Axioms of Detective Short Story Writing

There is a procedure, a code of laws, a book of axioms, underlying every successful form of writing. It lies waiting for the hand that can find it. The reading thereof may be had for the pains of the simple perusing; but the application of the axioms—aye, there's the difficulty. Yet these rules are no more complex in one department of literary construction than in another. They are axioms, that is all; truths admitted without demonstration, yet truths that have been arrived at by some intuitive or all-knowable course of reasoning. Such are those that come to us by a study of the masterpieces in detective stories.

There is no doubt that Mr. Doyle could give many good rules for the production of such articles. He attributes his success, however, to the fact that he makes all the circumstances of the case the sole evidence of detection. He relies purely upon the inductive method of investigation. True, he advances

theories through his lesser characters, but he always holds these up to scorn through the superior triumphs of his hero, Sherlock Holmes.

As this renowned writer's work has brought him phenomenal success we may safely assume that his method is correct, and write for

Axiom I. Use the inductive method in the investigation or detection of crime. As a postulate to this may be added: The deductive method may be used at or near the conclusion in verification of the other.

Poe uses the same method, but there is a radical difference in the selection of themes between Poe and Doyle. Any one who reads the horrors, the lengthy details of the "Mystery of the Rue Morgue" will not feel any sort of justification for all the bloody depictions, however intricate and involved the manner of detection. You close the book with a shudder.

Not so with Mr. Doyle's work. In it the theme is more benevolent to the sympathies of his readers. He assumes that these have a heart, an emotional instinct, a soul that abhors horror for its own sake, as well as a mind that can be fascinated by the detection of crime. With him the victim is such through mistake or because he is such a villain that he richly deserves his punishment. So the mind of the reader is unperverted by pity or sense of injustice and left free for the full enjoyment of the story after the book is closed.

In the story of "The Golden Pince Nez," an innocent and unimportant character was taken off, but it was an unintentional murder. "The Mystery of Abbey Grange" was absolved from horror by the killing of a wicked old earl, who deserved richly all he received. Even "The Study in Scarlet," and "The Sign of the Four," are redeemed from the fact that the perpetrators of the crime were themselves the victims of very grave wrongs.

Axiom II. The theme should never be bloody simply for the sake of the blood.

Aside from the abhorrent themes chosen by Poe, such as the murder of lonely and unprotected women, there is a certain amount of legal and technical work that might be very interesting to the student in criminology, but is too involved and tiresome for the people who are reading fiction today. Poe was a master of detail, it is true; but he pursued that element with a sort of passion and intemperance, that was, indeed, characteristic of the man. In the later popular writers there is no such length displayed in the working out of the theme, however legal or technical the outcome of punishment may be supposed to become. From this we may deduce the following:

Axiom III. The working out of the theme should not be too legal, technical or involved.

It is essential, nevertheless, that the writer should know all the particulars and be thoroughly conversant with all that pertains to the technical phases of the case. He must bear all of these constantly in mind.

He must know also all of the surrounding country, the position and relation of houses and roads, the grounds, the yards, the walks, the house, the plan of the rooms, windows, and doors ; and, in fact, every possible surrounding that may have a bearing on the detection of the crime. All of these furnish evidence, mute testimony, data, and facts for the inductive process of reasoning. Their value lies in this alone. They should not be given unless having a direct bearing on the case under inspection.

Axiom IV. Make every description given into a wedge for the opening of the mystery.

There is a caution, notwithstanding all this, to be added, which may be stated formally without further elaboration:

Axiom V. Disclose only such particulars at first as shall serve to mystify.

These may be included in the introduction, which should also contain names of places and persons, time, event, mysterious associations, and possible theories.

In the minute analysis of evidence for the detection of crime, the position of the body of a murdered person may show the manner of attack, of defense, and the general or special character of the assault. Footprints indicate going, coming, fear, hurry, hesitation, determination, caution, intoxication, the wealth and station of the wearer, age, size, defects, occupation and so forth. They may be seen in the dust, on carpet, grass, mud, or in any other impressionable substance. Windows generally show how and where the criminal made his investigations; doors how he entered, escaped, or his place of hiding. The plan of the house may show the general plan of the commission of the crime. From all of these is educed:

Axiom VI. A crime once committed repeats itself in all its surroundings.

Bit by bit all of these details are unrolled for the mind of the reader, holding back the plainer and more conclusive until near the close, and even here never allowing the interested spectators to see just what is behind the curtain until it is actually raised. Let there be a stronger suspense before the conclusion than elsewhere if you would have people read with bated breath to the very last word in the story.

Axiom VII. The climax should come when least expected, just as the reader is beginning to doubt the success of the efforts of the detective.

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