Or they can be part of a subplot, like Rusty's marital problems, which actually tie in to the main problem. Or they can be blended in with the false clues, or the facts that seem to matter but don't. But treat them like any other regular clue for the best effect. If you make the detective run all over the place chasing nothing but false clues, the reader's going to have trouble believing when the real ones pop up, taking the air out of your literary sails, so to speak. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to read a mystery novel or short story.
Questions are always welcome.
A former columnist and literary agent, he is also the sound engineer for Stonecreek Christian Church of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. His short fiction and articles appeared regularly in the now-defunct Valley Vista Life, and his first novel will be published in 2000 under a pseudonym. Who Does Not Like Him. 1999 Secret Agent Man. All rights reserved.