Writing a Murder Mystery: Motives for Murder
After revealing “Who Done It,” the most important piece of the puzzle in a good murder mystery is “Why Done It.” The Antagonist’s reason to commit murder and hide it must be creative, make sense and be ultimately satisfying to your reader. So, it got me thinking: What are some basic motives for murder?
Here’s the list I started. Feel free to comment and add to the list.
TEN MOTIVES FOR MURDER
1. To hide a secret. This is the most obvious motive. The Victim stumbles upon the Antagonist’s closely guarded secret, and he kills her so she won’t reveal it.
- A father, scared of losing his daughter’s love if she ever finds out that she was adopted, murders the child’s biological mother when she suddenly reappears in their lives.
- The Femme Fatale murders her wealthy, old lover with a heart condition after he names her in his last will and testament.
- The successful computer geek attends his high school reunion and kills the formal popular cheerleader who made fun of him some twenty years ago
- The successful computer geek murders the red-headed dance teacher who looks eerily similar to that hateful cheerleader who made fun of him in high school
- A deeply religious mother murders her son’s college professor because of something taught at school.
- The shy, awkward boy in the back of class has been sending notes to the popular girl in his Chemistry class. Unfortunately. when she rebukes his advances, he lashes out by killing her.
- After a lifetime of seething jealousy, the unemployed, divorced, broke older brother finally murders his successful, wealthy, happily married with a beautiful home and three beautiful kids, younger brother.
- The Traveling Salesman’s pregnant wife is found dead after he tells his college-aged girlfriend won’t end his marriage.
- A father becomes so enraged at his wife for ripping the family apart when she tells him that she’s leaving him for her personal trainer that he shoots their two children dead before turning the gun on himself. Neighbors couldn’t believe it; he was such a normal, quiet Family Man.
- A mother, who believes voices are instructing her to do bad things, drowns her children
- An incensed, corporate ladder-climber murders her competition for a high-profile, high-paying position.
- An aging rock star — who is now humiliating reduced to opening act for a new, popular, younger pop star — plots a stage mishap to get the young phenom out of the way.
- A father kills a teacher who was abusing his child
- An over-protective mother murders the high school student who has been mercilessly bullying her son
- A deer hunter and wildlife enthusiast murders the CEO of logging company that is decimating his forest.
- The Caregiver gives the ailing, elderly patient a heavy sleeping potion so she slips quietly away in the night.
- A nursing student helps a dying cancer patient commit suicide so that he can die with dignity.
* * * * * *
JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. He’s written two mystery-suspense novels: The Designated Survivor and Prey of Desire. He also maintains a blog about the art of spinning a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat mysteries at www.jcgatlin.com.
Mystery/Suspense
Date Published: February 17, 2014
Blurb:
They said the disappearance of two high school students over 25 years ago was mystery that couldn't be solved.
No one ever said it shouldn't be.
Following the abrupt end of a relationship, college student Kimberly Bradford finds comfort in the friendship with her over-the-top neighbor, Mallory. And, Mallory encourages her to get back out there. She would of course if it weren't for the thrilling little love notes and gifts she's been receiving .
Kim thinks they're from her ex-fiancee, not realizing he's been murdered. Worse, whoever is sending her all the extra attention is not only in her inner-circle, but has a connection to that unsolved murder some 25 years ago. That connection puts her life in danger, and exposes secrets better left buried around her closest friends and family.
Following the abrupt end of a relationship, college student Kimberly Bradford finds comfort in the friendship with her over-the-top neighbor, Mallory. And, Mallory encourages her to get back out there. She would of course if it weren't for the thrilling little love notes and gifts she's been receiving .
Kim thinks they're from her ex-fiancee, not realizing he's been murdered. Worse, whoever is sending her all the extra attention is not only in her inner-circle, but has a connection to that unsolved murder some 25 years ago. That connection puts her life in danger, and exposes secrets better left buried around her closest friends and family.
Read an excerpt:
"That was close." Mallory laughed, pushing Kim out the diner doors and onto the sidewalk. They crossed the intersection against the light and headed back to Mallory's parked Miata. Making it clear that she was not pleased, Kim walked several steps ahead. She crossed her arms, swinging her purse. Mallory caught up to her, telling her to slow down.
Kim picked up her pace. "I can't believe you tried to set me up with that old psychologist again. You just don't know when to quit, do you?"
"He’s a psychiatrist, and…” Mallory grabbed her arm to slow her down. “Stop being so melodramatic."
"Melodramatic?" Kim whipped around to confront her friend face to face. "Not only did you ambush me, but this is the second time he's stood me up - second time in a row!"
"He just got detained with another crazy patient, that's all." Mallory punctuated that with a light, throaty chuckle. "The whole town is freaked out over the Congressman's murder so it's understandable.”
"You're changing the subject." Kim turned and stepped off the sidewalk into the street. She headed toward the car parallel parked in front of a meter. Mallory followed her into the oncoming traffic.
“Would you just wait?” She grabbed Kim’s arm again. Mallory stopped her in the middle of the street. A car honked and swerved around them. Oblivious, Kim pointed a finger at her and leaned forward.
"You sandbagged me with another blind date. You know I’m involved."
"Ross went M.I.A. on you, what, six weeks ago? He’s gone." Another car blared its horn. Malloy waved it away. "I just wanted to get your mind off it. Besides, Dr. Whitman has lined up a very exciting date."
"You just don't give up, do you?"
"Listen to me, Kim. He's really been putting a lot of pressure on me lately. He's talked about you for ages and he's been asking me to set you two up for a long time. Ever since..."
Breaks squeaked on a truck as it swerved to miss them. Kim ignored it. "Ever since what, Mallory? Since Ross dumped me?"
"No - since Ross disappeared." Mallory paused. Her eyes softened and a faint smile crossed her lips. "Kim, he's not coming back."
Kim was about to protest. It was a knee-jerk reaction to tell Mallory how wrong she was. For a moment, Kim considered explaining about the mysterious poems and the invitation for dinner on Friday night. She wanted to tell Mallory about the phone calls. All those cryptic messages and notes – it had to be from Ross. It just had to be. They were meant for each other.
Instead Kim looked down at her feet and sighed. "I'm just not in the mood to be sweet and sociable. You know what I mean? I'm angry. And I want to hit something. I want to rip something apart and stomp on it and crush it and..."
Another car honked and the driver screamed obscenities as he whizzed past. The girls were unfazed standing in the center of the road.
"Exactly my point." Mallory snapped her fingers, seemingly very pleased with herself.
"That's why this handsome, debonair psychiatrist suggested a double date at a mock war camp."
"A what?"
"A mock war camp," Mallory repeated. "Instead of miniature golf or going to a movie, we'd play weekend warrior."
Kim hesitated, watching her a moment, then followed. "What kind of date is that?"
“The kind that’ll get you over Ross!” Mallory headed toward her Miata parked at the curb. Unlocking the car door, she paused and leaned against the hood. She turned back toward Kim.
"It’s the kind of date where you can be tank girl and rip men apart and blow them away and stomp on them... only with paint pellets." Mallory’s eyes enlarged and she took a breath, as if waiting for Kim to protest. When she didn't, Mallory continued. "He's a head shrink, Kim. He knows about these kind of things."
JC Gatlin lives in Tampa, Florida. In addition to regular fishing trips, he wrote a monthly column for New Tampa Style Magazine, then began penning several mystery/suspense stories. He also maintains a blog about mystery writing.
Coming from a large family with five brothers, JC grew up in Grapevine -- a small Texas town just outside of Dallas. He moved to Tampa in 1999, and most of his stories feature the rich landscapes of Texas and Florida as backdrop.
Links:
Website: http://jcgatlin.com/prey-of-desire/
Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/JC-Gatlin/e/B00ENPSDU2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/jc.gatlin
WattPad at: http://www.wattpad.com/user/JcGatlin
GoodReads at: http://www.goodreads.com/JC_Gatlin
Author’s Den at: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=181731
You Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApwVAnji9zk780DBA6SOYQ
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Interesting motives
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