full of great nuts-and-bolts advice about writing in general and, more importantly, about writing a mystery specifically — has pushed me further in the “Yup, I’m going to give it a stab” direction. Besides, with retirement looming in eight-ish months, I need a new creative hobby. Could be worse ones than mystery writing.
Frey does a terrific job of leading the reader through every step of crafting a “damn good mystery”, and does it with a fresh and good-humored voice, one that clearly belongs to someone who has done it successfully. From developing the murderer (a surprisingly early step in his process) and the detective, to laying out the detailed plot, to the drafting process, Frey provides a clear and example-filled recipe that feels super useful (though maybe a tad fomulaic?) to the parts of my brain that benefit from a process vision to follow.
As with the prior book in this genre that I read, some chapters felt more helpful than others, (e.g., I skimmed the last one about finding an agent…the book is 20 years old and the publishing world has changed since then), but that’s a personal thing. I’ve read a lot of professional advice on writing over the years – and done a lot of writing – so what I find inspiring and necessary may differ from what other readers zero in on.
Did I find it a little annoying that Frey constantly promotes his earlier books on writing? Indeed. Did I understand why he does it? Sure. Did it tempt me to read them? Maybe. A smidge. Perhaps a larger smidge than the part of me that doesn’t like to be psychologically manipulated might care to publicly admit. 🙂
That aside, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in trying their hand at mystery writing. If, after finishing it, you don’t feel inspired to start crafting your own such novel, then you probably need to consider an alternative genre or an entirely different application of your energies.
Frey does a terrific job of leading the reader through every step of crafting a “damn good mystery”, and does it with a fresh and good-humored voice, one that clearly belongs to someone who has done it successfully. From developing the murderer (a surprisingly early step in his process) and the detective, to laying out the detailed plot, to the drafting process, Frey provides a clear and example-filled recipe that feels super useful (though maybe a tad fomulaic?) to the parts of my brain that benefit from a process vision to follow.
As with the prior book in this genre that I read, some chapters felt more helpful than others, (e.g., I skimmed the last one about finding an agent…the book is 20 years old and the publishing world has changed since then), but that’s a personal thing. I’ve read a lot of professional advice on writing over the years – and done a lot of writing – so what I find inspiring and necessary may differ from what other readers zero in on.
Did I find it a little annoying that Frey constantly promotes his earlier books on writing? Indeed. Did I understand why he does it? Sure. Did it tempt me to read them? Maybe. A smidge. Perhaps a larger smidge than the part of me that doesn’t like to be psychologically manipulated might care to publicly admit. 🙂
That aside, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in trying their hand at mystery writing. If, after finishing it, you don’t feel inspired to start crafting your own such novel, then you probably need to consider an alternative genre or an entirely different application of your energies.
February 14, 2016
I spent a fair amount of time reading other folks reviews here - and it's always interesting to see how different folks feel about the same book. I don't think I've rated another book as generously as I've this one. It taught me several useful things and most importantly did help me as a step-by-step guide.
Let me get the niggling stuff out of the way first
- yes there's over use of the phrase 'damn good' - after the first few times I probably did not notice it
- yes there's reference (some would say over reference) to his other books - minor irritant and at times while he appeared concerned about repeating what was in those here, I'd rather he did so that each book stood alone
But neither of those things were more than minor matters for me. I found it immensely useful - particularly in the context of writing mysteries. Three techniques I took away, in the order of value
Plot behind the plot - what drives the murderer - I'd always been so focused on the protagonist/hero/detective
Journals for key characters - this was different in that it was done in their voice revealing interesting facets to them
Stepsheets - while I'd tried and read about outlining, the step sheets - were a great way to get a quick handle on where you wanted to take the story and in some instances where the story wanted to take you
I really liked his piece on writing Writing Damn Good Prose - almost reminiscent of of Strunk & White - concisely captured a lot of good actionable ideas on writing tight prose
I really liked that he tried to work through all of Murder in Montana - unlike other reviewers who found it both "cliche-ridden" and too long - I found it actually useful, as an actual practice of what he preached - regardless of whether it was the final manuscript, seeing where he started and how it evolved, even more than where it ended, taught me a whole lot. I think as another reviewer commented - the main value that Frey brought was he did away with most excuses all of us as writers make and took apart any obstacles that stand in our way - by providing practical methods to work through them. It's now to each of us, reader and writer to make as much good as we want out of this.
I'm going out there to buy this as a keeper.
Let me get the niggling stuff out of the way first
- yes there's over use of the phrase 'damn good' - after the first few times I probably did not notice it
- yes there's reference (some would say over reference) to his other books - minor irritant and at times while he appeared concerned about repeating what was in those here, I'd rather he did so that each book stood alone
But neither of those things were more than minor matters for me. I found it immensely useful - particularly in the context of writing mysteries. Three techniques I took away, in the order of value
Plot behind the plot - what drives the murderer - I'd always been so focused on the protagonist/hero/detective
Journals for key characters - this was different in that it was done in their voice revealing interesting facets to them
Stepsheets - while I'd tried and read about outlining, the step sheets - were a great way to get a quick handle on where you wanted to take the story and in some instances where the story wanted to take you
I really liked his piece on writing Writing Damn Good Prose - almost reminiscent of of Strunk & White - concisely captured a lot of good actionable ideas on writing tight prose
I really liked that he tried to work through all of Murder in Montana - unlike other reviewers who found it both "cliche-ridden" and too long - I found it actually useful, as an actual practice of what he preached - regardless of whether it was the final manuscript, seeing where he started and how it evolved, even more than where it ended, taught me a whole lot. I think as another reviewer commented - the main value that Frey brought was he did away with most excuses all of us as writers make and took apart any obstacles that stand in our way - by providing practical methods to work through them. It's now to each of us, reader and writer to make as much good as we want out of this.
I'm going out there to buy this as a keeper.
August 25, 2019
There's not a lot of evidence, on Goodreads anyway, that Frey knows how to right a Damn Good Mystery, but if he does, he's keeping it to himself. In this guide he's often comically vague and permissive, listing out parts of a story with “step-by-step” instructions like “Write a fun, engaging beginning,” and, “Do a great job with act II!” He uses the phrase “Damn Good” so often you'll worry that he thinks he means something by it. Here's an example of a typical nugget:
“Pulling off a gripping climax is important if you're going to satisfy your reader, and every damn good mystery leaves the reader very well satisfied.” (p. 175)
I wish I could say this quote is the throat-clearing at the beginning of a more in-depth explanation, but I would be lying. This is the whole of the advice on the subject. Instead of getting more specific he teaches by example, writing the character sheets, plotline and ultimately scenes of a schlocky novel called “Murder in Montana” that did not make me hasten to imitation.
Frey does more than mince words, but unfortunately, when he does come out with actual prescriptions, they're often dated. For instance, Frey states that above all, a detective should be extremely clever and good at a number of things, so we as readers can live out our fantasy of cleverness through him (or her. Frey has a whole section on how detectives can be women now.). Anyway, it's advice that I'm sure sounded better before One for the Money and The Girl on the Train, two mystery bestsellers about heroines who are, at least initially, bad at everything.
The best of Frey's advice is that you should do outside writing, sketching characters, planning out the plot, and writing what's happening that the reader isn't seeing. There. I saved you some trouble.
“Pulling off a gripping climax is important if you're going to satisfy your reader, and every damn good mystery leaves the reader very well satisfied.” (p. 175)
I wish I could say this quote is the throat-clearing at the beginning of a more in-depth explanation, but I would be lying. This is the whole of the advice on the subject. Instead of getting more specific he teaches by example, writing the character sheets, plotline and ultimately scenes of a schlocky novel called “Murder in Montana” that did not make me hasten to imitation.
Frey does more than mince words, but unfortunately, when he does come out with actual prescriptions, they're often dated. For instance, Frey states that above all, a detective should be extremely clever and good at a number of things, so we as readers can live out our fantasy of cleverness through him (or her. Frey has a whole section on how detectives can be women now.). Anyway, it's advice that I'm sure sounded better before One for the Money and The Girl on the Train, two mystery bestsellers about heroines who are, at least initially, bad at everything.
The best of Frey's advice is that you should do outside writing, sketching characters, planning out the plot, and writing what's happening that the reader isn't seeing. There. I saved you some trouble.
July 7, 2016
Frey includes what sound like some decent tips about developing characters and plotting. He has an especially good idea about the process of devising a mystery plot, and uses The Maltese Falcon to illustrate it (there's few better examples of mystery novels a novice writer could to aspire to than that one). However, Frey then proceeds to spend much of the back-half of his book running through an outline of what sounds like a somewhat inane and pedestrian sounding mystery he's concocted as a working example. Also, he repeats the phrase "damn good mystery" ad infinitum, making the book sound sort of like a sales pitch.
July 28, 2011
Jim Frey is qualified to tell people how to write a good mystery novel because he has written several which I have never read and has taught in lots of writers' workshops of which I have never heard. His text is adequate but flawed in several respects. He insists on using the modifier "damned good" in front of nouns like sentence, plot, scene, character, complication, resolution and the like ... doubtless in furtherance of what he considers to be a clever book title. He offers ou... (show more)
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December 11, 2015Good advice. Surprisingly sexist in parts (describes a number of stereotypical female minor characters you can have: the whore, the mother, the bitch, the femme fatale, and more, but doesn't list *Any* male counterparts) but provides interesting building blocks for mysteries.
May 24, 2025
I struggled to rate this one. I am already a writer and have read a good amount of craft books, but I've never written a mystery before and that's why I picked this up.
I loved the first few chapters! It was exactly why I picked this book up - "Why People Read Mysteries", "Ideas to Get You Started - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly", and "The Plot Behind the Plot." I made lots of notes considering all of these pieces.
I didn't love when there was a huge chunk of actual mystery novel written amongst the chapters, as it didn't help my understanding of it. I was really not a fan of the dated takes on women - the author accepts that women heroes exist (yay?) and does quote a great deal of successful women mystery authors, but there were things I was really wincing at, like going with mythic characters where if its a woman she can apparently only be a whore, bitch, earth mother, goddess, seductress, etc (eeeek - this was written in 2004, not 1954!).
And then when it gets into the craft of words and writing (chapters on prose, scene, viewpoints) there are things presented as objective necessity that I simply disagree with - always a potential in a writing book (usually you have to sift through the sand to take out what works for you), but this is really presented as fact. Also the faux-query letter near the end of the book is... not good. I'm sure it would get ripped to shreds on the PubTips subreddit these days, but this part at least might be an artifact of the early 2000s being a differnet publishing landscape than today.
All in all... I'd recommend the first few chapters for sure. And if you go in with the right preparation for preparing for dated takes on women and being ready to disagree with some things, I'd even recommend the rest.
I loved the first few chapters! It was exactly why I picked this book up - "Why People Read Mysteries", "Ideas to Get You Started - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly", and "The Plot Behind the Plot." I made lots of notes considering all of these pieces.
I didn't love when there was a huge chunk of actual mystery novel written amongst the chapters, as it didn't help my understanding of it. I was really not a fan of the dated takes on women - the author accepts that women heroes exist (yay?) and does quote a great deal of successful women mystery authors, but there were things I was really wincing at, like going with mythic characters where if its a woman she can apparently only be a whore, bitch, earth mother, goddess, seductress, etc (eeeek - this was written in 2004, not 1954!).
And then when it gets into the craft of words and writing (chapters on prose, scene, viewpoints) there are things presented as objective necessity that I simply disagree with - always a potential in a writing book (usually you have to sift through the sand to take out what works for you), but this is really presented as fact. Also the faux-query letter near the end of the book is... not good. I'm sure it would get ripped to shreds on the PubTips subreddit these days, but this part at least might be an artifact of the early 2000s being a differnet publishing landscape than today.
All in all... I'd recommend the first few chapters for sure. And if you go in with the right preparation for preparing for dated takes on women and being ready to disagree with some things, I'd even recommend the rest.
February 25, 2019
While I won't be taking every single bit of advice in this book, while the "damn good" phrase got old really quickly, and while I'm not sure I'd ever read Murder in Montana, Frey's example project, this book was incredibly useful. It had me thinking about structure, plot, and character development that definitely shook me loose from some stuck places on my current mystery novel. Like many, I'm not entirely a plotter or a pantser, but Frey's suggestions were practical, sensible, and useful in working out ideas.
October 27, 2017
I found this book really helpful. It made me come up with some important questions about the plot of my story, and even a few answers :)
December 22, 2017
The book’s clear, casual style and many solid examples made its concepts easy to grasp. It helped me brainstorm some breakthroughs on my mystery novel revision, and I will probably revisit this book again to help me on future projects. The only thing holding me back from a whole-hearted recommendation is that some of the word choices and attitudes in the examples are a little ... retro/not PC. If that kind of thing really bothers you, I would steer clear of this one.
July 9, 2015
There was some helpful and interesting advice in here, but it was far outweighed by all the bad and useless stuff. The informal tone was nice at first, but I got bored of seeing "damn good" applied to everything. Frey acts far too much as if his way of doing things is the only way that can possibly work, which I really don't like. He spends far too much of this book outlining a mystery in an attempt to show how it's done. While creating an example is a good idea in general, the mystery he writes here is pretty terrible and filled with cliches and bad characters. It's definitely not "damn good" and I didn't like reading far more of it than I did of useful concrete advice. This book could likely have been made much shorter and more useful, but as it is I had to wade through a lot of junk to find the good bits. Plus, Frey constantly plugs his other books, which doesn't make me like him any more. All in all, I got a few useful pieces of information out of this book, but I'm sure there are other books on mystery writing that are far better written and have a better ratio of information to cruft.
July 15, 2017
For decades I've read mystery novels, along with other kinds of genre fiction. After I started writing, I had always wanted to try my hand at penning a mystery novel but really had no idea of HOW to do it right. Horror, fantasy and sci-fi? Yeah, no problem.
But the mystery genre was...well, a mystery to me.
Until I read this book by James N. Frey.
Simply put, it was like a grenade went off in my head once the fundamentals sunk in. I don't place a great deal of faith in many of the "learn to write!" kind of books - I've read too many which are just terrible. This book was anything but. While I may not agree 100%, I'm nodding my head at least 90% of the time while flipping pages - and that is more than good enough.
Might as well confess that, as a direct result of reading this one book, I've become addicted to Frey's writing style and have two more of his works waiting for me.
Readily understood, easy to grasp, yet no-frills and fresh - this is the perfect book for me at this time in my own writing.
But the mystery genre was...well, a mystery to me.
Until I read this book by James N. Frey.
Simply put, it was like a grenade went off in my head once the fundamentals sunk in. I don't place a great deal of faith in many of the "learn to write!" kind of books - I've read too many which are just terrible. This book was anything but. While I may not agree 100%, I'm nodding my head at least 90% of the time while flipping pages - and that is more than good enough.
Might as well confess that, as a direct result of reading this one book, I've become addicted to Frey's writing style and have two more of his works waiting for me.
Readily understood, easy to grasp, yet no-frills and fresh - this is the perfect book for me at this time in my own writing.
February 5, 2012
Frey claims that the mystery genre is the last bastion of the hero. I think it is his take on this genre, which causes him to urge writers to draw vivid mythic detectives for this long tradition of good battling evil. He also stresses that killers be formed into round characters, worthy, strong and intelligent, thereby making the hero/detective speedup his or her manhunt, while rising to greater strengths of logic and risk.
James N. Frey knows what makes mystery novels successful. His points offer budding writers stepping stones in the many layered process of crafting a compelling story in this genre.
My main problem with reading this book were his examples from his own books. They seemed overlong and I found myself skimming ahead during these sections.
Overall, I feel this is a helpful book for writers.
James N. Frey knows what makes mystery novels successful. His points offer budding writers stepping stones in the many layered process of crafting a compelling story in this genre.
My main problem with reading this book were his examples from his own books. They seemed overlong and I found myself skimming ahead during these sections.
Overall, I feel this is a helpful book for writers.
September 22, 2018
Many of the same points made in How to Write a Damn Good Novel and How to Write a Damn Good Thriller are reiterated here, but sometimes it's good to have things hammered into your brain. Best advice I found in this book is about keeping track of what's happening to your characters "off-stage" and keeping track of each character's agenda. I think this book just might help with a couple of stories I'm struggling to finish off. Working with the examples Frey provides really helps to illustrate the points he makes. Good reference book.
July 9, 2021
Useless and Opinionated
This book is just awful. The author seems convinced that every idea that comes into his head is perfect.
Any other way of doing things? Horrible. Literary fiction? Useless! Discovery writers? Wrong! Unique mysteries? Navel-gazing!
He goes on about how all mysteries are about reason and heroism triumphing over the evil murderer, and anything else will fall. But you know what book violates that? Only what's widely considered the best mystery novel of all time, And Then There Were None.
Don't read this. It'll poison your mind.
This book is just awful. The author seems convinced that every idea that comes into his head is perfect.
Any other way of doing things? Horrible. Literary fiction? Useless! Discovery writers? Wrong! Unique mysteries? Navel-gazing!
He goes on about how all mysteries are about reason and heroism triumphing over the evil murderer, and anything else will fall. But you know what book violates that? Only what's widely considered the best mystery novel of all time, And Then There Were None.
Don't read this. It'll poison your mind.
January 9, 2019
I guess I deserve it for picking up a book called how to write a damn good anything but I could not get past the continuous use of damn good in front of everything. Drove me nuts. I don't even know if there was good content beyond it. Moving onto the next how to book. This one gave me a damn good headache.
August 14, 2011
A must read for those writing in the mystery genre and wanting to understand how this genre differentiates from other genres. A great into and confidence builder for writers.
April 23, 2015
This book gave me som great insights on how to improve my craft of writing. A must for all mystery writers.
January 26, 2019
If the intent of a "how-to" book is to give one some instruction before attempting their career in earnest, then I am doing it all wrong, since I've been writing for years (some of those works being mysteries) and having some success, albeit limited and nowhere near the level of the author of this book, James Frey.
This James Frey shouldn't be confused with the discredited/disgraced author of the sham memoir "A Million Little Pieces" that Oprah flogged pretty hard to her Praetorian Army of housewives in her Book Club, as this guy (James M. Frey) is a good writer and explicitly writes fiction (when not rattling off the How-To books).
So no, I didn't read the book to learn my chops or build some kind of foundation, but more as a way to bone up on some familiar ideas, strategies, tropes, concepts, and techniques dealing with how to write a mystery that avoids cliches, keeps the reader engaged, and (most importantly from Mr. Frey's perspective) catches the eye of an agent and allows one to get their creditors off their backs.
Depending on your own philosophy, Frey either comes off as unpretentious and practical, or a bit of a mercenary who doesn't so much follow his muse as she soars, but hobbles her (a la Misery Chastain) just to keep her from running riot and leading him toward a goal that's too lofty or esoteric to help him pay the rent. I like both "literary" or "high" fiction and stuff that's considered low brow, so while I was not totally in accord with Frey, neither did my monocle drop into my fizzing chardonnay when he talked like this.
All in all, there is a lot of good, concrete advice about the general mechanics of the writing process, and various stylistic pitfalls to avoid. The more specific advice about the mystery genre itself wasn't revelatory or new for the most part, and Frey doesn't try to pretend it's native to him, but sometimes even the most seasoned expert needs a refresher on the basics. And it goes without saying that if you're just getting started in the game, Frey's book poses no threat of steering you wrong and may actually help you along your path. Good luck to you, and to him. Recommended.
This James Frey shouldn't be confused with the discredited/disgraced author of the sham memoir "A Million Little Pieces" that Oprah flogged pretty hard to her Praetorian Army of housewives in her Book Club, as this guy (James M. Frey) is a good writer and explicitly writes fiction (when not rattling off the How-To books).
So no, I didn't read the book to learn my chops or build some kind of foundation, but more as a way to bone up on some familiar ideas, strategies, tropes, concepts, and techniques dealing with how to write a mystery that avoids cliches, keeps the reader engaged, and (most importantly from Mr. Frey's perspective) catches the eye of an agent and allows one to get their creditors off their backs.
Depending on your own philosophy, Frey either comes off as unpretentious and practical, or a bit of a mercenary who doesn't so much follow his muse as she soars, but hobbles her (a la Misery Chastain) just to keep her from running riot and leading him toward a goal that's too lofty or esoteric to help him pay the rent. I like both "literary" or "high" fiction and stuff that's considered low brow, so while I was not totally in accord with Frey, neither did my monocle drop into my fizzing chardonnay when he talked like this.
All in all, there is a lot of good, concrete advice about the general mechanics of the writing process, and various stylistic pitfalls to avoid. The more specific advice about the mystery genre itself wasn't revelatory or new for the most part, and Frey doesn't try to pretend it's native to him, but sometimes even the most seasoned expert needs a refresher on the basics. And it goes without saying that if you're just getting started in the game, Frey's book poses no threat of steering you wrong and may actually help you along your path. Good luck to you, and to him. Recommended.
April 27, 2024
James N. Frey’s “How to Write a Damn Good Mystery” is an indispensable treasure trove for any aspiring or seasoned writer aiming to master the art of crafting a compelling mystery novel. Packed with practical advice, Frey demystifies the complex elements that make up a gripping mystery story, guiding readers with a firm but approachable hand through the intricate process of developing suspenseful plots, deep characters, and thrilling twists.
From the outset, Frey captures the reader's interest with a conversational tone that feels both engaging and educational. He breaks down the mystery genre into manageable components, making the task of writing seem less daunting and more attainable. The book is structured in a way that mirrors the construction of a mystery novel itself, beginning with the foundations and building up to the more nuanced skills needed to polish your manuscript.
One of the standout features of Frey’s guide is his emphasis on character development. He argues convincingly that a mystery is only as strong as its protagonist and antagonist. With detailed chapters on crafting a memorable detective and a worthy adversary, Frey provides not just the tools but also the insights necessary to create characters that live and breathe on the page, pulling readers into their world and keeping them hooked till the last page.
Frey excels in his thorough exploration of plotting. He lays out clear, strategic methods for planning out a mystery plot that includes false leads, red herrings, and the all-important climactic revelation. His approach is meticulous and detailed, offering a step-by-step guide that beginners can follow easily while also providing deeper insights for more experienced writers seeking to refine their craft. Throughout the book, Frey incorporates numerous examples from well-known mystery works to illustrate his points effectively.
Beyond just the mechanics of writing a mystery, Frey’s book serves as a source of inspiration and motivation. He peppers the text with encouraging words and success stories, making the daunting task of writing a book feel more achievable. His passion for the mystery genre is evident and infectious, likely inspiring readers to start plotting their own stories before even finishing the book.
“How to Write a Damn Good Mystery” by James N. Frey is a comprehensive, insightful, and indispensable guide that deserves a spot on the bookshelf of anyone interested in writing within the mystery genre. Whether you're just dabbling with the idea of writing a mystery or are deep into your writing career, Frey’s book offers valuable insights that can help elevate your writing to the next level. A true masterclass in mystery writing, this book earns a well-deserved five stars for its clarity, depth, and practical utility.
From the outset, Frey captures the reader's interest with a conversational tone that feels both engaging and educational. He breaks down the mystery genre into manageable components, making the task of writing seem less daunting and more attainable. The book is structured in a way that mirrors the construction of a mystery novel itself, beginning with the foundations and building up to the more nuanced skills needed to polish your manuscript.
One of the standout features of Frey’s guide is his emphasis on character development. He argues convincingly that a mystery is only as strong as its protagonist and antagonist. With detailed chapters on crafting a memorable detective and a worthy adversary, Frey provides not just the tools but also the insights necessary to create characters that live and breathe on the page, pulling readers into their world and keeping them hooked till the last page.
Frey excels in his thorough exploration of plotting. He lays out clear, strategic methods for planning out a mystery plot that includes false leads, red herrings, and the all-important climactic revelation. His approach is meticulous and detailed, offering a step-by-step guide that beginners can follow easily while also providing deeper insights for more experienced writers seeking to refine their craft. Throughout the book, Frey incorporates numerous examples from well-known mystery works to illustrate his points effectively.
Beyond just the mechanics of writing a mystery, Frey’s book serves as a source of inspiration and motivation. He peppers the text with encouraging words and success stories, making the daunting task of writing a book feel more achievable. His passion for the mystery genre is evident and infectious, likely inspiring readers to start plotting their own stories before even finishing the book.
“How to Write a Damn Good Mystery” by James N. Frey is a comprehensive, insightful, and indispensable guide that deserves a spot on the bookshelf of anyone interested in writing within the mystery genre. Whether you're just dabbling with the idea of writing a mystery or are deep into your writing career, Frey’s book offers valuable insights that can help elevate your writing to the next level. A true masterclass in mystery writing, this book earns a well-deserved five stars for its clarity, depth, and practical utility.
August 9, 2023
A fair amount of very good writing advice couched in a whole lot of uninteresting examples from his own novel-in-progress, which it felt like he was making up on the fly in order to illustrate his methods. I would have greatly preferred seeing these same ideas illustrated by a range of examples from well-known mystery novels. How have the best writers of the genre used these techniques? As opposed to an author whose own novels aren't particularly widely read or highly rated (at least here on Goodreads)? As an entirely subjective critique, I just didn't like his attitude. For that reason alone, I'm rounding down the 3.5 stars this objectively useful book probably deserves.
March 5, 2018
Another good book on novel writing by James Frey. This installment of How to Write a Damn Good Novel, repeats a lot of the information in his other books yet Frey bends mystery into this book for people writing mysteries. In this book I really liked exploring what other characters did off screen and disliked the writing good prose section at the end that could have been in any book on writing. I also liked the indepth step-sheet but if I had to keep only one of Frey's book on the shelf, it would be How To Wite a Damn Good Novel II.
May 26, 2021
This book unlocked my ability to go from "I'm writing a mystery, I guess I need some clues and a killer" to a clear sense of purpose and structure for my work. Extremely valuable.
Yes, there are a few pages early in the book that feature misogynistic tropes about women. Which sucks. But you could rip those pages out (and glaze over the words "damn good" and his digs at literary fiction each time they come up) and still get a TON out of this book.
I found it most useful for:
- getting clear on the difference between the plot as it happens and the plot as it is revealed to the reader.
- understanding the classic "five acts" of a mystery and how you can use them (or deviate) to structure a whole novel.
- seeing real examples of what he means through the sample mystery he works on in the book. Yeah, it's not a great mystery. But it's a rare example of someone showing and not just telling when it comes to writing a book.
Yes, there are a few pages early in the book that feature misogynistic tropes about women. Which sucks. But you could rip those pages out (and glaze over the words "damn good" and his digs at literary fiction each time they come up) and still get a TON out of this book.
I found it most useful for:
- getting clear on the difference between the plot as it happens and the plot as it is revealed to the reader.
- understanding the classic "five acts" of a mystery and how you can use them (or deviate) to structure a whole novel.
- seeing real examples of what he means through the sample mystery he works on in the book. Yeah, it's not a great mystery. But it's a rare example of someone showing and not just telling when it comes to writing a book.
October 30, 2021
Definitely good advice, but too formulaic. There are some hard rules that the author puts his foot down on that I think are debatable, but this is still a great formula. It is a good place to get started, and if you don't agree with some stuff, there is definitely other things that will help you. I'll definitely be taking some of the pieces here to heart.
The writing itself is easy to read, and there is free mystery story here to read and enjoy while you are learning. Frey had fun writing this too, because there are some jokes that made me laugh out loud.
The writing itself is easy to read, and there is free mystery story here to read and enjoy while you are learning. Frey had fun writing this too, because there are some jokes that made me laugh out loud.
February 18, 2019
I don't read many craft books because they're generally full of things I already know or have heard repeatedly. This was a great read because it took everything I knew and applied it to mystery, which I know little to nothing about. Watching the author create his own mystery story got a little tiring by the end because I just wanted to apply it all to my developing story, but this is still a great book worth purchasing.
October 2, 2019
I have ambiguous feelings about this book.
The author is righteous prick with strong opinions, there is only one correct way to do things: his way.
Author advertises his other books in every second page which is really annoying.
Some chapters of the book is just pure bullshit.
HOWEVER...
It's nothing like other books I read, so I found useful, practical insights.
There are a lot of books about writing well and it's up to you if you want to pick this one.
The author is righteous prick with strong opinions, there is only one correct way to do things: his way.
Author advertises his other books in every second page which is really annoying.
Some chapters of the book is just pure bullshit.
HOWEVER...
It's nothing like other books I read, so I found useful, practical insights.
There are a lot of books about writing well and it's up to you if you want to pick this one.
April 10, 2021
Meh. Not bad, but not amazing. The author fleshes out his own made up premise for a mystery he calls Murder in Montana. He does into such elaborate detail, it was like reading 80-100 page mystery novel within a non-fiction book. I had trouble following along.
This book might help other aspiring mystery writers, but didn't really cut it for me. Not a bad book by any means, but not what I was expecting.
All in all, still worth a read.
This book might help other aspiring mystery writers, but didn't really cut it for me. Not a bad book by any means, but not what I was expecting.
All in all, still worth a read.
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