THE STRUCTURE OF THE DETECTIVE NOVEL
NOTE: I am using "Plotting the Detective Novel" as my model.
Here is the standard structure of the detective novel.
1. Begin with a dramatic event. Discover the crime and the mystery to be solved.
2. Clues point toward the method and the motives behind the crime.
3. Introduce or tell more about the sleuth. Reveal some of his background.
4. Give a better sense of the time and place of the crime.
5. The PI begins to follow the path to the solution of the crime. Introduce probable suspects with motives and opportunity. Let the PI interview them.
6. The crime proves to be more complicated than originally thought.
7. The subplot is introduced.
8. Reveal facts about suspects, through interrogations and the discovery of clues.
9. The flight or disappearance of one or more suspect complicates things.
10. Develop a sense of urgency. Raise the stakes or make it evident that if the mystery is not solved soon, there will be terrible consequences.
11. The investigation should broaden to put suspicion on other characters.
12. Information gathered through interviews or the discovery of physical evidence should point toward the solution, although the relevance may not yet be apparent.
13. Make it clear that the sleuth has a personal stake in the outcome, either because of a threat to his or her life, or the possibility of revelation of matters deeply disturbing to the protagonist on an emotional level.
14. Change of focus and scope of the investigation. This is the pivotal point in the story where it become evident that the sleuth was on the wrong track. Something unexpected occurs, and the story must take a new direction.
15. Reveal hidden motives. Formerly secret relationships come to light, such as business arrangements, romantic involvements, scores to be settled or previously veiled kinships.
16. Develop and expose meanings of matters hinted at earlier to slowly clarify the significance of earlier clues.
17. The sleuth reveals the results of the investigation. The reader, as well as the protagonist and other characters, are given an opportunity to review what is known and assess the possibilities.
18. The solution of the crime appears to be impossible. Attempts to solve the crime have stymied the sleuth. Misinterpretation of clues or mistaken conclusions have lead him or her in the wrong direction, and logic must be applied to force a new way of grasping an understanding of the uncertainties.
19. Have the sleuth review the case to determine where he or she went wrong.
20. Reveal the chain of events which provoked the crime.
21. The crucial evidence is something overlooked early in the story, which appeared to have been of little consequence at the time it was first disclosed.
22. The sleuth becomes aware of the error which remains undisclosed to the other characters.
23. The sleuth weighs the evidence and information gleaned from the other characters. Based on what only he or she now knows, the sleuth must seek positive proof to back up the yet undisclosed conclusion.
24. Resolution of the sub-plot.
25. The Climax - a dramatic confrontation between the sleuth and the perpetrator in which the sleuth prevails. The more impossible the odds have been, the more rewarding the climax will be.
26. Resolution - Revelation of clues and the deductive process which lead to the solution. Establish that the case has been solved and justice has been served to the satisfaction of all involved except the villain.
STORM FRONT'S DETECTIVE STORY PATTERN
Now, let's compare the plot of STORM FRONT to the classic detective story.
1. Begin with a dramatic event. Discover the crime and the mystery to be solved.
After a brief introduction to Harry and his wizard background, Monica makes an appointment with Dresden to discuss a missing person's case.
Murphy asks Dresden to help her solve a double murder which appears to be caused by magic. He agrees that magic caused the deaths, but he doesn't want to delve too deeply in the method because of Warden Morgan's surveillance. He decides to investigate the murders, instead.
Harry realizes the deaths could only be caused by black magic by a method he can't figure out, and he theorizes that the killer was after both people, and it is a woman.
3. Introduce or tell more about the sleuth. Reveal some of his background.
While all this is happening, Harry thinks of his own background as a wizard.
4. Give a better sense of the time and place of the crime.
Harry and Murphy determine the when of the crime, and the magical/criminal aspects of both victims.
5. The PI begins to follow the path to the solution of the crime. Introduce probable suspects with motives and opportunity. Let the PI interview them.
Harry meets crime boss Marcone who tells him to back off. He makes plans to interview Bianca.
6. The crime proves to be more complicated than originally thought.
Harry realizes how hard it would be for one wizard to kill the two victims, and he can't figure out how Marcone or Bianca could control a coven of black wizards. Neither seems the type to use black magic when ordinary violence would have worked just as well.
7. The subplot is introduced.
Harry meets Monica who tells him of her missing husband who has been dabbling in real magic, gives him a dried scorpion, and the lake house clue.
Later, he sees Susan, the reporter and love interest, and she invites him on a date.
8. Reveal facts about suspects through interrogations and the discovery of clues.
Harry visits the lake house, gains clues from Toot Toot, and is threatened by Morgan.
Later, Dresden will interview Bianca but turns her into an enemy. She tells him about Linda, the female victim's closest friend. Linda rattles him with her sexuality but can give him no clue to Jennifer's death. He meets her employers, the Beckitts.
9. The flight or disappearance of one or more suspects complicates things.
Monica's husband Victor is nowhere to be found, and Linda doesn't show up to meet Harry.
10. Develop a sense of urgency. Raise the stakes or make it evident that, if the mystery is not solved soon, there will be terrible consequences.
Harry is knocked out with a warning to stay out of the investigation. He now believes the murders are part of a gang war between Marcone and the Three Eye drug dealers. More than one wizard was needed to murder these people.
Harry and Susan are attacked by a toad demon, and Harry meets the black wizard who uses the power of thunderstorms to increase his power to kill his earlier victims. Harry realizes that the next storm will be his death if he doesn't stop this evil wizard.
Morgan tells Harry that he will be tried for the murders, will not believe a black wizard is out there, and won't help Harry stop him.
11. The investigation should broaden to put suspicion on other characters.
When Linda is found dead with an exploded heart and Harry's business card, Murphy knows he's been lying to her.
An unknown man knocks Harry down and cuts of a lock of his hair for evil magical purposes.
12. Information gathered through interviews or the discovery of physical evidence should point toward the solution, although the relevance may not yet be apparent.
Harry tracks down his attacker, one of Marcone's goons, to a restaurant. Marcone shoots this man when Harry proves he's been working for the Three Eye dealers.
Harry goes to Linda's apartment and meets a man who took pictures of the orgy at the lake house where sex and the storm fueled the murder of the first two victims.
13. Make it clear that the sleuth has a personal stake in the outcome, either because of a threat to his or her life, or the possibility of revelation of matters deeply disturbing to the protagonist on an emotional level.
Harry is now positive that he will die during the next storm if he doesn't stop the black wizard.
14. Change of focus and scope of the investigation. This is the pivotal point in the story where it become evident that the sleuth was on the wrong track. Something unexpected occurs, so the story must take a new direction.
Harry realizes that Monica's husband is the black wizard who makes the Three Eye, and his two cases are one.
15. Reveal hidden motives. Formerly secret relationships come to light, such as business arrangements, romantic involvement's, scores to be settled, or previously veiled kinships.
Harry discovers that Jennifer was Monica's sister, and she had tried to protect Monica's kids from their evil father. Linda died because she was going to tell Harry the truth.
16, 17, and 18. Develop and expose meanings of matters hinted in the first chapters to slowly clarify the significance of earlier clues. The sleuth reveals the results of the investigation. The reader, as well as the protagonist and other characters, are given an opportunity to review what is known and assess the possibilities. The solution of the crime appears to be impossible. Attempts to solve the crime have stymied the sleuth. Misinterpretation of clues or mistaken conclusions have lead him or her in the wrong direction, and logic must be applied to force a new way of grasping an understanding of the uncertainties.
Harry finally pulls all the clues together and calls Murphy who won't listen to him because she believes he's one of the bad guys.
He saves her from the giant scorpion and goes after the black wizard as a thunderstorm begins to move in.
19-23. Have the sleuth review the case to determine where he or she went wrong, reveal the chain of events, and missed evidence.
Harry really doesn't do this, but he rethinks the crime. And being Harry, he goes after the killer before the killer can get him instead of going to the authorities.
24. Resolution of the sub-plot
Harry promises Monica that he will protect her and her children.
25. The Climax - a dramatic confrontation between the sleuth and the perpetrator in which the sleuth prevails. The more impossible the odds have been, the more rewarding the climax will be.
Harry faces Victor, the Beckitts, a bunch of giant scorpions, and the toad demon and wins.
26. Resolution - Revelation of clues and the deductive process which lead to the solution. Establish that the case has been solved and justice has been served to the satisfaction of all involved except the villain.
Morgan saves Harry after Harry has done all the work of stopping the black wizard. Morgan admits that he was wrong about Harry being the black wizard. The Doom of Damocles is lifted. Murphy drops the charges against Harry, but their trusting relationship is damaged. Monica's family is taken into the witness protection program.
WHEN PLOT AND SUBPLOTS COLLIDE
Harry is on two cases in this novel, and, unsurprisingly for this kind of novel, the two cases are really one case.
Writers do this all the time, but often the two plots being one are a giant coincidence. That is very bad writing.
In this novel, Butcher saves himself from Evil Giant Coincidence by giving a logical explanation.
Monica calls him about Victor, aka the black wizard, because Harry is the only magical who advertises in the Yellow Pages. (The Wardens would do well to follow Harry's example.)
She points him in Victor's direction in hopes that Harry will take Victor out, or, at the least, distract him from herself and her kids.
She has also pointed her sister Jennifer, aka the first heart explosion victim, in Victor's direction which made Jennifer his first victim.
Since Harry is the only openly practicing wizard, it's moderately logical that he be called into this case by the police.
When you are figuring out plot, allow yourself one very minor coincidence, at that. Everything else should make sense.
Another flaw with the subplot is that Harry really doesn't work this case enough for it to be a genuine subplot which makes it more obvious to the reader that the two plots are one.
PART 4:
