Title Page -- Copyright -- Permissions -- About the Editor -- Contents -- INTRODUCTION -- part I: Preparation -- THE RULES AND HOW TO BEND THEM -- SPARKS, TRIGGERS, AND FLASHES -- ON WORK SCHEDULES -- WRITING WITH A PARTNER, OR … WHAT PART OF "NO" DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? -- EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH -- WHERE DO I FIND A JEWISH INDIAN? OR HOW I STOPPED WORRYING AND LEARNED TO LOVE RESEARCH -- BACKGROUND, LOCATION, AND SETTING -- part II: The Process -- CHARACTERIZATION -- ROUNDING UP YOUR CHARACTERS -- WRITING A SERIES CHARACTER -- THE AMATEUR SLEUTH -- VIVID VILLAINS -- IN SEARCH OF NOVEL -- BUILDING WITHOUT BLUEPRINTS -- OUTLINING -- PERSPECTIVES ON POINT OF VIEW -- DRESS FOR SUCCESSES: DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE -- HOW TO WRITE CONVINCING DIALOGUE -- PACING AND SUSPENSE -- DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE -- CLUES, RED HERRINGS, AND OTHER PLOT DEVICES -- THE BOOK STOPS HERE -- IN THE BEGINNING IS THE END -- REVISION -- HOW TO FIND AND WORK WITH AN AGENT -- DIAL M FOR MARKET -- THE MYSTERY NOVEL FROM AN EDITOR'S POINT OF VIEW -- part III: Specialties -- WRITING MYSTERIES FOR YOUNG READERS -- THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF THE SHORT STORY -- THE MEDICAL THRILLER -- LEGAL THRILLERS -- HISTORICAL MYSTERIES: THE PAST IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY -- FROM THE CRADLE TO THE PEN: THE EVOLUTION OF A TRUE CRIME WRITER -- E-MEDIA - CRIME FICTION E-VOLVES -- THE BEST OF THE GENRE AND A REFERENCE LIST OF BOOKS ON WRITING AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION -- About the Contributors.