Writing a second type of book is a humbling experience. I say this as someone who has written cosy mysteries, such as the Paula Langford mysteries, and has some idea of how they work, how to pace them, how to plant clues, how to balance the warmth and the wickedness, and how to end a chapter in a way that makes putting the book down feel mildly irresponsible.

 When it came to designing the cover for The Forgotten Corpse, I had two seemingly contradictory things I needed to achieve at the same time.

A red herring is a deliberate false clue meant to mislead or distract readers (or listeners) from the truth. The phrase itself has a storied history, famously coined in 1807 by journalist William Cobbett as a colourful tale about using a smoked fish to throw hounds off a trail. In this article, we’ll trace the origins of the term, share some playful examples, and explain why good writers use red herrings without making readers feel cheated.

There is a moment in almost every mystery novel where someone leans across a table, fixes the detective with a look of wounded dignity, and says: "I was nowhere near the library that evening. I was at home. Alone."

And the reader thinks: you did it.

 Here is a question I have been asking myself for quite some time now, usually while staring at a post that received three likes (one of which was my own, which I'm told doesn't count):

Does any of this actually work?