2 cups of interesting characters

1 ½ cups of plot including one or two murders

½ cup setting

2 tablespoons of suspense

1 ½ tablespoons of adventure

1 dash of realism

1 pinch of romance, deception, betrayal or deceit

Roll out your plot but take it easy. You want it to be thick and rich. Introduce your main characters and let them interact slowly. Point them in the right direction but don’t be too hard on them if they seem to stray. Drop in other characters as needed. If the story drags, throw in the romance or adventure. Add your suspense evenly throughout the story. Mix in intrigue at will.

Let simmer until your story comes to a boil. Then let it cool. Twist, stir, shuffle and mix slightly to accentuate the intrigue and suspense. Then serve at room temperature to your hungry mystery fans.