Chapter 44: Twists that Deliver a Coup de Grace

Any of the two-Villain twists we discussed in Chapter 43 can work beautifully to add some oomph to the end of your novel. Just when it seems like everything is wrapping up nicely, you reveal your second Villain, subverting our expectations and giving us an extra little jump scare. Sweet!

In this chapter, we’re going to deal with two more twists that deliver that extra soupçon of spice to the end of a mystery: The Second Solve, and the Not-So-Dead Villain.

The Second Solve

In the Second Solve, the Sleuth believes she’s solved the case. The Villain has been caught, and is on the way to jail. However, a mistake has been made. And as the final pages of your book unfold, she’ll realize that the Villain is still very much at large.

We can see how this works in The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray. In this book, the characters from Jane Austen’s many novels gather for a house party. One evening, Mr. Wickham is found bludgeoned to death—and all of the characters have a reason for wanting him dead.