When I was little, I used to love watching the Investigation Discovery channel. Despite my parents' endeavors to try to drag me away from it, I kept switching on the channel. As such, whenever I read crime novels, I couldn’t help but ask myself who the killer was, who might potentially be a suspect, who the next victim might be. Thrillers such as The Devil in Black Creek by D.R. Bartlette, The Muse by Arjay Lewis, and Bright by Mary Paddock have captured my attention simply because of whether or not the criminal would be caught. 

Still, there are other books that don’t quite fit the mystery genre. Sometimes, the evidence just wouldn’t make sense. Other times, the murderer would just pop up out of nowhere. When the character was the murderer, they’d make fatal mistakes such as leaving the body behind, and not having a proper backstory. As such, when your character is planning on killing someone, here are a few tips on how to help them get away with murder. 

Don’t leave the body

Or at least, when you do, don’t leave any evidence behind. There are times when people are strangled, tortured, and the like, and yet the murderer doesn’t get rid of the body, or even bother removing the evidence. When your character is planning a murder, you don’t back out. Murder is not a game, and unless there’s something psychologically wrong with your character, they shouldn’t treat it like one either. 

Get rid of the evidence 

After getting rid of the body, get rid of any evidence that will connect your character with the murder. This can include getting rid of any traces of DNA, whether it be theirs or the victim’s, that link them to the body. This includes hair, skin, nails, or any financial trail that could lead you to them. When they’re luring a victim away from their home, be sure your character does it when you know that no one is around. If your character killed someone and there are other witnesses, they'll kill the witnesses.

Have a backstory 

When someone’s asking questions, you’re going to need a backstory. Just remember to create a backstory that makes sense. You have to take into account your character’s surroundings, the context, and even their psychological reactions. What’s more, you must have your character follow that backstory. A perfect example of one would be in Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, in which Katniss concocts a plan to make sure she can get back to her family without the government getting involved. 

The crime genre is a special kind of thriller/mystery genre that has attracted many different individuals. Whether it be for the gore, or the adrenaline-pumping atmosphere, or even the dark, disturbing world of the crime organization, readers will continue to flock to these stories. However, just make sure you abide by these rules. If you don’t, and your character actually gets away with murder, you can be sure that many readers will be extremely confused.