Do you love mystery stories, such as the Sherlock Holmes stories and those of Edgar Allan Poe and Agatha Christie?

Do you ever yearn to be a good writer of mysteries?

Carolyn Wells was a prolific author of mystery novels. In this detailed book, she teaches the history, types, principles, devices, plots, and structures of mystery writings. This is virtually a miniature course in creative writing of the mystery story.

Originally published in 1913, this was the first full-length book in English about mystery and detective fiction. Still valuable as an instruction manual after over a century, Well's wisdom and critical acumen brought to this volume has enabled millions of mystery writers world-wide to discover and dissect what makes a successful mystery story.

She gives advice to would-be authors of this genre, including ghost and riddle stories as well as detective and crime mysteries.

This authoritative work begins with a justification of mystery as a legitimate literary art form, with numerous quotations from authorities. Then proceeding systematically through her topics, she explains and illustrates the mystery-writing craft with excerpts from mystery works and quotations of literary critics and notable authors.

Carolyn Wells wrote a total of more than 170 books. Among the most famous of her mystery novels were the Fleming Stone Detective Stories

The lover of mystery will find many authors and stories cited and excerpted in this book, which would be a good resource for finding more material to satisfy the reader's thirst for the genre.

Aspiring authors will find insights through the critical eyes of this successful mystery author and of the many authors whom she quotes.

This edition was created by popular request to enable any beginning or established author to improve their skills by studying quality editions of classic bestselling fiction.

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In this book the author of those successful mystery stories, 'The Clue,' "A Chain of Evidence,' "Curved Blades' and others, takes the student into the laboratory where such novels are made and elucidates the processes clearly. But plot is by no means reduced to a formula. Instead, the resource and invention of the writer is stimulated to the utmost.

"It is a book that will be read many times by the ambitious would-be writer." -The Springfield Union

"I cannot imagine any one leaving it unfinished, once having begun to read it. Yet, when you see it announced as 'a complete practical study of the form, with examples from the best mystery writers,' you not only smile, but feel sure that the author smiled, too. The table of contents is delicious. Chapter IV, for instance, is about ghost stories, and it is divided into four parts: a working classification, the ghost story, famous ghost stories, the humorous ghost story. Against attempting the last, by the way, the novice is warned....Miss Wells makes some surprising statements. 'A true lover of detective fiction,' she writes, 'never reads detailed newspaper accounts of crime....Immensely interesting.'" -The Nation

Carolyn Wells was a prolific author of mystery novels. In this detailed book, she teaches the history, types, principles, devices, plots, and structures of mystery writings.

### About the Author

Carolyn Wells was an American author of mysteries, verse, humor, and children's books. In 1910 she decided to devote herself to mysteries and became an early master of the genre, creating two memorable sleuths: Pennington Wise and Fleming Stone. Earlier in her career, she penned two humorous stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and a plethora of...