Mystery Genre Vocabulary

noun a staircase at the rear of a building

adjective describing the location of the stairs at the back of the building

• She elegantly descended the back stairs of the mansion.
• Let's take the back stairs to avoid the crowded main staircase.
• We snuck out through the back stairs to avoid getting caught.
• He always takes the back stairs in life, avoiding the spotlight and preferring to stay behind the scenes.

noun the final resolution or outcome of a story or play; the unraveling of a plot

• The denouement of the play revealed the true intentions of the main characters.
• The denouement of the movie was so unexpected, I couldn't believe it!
• The denouement of the party was when the cops showed up and shut it down.
• The denouement of their relationship was when they finally had closure and moved on.

verb to cease to be visible or to exist; to vanish

• The magician made the rabbit disappear in front of the audience.
• I swear I saw my keys here a minute ago, but now they've disappeared!
• She ghosted him and disappeared without a trace.
• The old traditions seem to be disappearing in the modern world.

verb to show or indicate beforehand; to predict or forecast

• The signs foreshow a possible economic downturn in the near future.
• The dark clouds foreshow a storm coming our way.
• His constant complaining foreshows that he's going to bail on us.
• The distant thunder foreshows the impending chaos of the upcoming battle.

noun a slight or indirect indication or suggestion

verb to give a slight or indirect indication or suggestion

• The professor gave a hint about the upcoming exam during the lecture.
• She dropped a hint about the surprise party happening next week.
• I'll give you a hint - the answer is in the last paragraph.
• The painting's use of light and shadow provides a subtle hint of mystery.

verb to perplex or confuse someone

adjective causing confusion or bewilderment

• The complex scientific theory continues to mystify even the most seasoned researchers.
• I'm completely mystified by the ending of that movie.
• I have no idea what she's saying, she always mystifies me with her slang.
• Her enigmatic smile never fails to mystify those around her.

adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'scary' describes something that causes fear or is frightening.

• The haunted house was filled with scary decorations and eerie sounds.
• I don't want to watch that scary movie, it gives me nightmares.
• That roller coaster was so scary, I thought I was going to lose my lunch!
• The thought of public speaking is a scary prospect for many people.

adjective causing a feeling of excitement or tension due to uncertainty about what will happen next

• The suspenseful atmosphere in the courtroom was palpable as the jury deliberated.
• That movie was so suspenseful, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!
• The suspenseful vibe at the party was intense, everyone was waiting for something big to happen.
• The suspenseful silence in the room spoke volumes, filling the air with anticipation.

noun the process of becoming undone or untangled

verb to undo or separate the threads of something

• The detective was unraveling the complex case with meticulous attention to detail.
• I can't believe how quickly everything is unraveling in this situation.
• Things are really starting to unravel, and I'm not sure how to fix it.
• As she told her story, it felt like the threads of her life were slowly unraveling before our eyes.

noun a type of mystery story or novel in which the identity of the perpetrator is not revealed until the end

• The detective novel was a classic whodunit, filled with twists and turns.
• Let's watch a whodunit movie tonight, I love trying to figure out who the killer is.
• That whodunit book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
• Life can sometimes feel like a whodunit, with mysteries and surprises at every turn.

adjective relating to or characteristic of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

• The detective's Holmesian deduction skills were unmatched in the department.
• She has a real Holmesian knack for solving puzzles.
• That guy is like a Holmesian genius when it comes to solving mysteries.
• Her Holmesian attention to detail helped her uncover the truth.