Writing murder mysteries must be made enjoyable. It is important that the author entertains himself or herself as much as the reader. Plot twist and turns are essential to keep readers and authors on their toes.
The master at this was Agatha Christie who did not know herself who the murderer was until almost the end. Then she chose the most unlikely of her characters as the culprit then went back over the manuscript altering it so that the plot fitted the ending. I must admit to using this style. However, the danger is that the result can look too contrived and so the sense of realism which all narratives in this genre should maintain can suffer.
In attempt to make the story more realistic and bring about a sense of atmosphere the Peatmore Press novel, Victim of Compromise, was set in a southern English town during a drought.
To illustrate this I include some scenes from the book video trailer below
Some say that describing the weather in a detective story should be avoided at all costs but I feel that it is up to the author and the reader to decide if he or she feels it works.
Peatmore News 