How does one write a mystery? In Sleuth, Gail Bowen pulls back the curtain and offers aspiring writers her best tips. From plot to protagonist to scene, you'll learn everything you need to know about working in this popular and challenging genre.
Gail Dianne Bowen (née Bartholomew) is a Canadian playwright and writer of mystery novels. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently taught English in Saskatchewan, and is currently a professor of English at First Nations University of Canada. Bowen's mystery novels feature Joanne Kilbourn, a widowed mother, political analyst and university professor who finds herself occasionally involved in criminal investigations in various parts of Saskatchewan. Many have been adapted as Canadian television movies by Shaftesbury Films.
This is a useful little book with lots of tips and insights from a mystery author herself. It’s succinct and helpful, and I would recommend this book to those who are getting started with writing and for those who are looking to improve their mystery writing craft.
Reading Gail Bowen's guide to mystery writing hit home two observations on the craft of fiction written by those who are actually good at it: first, those books are eminently more readable than the piles of rehashed "write a gigantic bestseller in three easy steps" offerings. Second, I'm not at all sure that great writers can actually convey a method anyone else can follow.
Quite possibly my favourite part of Sleuth is a short story written by Bowen herself that she breaks down for the reader into its attendant parts (e.g. "catalyst", "climax" . . . etc). The story itself is excellent, so it makes the subsequent deconstruction feel more meaningful than in most other writing guides. The only problem is it never quite tells you how to achieve the same result yourself. I suppose some would argue that it shouldn't – that writing a novel is an intensely personal, internalized experience that is best talked around than about. Of course, if that's the case then it's not entirely clear what such books are intended to accomplish.
I maintain that one of the most celebrated books on the craft, Stephen King's On Writing, is the most depressing book I've ever read. I've had eight novels published but I swear that going by King's description of who and what writers are I should never have set figurative pen to paper in the first place. He describes the process as if, absent a constant burning desire to hit the keys and an attendant orgasmic sensation that follows, one should abandon the craft for something more suitable. Gail Bowen's Sleuth never abjures the reader in those ways, but there's still an aspect to it where you come out the other side understanding why Bowen herself is a great author, but without any particular process that's going to help you do what she does so well.
That aside, there's plenty of food for thought in Sleuth, and maybe that's what such books are for: to spark ideas for us rather than offering the same structure as a thousand others have provided only with new names for the steps. For her insights alone, I think Bowen's book is worth spending a few hours, even if it's only to enjoy spending time in the mind of a terrific writer.
''Sleuth'' is a must-read for every aspiring writer and even though Gail Bowen, the Canadian playwright and mystery novel writer from Ontario, focuses mainly on crime fiction, her book will prove to be a useful tool for all wannabe fiction authors. Bowden divides the subject into clearly defined and separated from one another categories such as Theme, Characterization, Plot and Structure, Style and Syntax etc., which helps the reader to approach each aspect individually and step-by-step he becomes capable of integrating each subject into a whole. ''Sleuth'' is rich in references about crime novels and writers, some of them concern Bowden's own work, and it also offers the reader some simple and pragmatic advises about the art of writing. Apart from the above, it is a relatively short book and it can be read in one sitting. I think that ''Sleuth'' is a book that deserves wider recognition and I will be definitely be checking Gail Bowden's bibliography from now on. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing this free e-book.
This guide took about an hour to read and while I enjoyed some of it, I didn't learn much from the contents, though an absolute newcomer to writing would. The author lives in a rural province of Canada and lectures in English as well as writing mystery series. Well done, but I have never heard of her books. Constantly telling us that they are beloved and have been adapted for film is not teaching anything about crime writing. She also spends far too many pages discussing her own plots and characters in her lengthy series.
The basics of fiction writing are listed, including what tenses may be used and which forms of narrator. If you don't know that much, go back to junior school. The author also skimps greatly - she lists third person narrator, but does not explain that this may be third person which follows the protagonist and sees what they see; or follows each person as an omniescent narrator. Character first, then plot, sounds fine to me. When and how to make time for writing.
The author constantly refers to books about writing - Strunk and White, or Stephen King. Okay, but we could just read those books. She doesn't try to improve on them. For instance we are told X decided there are seven basic plots (or reasons to tell a story) including the quest, comedy, tragedy etc. More classic plots have been identified, which include the fool triumphant (Footloose, Jack and the Beanstalk) and the royalty among commoners (The Student Prince, Princess and the Pea). This seems to show that the author found a basic answer and did not look any further in her research.
We're given a whole short-short story by this author which includes blowing up a car by tossing a lit cigarette end at the petrol tank which is uncapped. Never mess around with petrol, but this almost certainly would not ignite the fumes; a spark is required in my experience.
The author can't have read any current business/ marketing books, because she takes a few paragraphs and tells a story to describe an elevator pitch - surely this is an oxymoron. I found her style occasionally annoying; she starts paragraphs with It was and There were, and leaves the occasional preposition dangling. 'X does it right.' No, X does it correctly. The local vernacular is used a few times - "Deep six your prologue." Does this mean examine it deeply, kick it out (a sporting metaphor?), cut it tight, remove it? The paragraph goes on to tell us we should include the contents in the book. Quite correct, as I do not usually read prologues. I get on with the story. On one hand I can understand the inclusion of the vernacular, as a crime writer writes dialogue. On the other, this lady has an editor, she is a college lecturer in English, and she is writing non-fiction. Either she or the editor ought to have spotted that one, in my personal opinion. This makes me distrust the lady's advice on adverbs. Yes, Twain said not to use them, but he was a journalist and 'flowery words' are unwelcome in any newspaper. Use them sparingly.
How's about telling the reader to avoid repetition, to do a search for It, remove any double spaces, whether to drop clues early or late, the kind of job a protagonist should have if not police (small business is good as that person makes their own hours), how they find out police information, how they research, if they have a pet/ child/ spouse and what they do with it while sleuthing. Whether they have a skill which means people call upon them to be involved in cases or whether they just have to keep stumbling over bodies. All these would have been useful inclusions.
At the end the author tells us to persevere when trying to find an agent and then a publisher. No more to be said, is there? Well yes actually, she could tell authors that they have many options for publication, including fan fic sites, their own sites, short story magazines, anthologies, Amazon and other e-book publishers for independent authors. I am told Canada makes free ISBNs available to its authors, presumably to alleviate the depression of a long dark winter. But, having negotiated the gatekeepers of the trad press and signed her contracts, the author is not going to help new authors find their own way to the open market.
By all means read and enjoy this guide, but do not stop with this title. I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review and all opinions are just personal opinion, not intended to be hurtful.
This slim volume on writing mysteries packs a wallop. Full of sage but practical advice, Sleuth both informs and entertains. Sections include pre-writing, the elements of a successful mystery novel, editing, and getting published. Award-winning author Bowen gives us an insider’s view of her own approach. She generously shares her strategies, not only for writing a killer mystery, but also for raising the bar above the genre level if you so choose.
Required reading for every serious student of crime writing!
Very ordinary-- perhaps useful for a novice writer, but unless you're very familiar with Bowen's work (I'm not) then the excessive examples from her novels fall flat, and there wasn't anything special to take away.
If you never took or only vaguely remember a college English 100 class, Sleuth: Gail Bowen on Writing Mysteries is a perfect read for aspiring or new writers. It is also extremely useful for book reviewers like myself.
Within Sleuth: Gail Bowen on Writing Mysteries, Ms. Bowen extensively covers all the elements of the novel: • Theme • Characterization: protagonist, secondary and minor characters • Narrative perspective • Setting • Plot and structure • Style and syntax
She also divides up the writing process into prewriting, writing and editing. Unfortunately, many of her tips may only work for her. Some of her suggestions are to: • Write in the early morning. • Take a break for 5 minutes after every 25 minutes of writing. • Never leave your writing in a bad spot (because you won’t want to return tomorrow). • Buy a paper notebook with pockets that you can stuff with interesting news clippings.
Personally, I haven’t seen a paper newspaper for at least a decade or two plus I type all my notes on my phone. That said, many of her ideas were useful and new. Here are only a few examples: • Ask why the authors of your favorite five novels chose the specific elements within their novel. • Create intriguing backstories for your secondary and minor characters so you can expand on them in future books if your book turns into a series. • The opening sentence should contain the entire novel. • Don’t include research in your novel just because you did the research—it must further the plot. • The ending should fully resolve the mystery but leave the protagonist’s inner longings unfulfilled.
Most of the information found in Sleuth: Gail Bowen on Writing Mysteries can be used by an author of any type of novel—not just mysteries. The examples she uses within the book include both classic English literature and mysteries. While the majority of examples are from her own mystery series, she also reveals the ending of Gone Girl and The Sopranos. If you are planning on reading/watching those, you should avoid reading this book or at least skip those sections.
For those writers that have a few books under their belts, Sleuth: Gail Bowen on Writing Mysteries may be too rudimentary for their needs. For aspiring writers or reviewers, this book is worth 4 stars for being clearly focused on writing procedures and suggested processes that will increase the reader’s knowledge and abilities.
Thanks to the publisher, University of Regina Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
3.5 stars As a mystery writer, I was thrilled to be approved for this book! I was expecting practical strategies to improve my current writing process. While Sleuth offered valuable insight and examples, it read more like Stephen King's On Writing or Janet Evanovich's How I Write than the how-to guide I was expecting.
Gail Bowen clearly knows her genre and craft. She is a multi-award winning author with several titles that have been turned into movies. The first few chapters are dedicated to how Gail Bowen became an author and the events that led to her personal success.
She is also a college professor which shows in this book. The chapters read like classroom lectures. The information is couched with examples from both classic literature, well-known authors, and Bowen's own work. These can overwhelm her point and leave the reader digging to discover what strategy she is trying to recommend.
If you've studied the craft of writing, many of the quotes used to launch the topics will be familiar to you. Topics such as POV, Pre-Writing, and Characterization are covered on a basic level. For someone just starting out, this would be a great primer, but an experienced writer might have difficulty discovering any fresh wisdom in this.
A great deal of the book is dedicated to examining Bowen's own work. One chapter is devoted to her subplots and secondary characters. A writer familiar with her fiction series might benefit more from this approach. Since I am not familiar with the series or the characters, I struggled to make the connection from this that I could apply to my own writing. I was also put-off a bit by Bowen's assertion that a writer "must" follow the process that works for her. Every writer is different and should find the path that works best for his/her style.
Overall, Sleuth gives a nice overview of writing in general. Very little is dedicated strictly to writing mysteries. Her strategies could be applied across most genres.
I would recommend it to aspiring authors taking the first steps toward a career.
Loved this book. Bowen's work used the genre of mystery to discuss our times, and in this concise, useful and fun read she gives insight into her porcess, as well as good writing advice. The review from Publisher's weekly says it so well: "Bowen’s slim, useful guide expertly takes writers through the craft of writing mystery fiction. She is the author of 17 novels in the Joanne Kilbourn series (including A Colder Kind of Death, which won an Arthur Ellis Award), and her three decades of experience make her an insightful mentor. Drawing on her own work as well as novels by Raymond Chandler, Gillian Flynn, and Rex Stout, Bowen discusses the importance of research, elements of plot and characterization, and the extra work that goes into creating a series. What makes this guide rise above similar ones is Bowen’s appealing personality. For every note of solid instruction, there’s a memorable aside: “A fly in the soup doesn’t spoil the soup, but it does spoil the experience. Don’t spoil your reader’s experience. Don’t stint on the research.” " https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...
I recently attended a book talk and signing by Gail Bowen partly because I have been reading her books for years and I find them interesting and insightful, but also because I wanted to meet the woman who has created the world of Joanne Kilbourne Shreve in my home-town of Regina, Saskatchewan. This how-to book reveals many of the ways that she and other successful writers create a readable story - many of the answers she already shared in her personal talk. There's many reasons why Gail Bowen's books are popular, in no less part because she really cares about her characters and the settings she creates for them. I think if more writers wrote about issues that matter to them personally we would have better books to read! Even if you are not interested in writing your own mystery series, I recommend this book as a way to better understand how successful titles are constructed so that we, as readers, can trust our favourite writers to always get it right!
Sleuth read part writing reference and part writer's autobiography of her process in writing her own novels. There were many parts where I anticipated learning more about crafting a mystery, but the book fell short of explaining how to craft a mystery. Most of the examples read like summaries of goals, conflict, motivation, which are helpful. There were many other writing books referenced in this book which I've read. This was a short read. The biggest takeaway was the author's history of writing and publishing in her forties, which is inspirational.
Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the opportunity to rate and review this book.
I've read most of the Joanne Kilbourn mystery series set in Saskatchewan and enjoyed them. I was very happy when Joanne met and married Zack Shreve. Zack has a physical disability which doesn't seem to deter him from being a bit of a bad boy when we first meet him. He is also the highest paid lawyer in Regina. It is empowering to read about someone with a physical disability living a full life. Anyway, Sleuth, is a great read for anyone interested in writing a mystery book.
An important read for all writers! This short tome lays out a logical process to writing a mystery novel. More importantly, it shows. writers how one of Saskatchewan's most famous and popular writers continues to create one of our favourite mystery series.
So much great advice in so few pages. And contains the best line I've ever read in a craft book. When talking about pacing, Bowen writes, "There is no Cialis that will cause a flaccid manuscript to suddenly pulse with life." I will reread this one.
You know I really thought her tips were great and I would’ve given this a decent rating if 90% of this books wasnt just a behind the scenes of her books and her biography
I was interested to see what makes a best seller, unfortunately for me it concentrates too much on one specific style, personally I do not like modern crime, and I do not like books that rely on building on the same characters. It is a pity a well developed plot and puzzle is hard to find - even if the characters are wooden - they do make a good read For me this book was interesting, but I certainly expected a little more.
The book was not what I thought, but I ended up liking it. Reading lots of mysteries in no way prepares anyone to write one. Some of the suggestions she makes are really helpful as both a reader and writer.. Her attitude is great, humorous and supportive, great book to have around for all kinds of writing.