| A | B |
|---|
| Alibi | an excuse used to avoid blame or punishment |
| Cat Burglar | a burglar who is able to break into a building without being noticed |
| Cozy Mystery | a mystery involving a close group of people who would not normally be party to a crime. Many of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries are examples of this type of story. |
| Deduction | a conclusion reached by logical thinking |
| Embezzlement | to steal money or property entrusted to one's care |
| Evidence | something that furnishes proof |
| Felony | a serious crime punishable by imprisonment |
| Forensic Science | scientific examination of evidence for use in a criminal case; the study of scientific evidence found on a dead body or at a cri me scene. |
| Hard-boiled mystery | a detective story featuring a tough |
| Locked-room mystery | a mystery in which a seeming impossible crime is committed; for example |
| Private eye | another name for a private investigator |
| Red herring | a clue or detail that draws attention away from the criminal |
| Sleuth | a detective |
| Stool pigeon | an informer or spy |
| Suspect | person suspected of committing a crime |
| Thriller | a mystery designed to hold a reader's interest through intrigue and suspense. Stephen King and R.L. Stine write thriller mysteries. |
| Whodunit | a mystery or detective story |
| Witness | a person who offers evidence about a crime and/or is called on to testify in court |
