Write a Mystery or suspense story with this plot line:

“A killer is on the loose, having broken into the home of a wealthy woman and left her for dead. He absconded with a few items, then left the initials, ‘M.A.’”

To mix things up a bit, create a sleuth who is not such a good guy/gal, and a villain who has some amiable traits.  Maybe your detective is a womanizer or is mean to her Mother, and your criminal stoops down to pet puppies.

Also, remember that setting is a vital aspect of mystery.  Root your reader in that chilly Autumn night in New England, or in the sultry late afternoon of Mississippi.  Perhaps the murder occurred at Christmastime, amidst bright colored lights and the aroma of freshly baked cookies.  In all cases, use your five (or six!) senses to make this time and place feel real.

So get writing, for the game is afoot!

 

Carol Clark is a fiction writer and poet, and enjoys creating flash fiction and short stories in the Literary and Mainstream genres.  She is now trying her hand at Mystery, Speculative fiction and Fantasy.  Carol has worked for (5) years as an Editor with www.EveryDayFiction.com, where she indulges in the pleasure of poring over daily flash submissions in every genre.  Her muses include a feisty charcoal grey cat, gardening, cooking and long walks.