Unit 5

What Are the Traits of a Good Mystery?

Lesson 2

Reading Mystery Stories

Turn to pages 68 to 69 in the book Literacy in Action 5B.


There are many different reasons that people enjoy reading mystery stories:

  • For the excitement, thrill, or other emotions
  • To imagine being the detective that solves the case
  • To try to figure out "whodunnit" before the end of the book. ("Whodunnit" is a slang term used in detective stories that means the person who committed the crime. It stands for "who done it.")

Look back to the lesson It's a Mystery, Unit Opener and the
Image of Chart

To exit the popup, click the X in the top right corner of the popup.

chart that you filled out with the names of mysteries you have read, watched, and heard about.

Look at all the different fictional and real-life mystery stories, movies, and TV shows you wrote down in your chart. Choose the mystery story, movie, or TV show that you remember the best.

Think About It


Now, look at the questions on page 68 of your Literacy in Action 5B book. Think about the following questions:

  • What was the mystery?
  • What clues did the writer give?
  • How well did the writer keep you guessing?
  • What kind of mystery story was it?