Writing murder mysteries is, by far, the hardest writing I've ever had to do. It’s not enough just to tell a good story, you also have to come up with a challenging puzzle. It's twice as much work for the same money. There is no right way to devise a murder mystery. Every author has his own approach, one that’s every bit as unique as his literary voice. For me, it never starts with the murder. It always begins with the detective, especially if the story I am setting out to tell is part of an ongoing series. The idea for the mystery will arise from the personality of the hero, and what aspects of his character I want to explore, what arena (a place, industry, sport, culture, etc.)... more
