The Body in the Woods: A Point Last Seen Mystery

Most people agree that it is important for a well-written mystery novel to “play fair” with the reader. However, it is also important to balance fair play with maintaining suspense so that the reader does not lose interest. Does Henry achieve this balance in The Body in the Woods? Use these questions to help with your response.

• Now that you know the solution to the mystery, do you agree that all of the necessary clues to solve the puzzle are somewhere in the narrative?
• When you found out who the killer is, was the solution satisfying and logical?
• How well does Henry use red herrings and other forms of misdirection in the novel?
• Did you solve the mystery just before or at the same time as the characters, or did you know who the murderer was much earlier than the characters did? How does your answer reflect on how the author manages to balance suspense and fair play?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt requires students to first gather evidence in two different categories: strategies the author uses to play fair with the reader and strategies she uses to maintain suspense and draw out the process of solving the mystery. Then, it asks them to evaluate how well Henry balances these two sets of strategies.