A Murder Mystery - An Outline

I created this outline in 2023. It was born for my need of an investigatory sub-plot. It was then that I decided to create a full template for a murder mystery, just in case I felt the need to write one in the future. Use it, cull from it what you want and delete the rest, or completely discard it. The choice is yours. Note: You will see several repeats within this outline, trust me when I say that it’s necessary.

An Act of Depravity:

Orient the reader to the victim and make the reader feel for him/her. Then, have the murder or other crime happen. Maybe include a symbol or key image that the reader will see again later for foreshadowing purposes. Disclose the crime and mystery to be solved. The crime must capture the imagination. It should have been committed in an extraordinary way and either the victim the perpetrator, or both, should be unusual and/or unique. Give the reader enough information about the victim to make them truly care that the perpetrator is found out and that justice is served. Ground the reader in the time and place where the crime occurs. It is often useful to include some sort of symbol, an object or a person, in the opening scene which serves as a metaphor for what occurs later in the story. The re-appearance of this symbol at the conclusion of the story will create a certain organic unity.

The Initial Victim:

This section needs to be all about the first victim. It should also include an in depth look into the lives of the protagonist’s and their team as a side story.

Preliminary Whisperings:

Showcase the protagonist’s processes for collecting potential clues relating to the “Act of Depravity”. These clues should be sufficient to carry the reader through roughly twenty-five percent of the investigation.

Traversing Whispers Boulevard:

The protagonist and their group must follow the trail of clues, talk to the people nearby, and confer with his/her/their peers and even bring many or all of them into the inner circle in order to make the best decisions possible in order to figure out how to proceed further.

An Introductory Scoundrel:

Even red herring characters should have means, motive and opportunity to have committed the crime. Perhaps there should be things that they don’t immediately tell the protagonist or their group that with further investigation may cause the protagonist or their group to have need to come back to the suspect one or more times at a later date in order to clear up any of these new discrepancies.

Predicaments and Quandaries:

Never judge a book by its cover. In other words, things may not be what they seem initially. So the protagonist and their group must sift through all of these inconsistencies in order to cross people off the suspect list in order to reveal the real perpetrator of the crime. This takes patience, time and a solid team. There will be complications, and there will be a lot of them, but it’s all in how the protagonist and their group handles them that ultimately makes the difference.

An Alternative Transgressor:

The Spurious Objective Kickoff:

Start with the true goal, which is derived from the theme and should lead to a suitable ending. Then work your way backward to figure out how the character would have fallen onto the wrong path prior to finding the right one (probably with the help of a mentor or mentee.) Develop a character who would have followed that path, then build other characters who that character would have encountered en route, including antagonists who have their own agendas that happen to conflict with the goals of the protagonist.

The Bronze Medal Winner (The Probable Wrongdoer):

Additional Predicaments and Quandaries:

The Doubleheader:

The perpetrator feels totally comfortable in his current environment. He’s established in his mission, and has the protagonist and their group running in circles (or so it seems), as a result, he feels confident enough to commit what has been coined as a “Double Event”. These two linked crimes can be a combination of almost anything and is entirely up to the discretion of the author. These two linked crimes will also send the protagonist and their group reeling.

Superfluous Particulars and Gridlocks:

The protagonist and their group attempts to sort through all of the unnecessary information coming in and dead ends as a direct result, in order to continue to further their investigation.

The Continuance of the Spurious Objective:

How to keep the reader on a false goal, while the real goal is something else: Question: Okay, I know that the question might be a bit hard, but I am really wanting to write this novel that won’t let me sleep at night! I have read all of the tips of how to make the Story Goal and the 8 steps to making a Plot Outline. By reading all of the articles, I believe it has grounded my story goal and plot. Which is why I need a quick answer! See my story is about a girl (abused by her father and other bad, horrible things) has finally been set free from him, yet everything he did to her still remains. And she doesn’t want to bother her mother about it or anybody else, because they do not need to carry that weight on their shoulders like she does. Plus she gets bullied and in the story her close friend deceives her. Horribly, if I must add. Onwards, I will ramble on if I don’t… She plans out suicide is the best answer and sets all of these plans into action to succeed in her goal; to kill herself. But I want to trick my readers into thinking that through most of the book that she is okay, which is why I set a fake goal for the readers to set them way off; to fall in love. How would I trick my readers into thinking that she is in love, but also have her plan out that she is suicidal, which towards the end shows them that? I don’t want to hint though, because I feel I will be predictable… And I was also thinking I might add someone to save her, which is her consequence. So in all of this! How do I trick my readers and keep up the many obstacles of how she wants to find love mixed into her true goal? I almost forgot to mention another twist in this story! She has a ghost that lives in her house, who doesn’t like her idea of dying or trying to find love so soon. But I changed her friendly ghost into a figment of her imagination! She created him when she was younger and forgot him, when she tells all her problems to him, she simply answers herself, I suppose its split personality. Could it also be possible for these two goals to be intertwined into one huge goal or would it be forcing two separate stories into one? Answer: To answer the last question first, you certainly could have one overarching Story Goal in this story. It could be to escape from the self-loathing brought on by the abuse, or to change her situation. Within that, she may think the solution to her problem is one thing (love, suicide), only to realize at the climax that the real solution is something else. I think you have to decide whether you’re writing a comedy/tragedy, in which she succeeds in committing suicide and therefore fails to resolve her inner anguish, or a tragic comedy, in which case she fails to commit suicide, but that turns out to be a good thing because it leads to a better life (the ending where someone saves her). If she dies, the thematic message would be that you cannot outrun your fate. The abuse doomed her, and there’s no escape. If she lives, the message would be the opposite. Of course, it’s up to you what type of message you want to convey. You may also need to decide who the impact character is——the ghost or the love interest. Either could be a candidate for the savior role. As for how to trick the reader… One possibility is to consider downplaying the Requirements, all the things she puts in place in preparation for her suicide attempt. Make these seem innocuous as they occur. Mask her true purpose as she meets each one. At the same time, exaggerate the Forewarnings, the signs that she may be falling in love. At least have her go through all the motions in a big way, even if she’s not as emotionally engaged with her love interest as one normally would be. (You want the reader to see the warning signs, but only in hindsight.) It’s what you leave out that creates the mystery. Often people who have made the decision to take their life become much calmer, less bothered by the painful emotions that troubled them before. It’s a feeling of detachment that can make her seem more “OK” than she really is.

Advancing Down Whispers Boulevard:

The protagonist continues to gather clues and attempt to apply them to the current path of investigation.

An Evanescing:

This can either be a red herring character disappears or the real bad guy flees or even a group of potential suspects disappearing. This can include physical chases and hypothetical chases. This should showcase the protagonist and their group’s frustrations and their methods of investigation.

The Inquisition:

Showcase intimate details of the protagonist and their group’s investigation, their interactions with their peers, and their superiors. Showcase any and all interviews and props. Showcase past and recent successes and failures. Showcase their frustrations and their triumphs.

Concomitants Overfloweth:

Develop a sense of urgency for both the main suspect and the protagonist and their group. Raise the stakes or make it evident that if the mystery/mysteries is/are not solved soon, there will be terrible consequences for the protagonist, their group and society at large.

The Continuance of the Spurious Objective:

Fresh Perpetrators Materialize:

All this time, the protagonist has been chasing clues that lead them to a suspect that they thought was the guilty party, but as they found out earlier, things are not always quite what they seem. So it’s time to stop and re-evaluate the situation. The last thing the protagonist wants is to collar the wrong person and embarrass himself, his group and allow for justice to go unserved. They must be more careful in the from now on.

Accessorial Predicaments and Quandaries:

A Previously Undivulged Revelation:

Not everything that is seen is actually seen. Sometimes we fail. “In plain sight”, is not always something that is easily recognized immediately, and the protagonist is no acceptation to this rule. The protagonist misses something, and it’s an important something, it may well be the key to solving the crime all together, but they still manage to miss it. This fact will cause a re-evaluation of everything discovered up until this point. This may be the breaking point for the protagonist and their group.

An Additional Sufferer:

This section needs to be all about the forth victim. It should also include an in depth look into the lives of the protagonist’s and their team as a side story.

An Incongruous Existence:

The protagonist is broken, and doesn’t know which way to turn anymore. There are too many red herrings, too many false leads, and too many dead ends. They need someone to turn to, someone to talk to and someone with a fresh pair of eyes. It might be time to bring someone new into the fold, as right now nothing makes sense anymore, and if they’re going to solve this/these crime(s) things need to start making sense, and sooner rather than later.

A Surplus of Superfluous Particulars and Gridlocks:

The protagonist and their group attempts to sort through all of the unnecessary information coming in and dead ends as a direct result, in order to continue to further their investigation.

The Continuance of the Spurious Objective:

Now, It’s Personal:

Make it clear that the protagonist now has a personal stake in the outcome, either because of threat to their life, threats towards other’s in their life, or the possibility of revelation of matters deeply disturbing to the protagonist on an emotional level. This is the time where you need to heavily raise the stakes.

The Unremitting Whispers Boulevard:

The protagonist continues to gather clues and attempt to apply them to the current path of investigation.

Shrouded Justifications:

Reveal hidden motives of higher ups, the suspects and protagonist, their group. Formerly secret relationships come to light, such as business arrangements, romantic involvements, scores to be settled or previously veiled kinships. Develop and expose meanings of matters hinted at in the very beginning to slowly clarify the significance of earlier clues and how they relate to how things are at this point in the investigation.

The Continuance of the Spurious Objective:

Unattainable Conclusions:

The protagonist reveals the results of the investigation up to this point. The reader, as well as the protagonist and other characters, are given an opportunity to review what is known and assess the possibilities of new developments to come, although as of now, the solution of the crime appears to be impossible. Attempts to solve the crime have stymied the protagonist. Misinterpretation of clues or mistaken conclusions have led the protagonist and their group in the wrong direction, and logic must be applied to force a new way of grasping an understanding of the uncertainties so that the investigation can continue to proceed.

Concatenation:

Have the protagonist review the case to determine where they’ve gone wrong previously. Reevaluate and reveal the chain of events which provoked the crime(s) in the first place. The crucial evidence will be something/some things overlooked previously, which appeared to have been of little consequence at the time it was first disclosed, but now is crucial to solving the case. That evidence takes on new meaning with this new information disclosed now. The protagonist (and perhaps the reader, if a keep observer) becomes aware of the previous error(s) which continue to remain undisclosed to the other characters.

Slackened Eventualities:

The protagonist weighs what seems to be the final pieces of evidence and information gleaned from the other characters/former suspects. Based on only what they know now, they must seek positive proof to back up the yet undisclosed conclusion.

The Latter Most Departing Spirit:

This section needs to be all about the final victim. It should also include an in depth look into the lives of the protagonist’s and their team as a side story.

The Continuance of the Spurious Objective:

Resolutions Preponderates:

The protagonist, having been tested, is strengthened for the final action leading to the actual solution of the mystery/mysteries.

Climacteric Superfluous Particulars and Gridlocks:

The protagonist and their group attempts to sort through all of the unnecessary information coming in and dead ends as a direct result, in order to continue to further their investigation.

The Conclusion of the Spurious Objective:

The false goal is what the protagonist thinks they want, only to discover either directly before, in, after the climax that it isn’t what they actually want.

Careening Netherward of Whispers Chasm:

The protagonist scrambles to gather the last of the clues and attempt to apply them to the conclusion of investigation.

Culminating Predicaments and Quandaries:

The Apprehension:

This is the beginning of the climax - a dramatic confrontation between the protagonist, their group and the actual perpetrator in which the protagonist prevails. The more “impossible” the odds have been, the more rewarding this climax will be in the end.

Retribution:

This is the final resolution - Revelation of clues and the deductive process which will lead to the final solution. Establish that the case has been finally solved and justice has been served to the satisfaction of all involved (except, the antagonist).

Recompense:

This is where the protagonist and their group attempt to make amends to the victim’s family members for loss or harm suffered in any way they can as the arbiter’s of indefatigability and finality.

The Typhlotic Zone:

The motivations of the Main vs. Impact Characters which they are unable to see about themselves. Both the Main Character and the Impact Character (who stands in the Main Character’s path) are driven by their particular motivations. In a story, each has a prime motivation that describes the one issue in each that they cannot see in themselves. It is because they cannot see it in themselves that it works below the level of their consciousness to motivate them. Because they cannot see it, it is called a Blind Spot. In a change character, the Blind Spot is the actual source of the problem common to both the Overall and Main vs. Impact stories. In a steadfast character, the Blind Spot represents what drives him to become the agent of the common solution to both the Overall and Main vs. Impact stories. In either case, although other characters may see it quite clearly in the Main and Impact Characters, neither Main nor Impact can see the Blind Spot in themselves.

Interdiction:

This is an effort to change a pre-determined course. Interdiction is the effort to change the course of one’s destiny. Once a character determines that his destiny is pulling him toward an undesirable fate, he tries to Interdict and thereby avoid the fate. But has he correctly identified the course of his destiny or in actuality is what he sees as Interdiction is just another pre-destined step toward his fate? Synonym: altering the future, interfering with the predetermined, hindering the inevitable, escaping the predestined

Choice Clinch:

The story climax occurs because all other options have been exhausted. If not for the story being forced to a climax, it might continue forever. When a story is brought to a conclusion because the characters run out of options, it is said to contain an option lock. As an analogy, one might think of a story as the process of examining rooms in a mansion to find a solution to the story’s problem. Each room in the mansion will contain a clue to the actual location of the solution. In an option lock, the Overall Story Characters might be told they can examine any five rooms they want, but only five. They must pick the five rooms ahead of time. They can take as long as they like to search each one and go thoroughly examine four of the rooms. After getting through their fourth pick they are given a choice: based on the clues they have found so far, do they wish to stick with their original fifth room or pick another room instead out of all that remain? Either choice may lead to success or failure, but because running out of options forced the choice it is an option lock story. This choice represents the option lock which brings the story to a close and forces such appreciations as Main Character Resolve (Change or Steadfast), Outcome (Success or Failure), and Judgment (Good or Bad).

I hope that you find a use for this outline. Let me know down in the comments.