The Tangled Web

by Jane E. Kalmes

The last book on mystery writing you'll ever need.

In this book, you'll

•. the three qualities that make an iconic sleuth
•. the four motives at the heart of every crime
•. the simple science behind creating shocking plot twists
•. how to support your twists with a robust network of clues



•. the four kinds of alibi
•. the four kinds of Damning Clues
•. how to construct false suspects
•. the 16 Story Beats every mystery needs

And so much more! The Tangled Web takes you through the entire process of planning a mystery novel, from start to finish. If you've always wanted to write a mystery—or if you've tried before and gotten stuck—this book is for you!

Genres: Nonfiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[the_bookish_took]

I ABSOLUTELY love this book! Super helpful to teach someone how to write a mystery, plant clues along the way, and generally give you a fantastic plan of action to follow. Her method of plotting is done in a way that really helps you to get a feel for your ideas, and to place them into a cohesive plan so you know exactly what you're doing. Also, check out her YouTube channel--she has a lot of great content. While this (and her channel) is tailored to the mystery genre specifically, a lot of her methods can be applied to different genres, such as the Image Bank and the Hook (defined here as the world in which your story is set).

She definitely has a gift for teaching and making it easily understandable with practical methods. I eagerly await her next book, nonfiction or otherwise!

Note on the typos: Yes, there are a few, but don't let that deter you from the methods she lays out. They are sound. (Having read the other two books she has out there, there a few typos there as well, yes, but the mysteries are solid and enjoyable, the character work consistent and all around a delight to read.)

[Karen J]

This book is an excellent guide to authors who are approaching the awesome journey of writing a book. Jane Hannon Kalmes is a gifted, talented author. Her expertise and skills show throughout this book as she guides writers in a logical way. Her use of current/well-known movies, tv shows, books and other media to highlight the writing process is thorough. Her fantastic research and memory compliment her writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is as intriguing as a "mystery book" to me. Thank you for sharing your gifts with all who read your newest book.

[C.A. Newsome]

Finally! A Craft Book for Mystery Writers

No matter what writing gurus claim about the Hero’s Journey (or Save the Cat, etc) fitting every type of story, mysteries have special needs that other craft books leave wanting. I’ve followed Jane’s mystery craft videos on YouTube for years (and I have the stack of notated index cards to prove it). This book is the distillation of her knowledge, in a well-organized and easily digested format. A must have for every mystery writer.

[Blue]

This book is making me a better writer.

Here's What I Expected: A short jaunt into the basics of mystery writing

What I Got: A machine of pragmatism that turns the gossamer threads of idea into solid planning and structure. This book is 343 pages of insight strained and compacted into sensible tools and techniques.

I highly recommend to writers of any genre!

[JOHN H JOHNSON]

Great book for any aspiring mystery writer

Practical and thoughtful advice on the many elements of writing a mystery. It is very useful for writing yourself out of corners. You can also use Jane's advice if you are a rigid plotter or a pantser in trouble! Highly recommend.

[Quartknee]

So good! I got an eBook copy to start and then a print copy too because it's such a great resource.

[Cheryl Gilmore]

I read this book a few months ago and originally gave it 4 stars. Reflecting, I now believe this book was written in full or in part by AI. There are way too many m-dashes, (several on each page) as well as words written twice like "the the" or "And and". I thought at first it was just bad writing or editing, but having done my research on Generative AI, I now know these two things suggest that this was written by AI. I hate that I have to change my rating to a one star. I love Jane Kalmes' Youtube channel, and a lot of the information in this book was helpful. I can't get over how many things in this book points to AI and I can't ignore that. I really hope I'm wrong.
For this reason, I am changing my rating to one star, and I will not be reading any more books from this author, nor will I be watching her videos anymore.

[Atheris]

The best book on the nuts and bolts of mystery writing I’ve come across. It’s gotten me closer to finishing plotting the overly complicated fantasy/mystery thing I’m trying to write than anything else has, haha