| A | B |
|---|
| alibi | an excuse that an accused person uses to show that he or she was not at the scene of the crime |
| cliffhanger | a suspenseful situation occurring at the end of a chapter, scene, or episode |
| clue | a fact or object that gives information toward solving the crime |
| crime | an action that breaks the law |
| deduce | to infer by logical reasoning |
| denouement | final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot |
| detective | a person who investigates crimes and gathers information |
| evidence | a thing or statement that helps to prove who committed the crime |
| flashback | literary device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological order or a narrative |
| foreshadowing | a hint at something that will occur later in the story |
| hunch | a guess or feeling not based on facts |
| melodrama | a drama characterized by exaggerated emotions, stereotypical characters, and conflicts between characters |
| mood | a prevailing emotional tone or general attitude |
| motive | a reason that a person does something – can include anger, hatred, love, greed, or fear |
| mystery | something that is unknown |
| planted | having placed a misleading piece of evidence so as to be discovered |
| red herring | a false clue that throws the investigator off track |
| sleuth | another name for a detective |
| suspect | a person who is suspected of a crime |
| suspense | anxiety or apprehension resulting from an uncertain, undecided, or mysterious situation |
| victim | someone who is harmed or suffered some loss |
| witness | someone who saw or can give a firsthand account of something |
| hard-boiled mystery | a tough mystery with nonstop, thrilling action |
| soft-boiled mystery | a mystery with some violence and blood but with some light-hearted moments |
| cozy mystery | a mystery close to home that involves a mind-game between criminal and detective |
| police procedural mystery | a mystery with a step-by-step, in-depth look at personnel and methods used in the investigation of a crime |
| amateur detective mystery | a detective who becomes involved in the plot by accident or does not solve mysteries professionally |
