Tips for writing red herrings that don't stink

Mystery novelists have to walk a special tightrope.

Make the culprit too obvious and readers won’t have a reason to finish the novel (or to praise it).

But make the culprit someone that readers would never guess and they’ll find the ending lazy or implausible.

Red herrings — done well — are a key strategy to helping you strike the right balance of suspense.

Thriller author Kris Calvin has six tips to planting false clues that will keep readers guessing throughout your mystery novel.

Related posts 

• How to write a twist that will pleasantly surprise your readers 

• How to plant clues about your mystery's villain