When it comes to writing a mystery novel, we’re no real detectives or officers. We’ve never investigated anything in our lives before – at least, not to the extent of a homicide or anything of the kind.
With that said, when it comes to criminal justice, some vocabulary may be a little foreign. Sure, we’ve heard it in our favorite crime TV shows or cozy mystery books. But we may not know what it actually means.
Here are some mystery terms to know for your novel.
Accessory – A person who assists in a crime without directly doing the crime
Accomplice – A person who knowingly assists with a crime
Alibi – An excuse used by an accused person to prove he or she wasn’t at the scene of the crime
Breakthrough – A big discovery in an investigation
Capital Murder – A murder that can be punishable by death
Case File – A collection of documents pertaining to a specific investigation
Deduce (Deduction) – Logical reasoning and thinking to infer information
Evidence – Clues to help solve a crime; can be a statement, fact, or object
Felony – A crime punishable by either death or confinement in a state correctional facility
Forensics – Scientific tests to aid in a criminal investigation
Framed – False evidence against an innocent person pinning the crime on them
Fugitive – A person who escapes or evades arrest or imprisonment
Homicide – The killing of a human being by another human being
Interrogate – To ask questions and get information from people about a crime
Motive – The reason a person does what he/she does
Parole – Allowing a prisoner to serve the remainder of their time outside of prison
Perpetrator – Someone guilty of a crime
Red Herring – A false clue to throw investigators off track
Scapegoat – Someone who is blamed or falsely accused
Sleuth – Another name for Detective
Suspect – Someone who might have committed a crime
Victim – A person harmed by a crime
Warrant – A written order directing someone to do something
Witness – A person who saw something related to a crime
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments below! If you enjoyed this post, please share it around.
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