Unit 5

What Are the Traits of a Good Mystery?

Activity

Story Beginnings

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The first few lines of any piece of writing are important because they make the reader want to continue reading. This is called 'the hook'.

The hook should ask a question to which the reader wants to find the answer. 

1. Begin with action.
   
   "I disappeared on the night before my twelfth birthday." (Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo)
   
   Where did Kensuke disappear?
   
2. Begin in the middle of the problem.
   
   "The town of Harper's Landing was in an uproar." ("The Case of the Ruby Earrings")
   
   Why was the town in an uproar?
   


3. Describe the setting.
   
   "It was one of those regular Saturday afternoons-at least, it started out that way."  (The Game Master's Challenge: A Radio Play Adapted by Lynn Bryan)
   
   What happened to make this Saturday unique?
   
   
4. Introduce the character.
   
   "My grandfather Sean likes to tell scary stories to frighten me."(The Abandoned House)
   
   What scary story does he tell?
   
   
5. Begin with dialogue.
   
   "This is a very rare copy of the first book featuring the world's most famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes."
   "If he's so famous, why haven't I heard of him?" ("The Clue Catchers" by Liam O'Donnell)
   
   What problem is going to happen with this rare, expensive book?
   

Complete Section 2 of your Assignment 5-2 file.