Right now in Northern California, we’ve got rainy, foggy, dreary weather… and I’m in heaven! I love rainy days no matter what, but there’s also something about it that gets me into the writing mood.
I’m currently working on two things: querying agents for my middle-grade fantasy, Wispwood Chronicles, and working on a brand-new series! I haven’t exactly switched genres (in my opinion), but more like pivoted (?). In my previous projects, mysteries were part of the plot—but now I’m focusing on the mystery itself. My current WIP is a middle-grade cozy mystery and I love the different directions it’s taking me.
One unique part of “cozies” is that the sleuth is usually an amateur (think Nancy Drew). So can kids solve a mystery? Let’s dive into 5 sleuth skills every kid should have!
1. PAY ATTENTION TO THE SMALL DETAILS
Every good sleuth needs to be able to look at a crime scene and see everything. Especially the hidden details the suspect is trying to keep out of sight. And it doesn’t just have to do with the crime scene either. When talking to suspects maybe they mention the exact time they brushed their teeth and heard a loud thump upstairs. Who remembers the exact time they brushed their teeth? Seems suspicious to me…
2. REALIZE NOT EVERY CLUE IS A “TRUE” CLUE
Misdirection is a key factor in mysteries and the best sleuths can spot a red herring a mile away. The last thing the culprit wants is to lead the detective straight to them. A mystery will have a lot of different clues that don’t point to who actually did the crime. It’s important to spot lies and unimportant information so that you can solve the case!
3. FOLLOW YOUR GUT
Sometimes a situation comes up in a mystery and it’s up to the sleuth to make a decision: go into the abandoned house, trust one suspect and be cautious of another, follow a clue no one else thinks is important, etc. If it feels right (or wrong), even without a good explanation why—a good sleuth will trust their gut.
4. ASK QUESTIONS
Who are you? Where were you? Why is this here? Who put it there? Who moved it? What is this? What does this mean? Questions are a sleuth’s best friend! So don’t be afraid to ask away… especially if it’ll annoy the detective or police officer working the case *wink*.
5. CURIOUS MIND
There are always plenty of people around a mystery who don’t care to ask any questions. They’re happy to let others figure it out. But a good sleuth is curious. They want to ask those questions, they want to investigate, and they don’t want to leave it up to someone else.
So does this list fit any of your favorite young sleuths? I loved reading books like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys when I was a kid. Another favorite was Two-Minute Mysteries by Donald J. Sobol. I challenged myself to figure the mysteries out before the end and loved it when I got them right. Nowadays I do the same thing and I love it when a mystery catches me by surprise.
See you in the next chapter!
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