Today we’re going to dig into the Midpoint plot twist that is simply, far and away, the most popular among mystery writers. It is wonderful for novels and films, where it provides a jolt of excitement right where we need it, in the middle of the story. But it particularly shines in tv shows, where it makes the perfect pre-commercial turnabout. Let’s kick off our discussion of this twist by examining an episode of Remington Steele called “Steele Belted.”
In this episode, our Sleuths are hoping to exonerate their client, Buddy, who is accused of stealing a valuable rare coin collection. Buddy swears he bought the collection fair and square, so if our Sleuths can track down the dealer who notarized the sale, it should be case closed. They do make contact with the dealer—but before they can actually speak with him, he’s murdered.
This post contains Chapter 32 of The Tangled Web Twists the Plot. Catch up on previous chapters here:
But our Sleuths have an ideal suspect in mind—James Rubio, the original owner of the coin collection. They theorize that Rubio, having sold the collection to Buddy, is now claiming it was stolen, so that he can regain possession while still pocketing Buddy’s cash. Knowing that the dealer could substantiate the sale, Rubio must have dispatched him. When we learn that Rubio is also in love with Buddy’s ex-wife, Ivy, his motive seems even stronger—by framing Buddy for theft, he can eliminate a romantic rival.
So far, so good. But at the Midpoint, we hear Ivy scream. We rush to her side and realize that she’s just discovered Rubio’s murdered body. With our only suspect out of commission, the case is set definitively back to square one.
This—the Death of a Suspect twist—is executed by killing off the most likely suspect at the Midpoint. Let’s break down exactly why it works so well.:
