Some mystery books with plot twists stay in the memory long after the final page. The best don’t simply surprise us. They make us look back at everything we thought we understood and wonder how we missed what was there all along.
Clues, false assumptions and clever misdirection are all part of the game between writer and reader.
Here are three famous examples that have earned reputations for keeping readers guessing. I won’t give away their endings.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd – Agatha Christie
It would be difficult to discuss memorable plot twists without mentioning The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
Hercule Poirot is drawn into the investigation after wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found murdered in his study. There are secrets throughout the household, several possible suspects and plenty of clues for Poirot and the reader to consider.
What makes the book so memorable is the way Christie uses the reader’s own assumptions against them.
The clues are there, but their importance only becomes clear when everything finally falls into place. It remains a classic example of a mystery where the ending encourages you to reconsider everything that came before.
Shutter Island – Dennis Lehane
Shutter Island takes us into much darker territory.
US Marshal Teddy Daniels travels to an isolated hospital for the criminally insane after one of its patients disappears. A storm is approaching, the island is cut off and the investigation becomes increasingly disturbing.
As Teddy searches for answers, certainty becomes harder to find. Who can he trust? What is being hidden from him? And is the investigation really what it appears to be?
The power of Shutter Island lies in making the reader question the story itself, rather than simply the identity of a criminal.
As our understanding of events begins to change, earlier details suddenly look very different.
Magpie Murders – Anthony Horowitz
Magpie Murders gives mystery readers something different again: two mysteries for the price of one.
Editor Susan Ryeland receives the latest manuscript from successful crime writer Alan Conway. His fictional detective, Atticus Pünd, is investigating a murder in an apparently peaceful English village.
It has everything you might expect from traditional British detective fiction: suspects, secrets, clues and motives.
But another mystery is developing outside the manuscript.
Horowitz uses our familiarity with classic murder mysteries to his advantage, giving the reader several layers of clues and misdirection to unravel.
Even experienced crime-fiction readers who know they are being misled can still find themselves looking in the wrong direction.
Why Mystery Books with Plot Twists Keep Us Guessing
Mysteries and thrillers are complex puzzles and, in some ways, an exercise in manipulation.
The author tries to misdirect the reader. The reader knows we’re trying to trick them, so they look harder.
The author knows the reader will be looking, so they get clever with red herrings, clues and misdirection.
That contest is part of the enjoyment.
The best twists still have to play fair. Small hints should appear early enough that the truth makes sense when it is finally revealed. A cheap shock that arrives from nowhere might surprise the reader, but it rarely satisfies them.
There is also a difference between a reveal and a twist.
A reveal answers a question the reader already knows to ask. Who committed the murder? Why did somebody lie? What happened to the missing person?
A twist can go further. It can make the reader realise that they were asking the wrong question in the first place.
Sometimes the final twist comes when the main character thinks they’ve won and there is one last hurdle to overcome. Whatever form it takes, surprise alone isn’t enough.
The author must look at the entire story to make sure the clues, red herrings, misdirections, plot twists and reveals are placed for maximum impact and maximum enjoyment by the reader.
The best mystery books with plot twists achieve something difficult: they surprise us without making us feel cheated.
You may not see the answer coming, but when it arrives, you should be able to look back and think:
Of course. It was there all along.
More Mysteries and Thrillers to Explore
Twists, false trails and unexpected turns have their place throughout my own books too, but I won’t spoil the fun by telling you where to expect them.
If you enjoy cold cases, careful detective work and following the clues alongside the investigators, take a look at The Freeman Files.
If you prefer faster-paced thrillers, danger and higher stakes, explore The Phoenix Series.
Whichever you choose, I hope you’ll find mystery books with plot twists, surprises and characters that keep you turning the pages.
Another book-related topic soon…
Best wishes
Ted Tayler