The Twisted Tale of Murder, Mansions, and Skylights

In 1971, John List committed a horrific crime that would shock the entire United States: He murdered his mother, wife, and three kids inside their New Jersey mansion. The List family was somewhat reclusive, however, and with no regular visitors to the mansion it wouldn’t be until a month later that their bodies were discovered. John List, in the meantime, had skipped town, and the ensuing police search would prove fruitless. List managed to disappear for 18 years, and had even remarried, but was eventually found thanks to an episode of America’s Most Wanted.

After being captured, List claimed that he murdered his family due to their crushing debt, a product of both their lavish mansion and their numerous medical expenses. According to a psychiatrist who testified in the trial, List only saw two choices: Go on welfare to support the family, or send them to heaven. List was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences without parole, and would die in prison in 2008.

There’s a twist to the story, however. As it turns out, List’s mansion was adorned with a skylight rumored to be an original from Tiffany. The skylight alone would have been enough to pay off any debt List may have incurred and then some. It was unclear if List was aware of the skylight’s origin or of its value when he committed the gruesome murders.

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The father of the mystery genre

The mystery genre is something that we take for granted now, but there was a time when it didn’t exist. In fact up until 1841, there was no such thing as the mystery genre; its first inception was as a locked door mystery by the great American poet and novelist, Edgar Allen Poe.

Edgar Allen Poe

Poe is mostly known for his poetry and gothic works such as the poem “The Raven”, but his detective, C. Augustine Dupin, was the influence behind Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes; and though Sherlock Holmes is considered to be the detective responsible for popularizing the genre, he wouldn’t exist without Edgar Allen Poe.

The Murders in La Rue Morgue

Not only is The Murders in La Rue Morgue the first modern detective story, it is the mystery short story that spawned the genre. Set in Paris in 1840, the narrator (not unlike Watson) tells the story of how he met the detective, Dupin and how they shared shabby quarters together. Dupin’s analytical deductions are astounding (not unlike Holmes) and it is with great interest that the pair read the newspaper story about the murders of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter who were found dead at the home in La Rue Morgue.

The door was locked, no money was taken and all that was left in the room was a straight razor and some tufts of grey hair. Yet through deduction, Dupin solves the mystery and in doing so launched one of the largest and most popular reading and viewing genres the modern world knows.

To find more mystery writers, check out www.mystread.com where you’ll find plenty of authors and their books from the mystery genre.

Rules for Writing Mystery

Ready to take the plunge and write your own mystery novel? Here are some rules to follow from award-winning author Susan Spann.

1. Make it about murder. While some authors manage to pen a good mystery surrounding a non-lethal crime, the best of the best, according to Spann, center their tales around a good old fashioned murder.

2. Designate your detective. Before rushing into murder most foul, plan out your crime, and plan out your detective. Your readers will be far more interesting in who’s solving the case than they will be in the case itself.

3. Damage your detective. Heroes aren’t perfect, and your detective shouldn’t be either. Make them emotionally damaged, physically impaired, perhaps even otherwise addicted. In short; make them interesting!

4. Your detective needs a backstory, but don’t write it out directly. An intriguing backstory is one that’s delivered in bits and pieces throughout the novel, rather than in one great big chunk.

5. Make some people before you murder them. Your story takes place somewhere, during a certain time period. Take the time to develop that world, imaginary or otherwise, to give your murder and mayhem a proper backdrop.

Armed with these tips you’ll be writing a great mystery in no time, and as your plot progresses you may just come up with some rules and tips of your own. Happy writing!

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Female detectives in fiction: The women who crack the case

Agatha Christie was a trailblazer in many ways. The British crime writer helped to popularize the mystery genre and was one of the most prominent female writers of her time. But she also challenged convention by having a woman as one of the main investigative minds in many of her novels. Miss Marple was an amateur sleuth who possessed a quick wit and was adept at uncovering the most complex of mysteries.

However, a lot of mystery novels through the years, and even to the present day, haven’t followed Christie’s lead and included female detectives in the role of chief case-crackers. Here are some female detectives who have bucked the trend though.

DCI Jane Tennison

It was a TV role made famous by Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren, but Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison began life on the pages of a novel by Lynda La Plante. Tennison first appears in the novel Prime Suspect and through a series of books, La Plante details her rise through the ranks despite the numerous challenges along the way.

DI Kate Burrows

Burrows first appears in acclaimed crime writer Martina Cole’s 1993 novel the Ladykiller. Detective Inspector Burrows must stand out in the male-dominated police force and possesses a tough demeanor and seriously intense work ethic to get her through. However, her personal life isn’t so straight-laced as she discovers that the man she has fallen love with is a notorious gangster.

Lisbeth Salandar

More in the amateur investigator role, Lisbeth Salandar is the creation of Swedish author Stieg Larsson and appears in the Dragon Tattoo series of books in which she uses her great intellect, hacking skills and resourcefulness to uncover corruption and violence against women.

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Long-forgotten Masters of Mystery Rediscovered

With so many new and exciting books being released all the time, it’s little wonder that previous titles can easily drift into obscurity, even if they were well-received at the time. The benefit of a good book is that it’s not difficult to revive and to once again enjoy the contents of its pages. Here’s a look at some masterpieces of mystery which we found hiding away in a dusty corner. Enjoy!

The Mysterious Mickey Finn - Elliot Paul

Originally written as nothing more than a parody of S.S Van Dine’s work, this character from Elliot Paul ended up being so loved he had a series of his own. Based in Paris, this sleuth had his own mysteries to solve which inevitably ended up in some hilarious exploits.

Thank You, Mr Moto - John P. Marquand

This novel featured an unusual subject: an agent from the Japanese Secret Service. Scooping a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts, John P. Marquand went on to write a series of books based on this character, each with a compelling mystery to solve. In this book the bad guys are attempting to steal valuable Chinese scrolls, creating anti-American propaganda during sensitive pre-WWII times.

Cat of Many Tails - Ellery Queen

Many feel that this epic adventure is one of the very first serial killer novels to be published. Arguably Ellery Queen’s finest work, it’s set in World War II in blistering heat with New York gripped by a psychotic strangler.

These older mysteries are just the start of some of the books on offer at www.mystread.com so check out the on library and see what you can find.