good ideas for mystery stories

A good idea for a mystery story could be centered around a series of anonymous letters that are being sent to different people in a community. These letters contain cryptic messages that seem to be leading to some sort of impending doom. The detective or the main character has to decipher the codes in the letters and figure out who is sending them and why. Also, a mystery about a locked room where a person is found dead with no obvious way in or out is always interesting. Or perhaps a story where a young heir suddenly disappears on the night before they are set to inherit a large fortune.

You could base a mystery story on a cursed painting. The painting has a strange history. People who own it start experiencing bad luck or seeing strange apparitions. Is it a hoax, or is there something truly supernatural about it? Also, having a detective character who has his own personal demons can add depth to the story. He's trying to solve the mystery while also dealing with his own problems, like a drinking habit or a broken relationship.

A murder mystery set in a small, idyllic village. A wealthy landowner is found dead. The local villagers all seem to have motives. The baker might be angry because the landowner wanted to raise the rent of his shop. The gardener could be suspect as he was often mistreated by the landowner. And there could be a mysterious stranger who was seen in the village around the time of the murder. The key to solving the mystery could be a rare flower found at the crime scene which is only grown in the gardener's greenhouse.

A good idea for a short mystery story is a cursed object. For example, a beautiful antique mirror that brings bad luck to anyone who looks into it. People start having accidents or misfortunes after looking at it. The mystery could be about finding out the origin of the curse and how to break it. Another is a missing heirloom that has a lot of sentimental value. It was last seen in a particular room of an old mansion. The main character has to search through old family secrets and hidden passages to find it. Also, a mystery about a strange symbol that keeps appearing around town. No one knows what it means, and it seems to be linked to some sort of underground cult or a long - lost treasure.

One idea could be a missing heirloom. The story could start with an old family's most prized possession disappearing overnight. The main character, a young detective, could be hired to solve the mystery. He or she then discovers strange footprints around the scene and some cryptic notes left behind.

Read a lot of mystery novels and watch mystery movies. This exposes you to different plot devices and mystery - solving techniques. For example, you can learn how to create red herrings from the works of Agatha Christie. Another way is to think about real - life mysteries like unsolved crimes or historical enigmas and adapt them into your story. You can also start with a simple question, like 'What if a person woke up in a place they didn't recognize with no memory of how they got there?' and build a mystery around it.

One idea could be a murder in a small, isolated town where everyone seems to have a secret. The victim is a newcomer who might have uncovered something that threatened the town's hidden past. For example, a long - forgotten crime or an illegal business operation. Another idea is a murder at a high - society party. The guests are all wealthy and powerful, and any one of them could have a motive, like jealousy over a business deal or a love affair. A third idea is a murder in a spooky old mansion. There could be hidden passages and rooms, and the killer uses the layout of the mansion to their advantage to commit the crime and then disappear.

You could have a murder mystery where the victim is a journalist who was about to expose a big scandal. The killer could be anyone from a corrupt politician to a powerful business tycoon who wants to keep their secrets hidden. It would be interesting to see how the detective tries to uncover the web of lies and cover - ups.

One idea could be a small town where people start receiving anonymous threatening letters. The main character, a local journalist, decides to investigate. As they dig deeper, they find that the letters are related to a long - forgotten town secret from decades ago involving a powerful family who will do anything to keep it buried.

For a mystery story, consider creating a locked - room mystery. A person is found dead in a room that was locked from the inside. How did it happen? Another good idea is to introduce a code or cipher that the characters need to solve. It could be related to a historical event or an ancient legend. And don't forget about false leads. Make the readers think they've figured it out, but then throw in a twist that shows they were wrong.