Writing Red Herrings Without Losing the Reader

The Art of Misdirection: Crafting Red Herrings

Red herrings are one of the most powerful tools in a mystery writer’s arsenal—and one of the easiest to misuse. If you’ve ever tried to keep your reader guessing only to leave them confused, frustrated, or (worst of all) unimpressed, you’re not alone. So, how to write a red herring?

In my work with authors, I’ve seen how tricky it can be to plant misleading clues that feel fair, intentional, and satisfying in hindsight. A good red herring should deepen the story, not derail it!

In this post, I’ll break down how to write a red herring that works, the different types you can use, and how to avoid common pitfalls. Whether you’re writing a twisty thriller or a classic whodunit, this guide will help you use misdirection to keep readers turning pages—for all the right reasons.

If you’re still working out the bigger picture of your mystery, you might want to start with my post on how to write a mystery novel for the foundational structure!

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How to Write a Red Herring That Works

The best red herrings are believable, purposeful, and fair. You’re not trying to trick your reader—you’re trying to keep them engaged by offering alternate explanations that make sense in the world you’ve built.

There’s a big difference between clever misdirection and cheap manipulation. A red herring that comes out of nowhere or contradicts earlier information will frustrate readers instead of delighting them. But one that holds up under scrutiny—even after the truth is revealed—adds real depth to the story.

The best way to understand how to write a red herring is to focus on three qualities: plausibility, purpose, and payoff.

Plausibility

The misleading clue or character must fit naturally into the plot. If it feels out of sync with the tone or logic of the story, readers will see through it—or worse, feel cheated.

Purpose

A red herring should do more than distract. Ideally, it should also reveal something about the characters, world, or theme. That way, even when it’s proven false, it still adds value.

Payoff

Once the truth is revealed, the red herring should click into place as part of the puzzle. You want readers to say, “Ah—I see why I thought that,” not “Wait, what was the point of that?”

A great example comes from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, where multiple characters have believable motives and shady pasts. The red herrings don’t feel like filler—they’re rooted in real backstory and personality, which makes the final reveal even more satisfying.

Types of Red Herrings (and How to Use Them)

When thinking about red herrings in mystery novels, it’s easy to think too narrowly—a shady character who acts guilty for no reason. But red herrings come in many forms, and the most effective ones often have nothing to do with someone twirling an invisible mustache.

Here are a few types, along with how they can serve the story:

1. Suspicious Behavior That Has Innocent Reasons

This is one of the most reliable forms of misdirection. A character might lie, sneak around, or withhold information—but not because they’re guilty of the central crime. Maybe they’re protecting someone else, covering up a secret, or involved in something unrelated.

Used well, this adds depth to your characters while keeping the reader guessing.

2. Wrong Motive, Right Character

Sometimes, a character really does dislike the victim, but they didn’t commit the crime. Or maybe they benefit from the outcome but had no hand in it. These characters feel like obvious suspects for good reason—but that reason turns out to be irrelevant.

This works well in ensemble casts where everyone has something to hide.

3. False Alibis and Twisted Timelines

When a character lies about their whereabouts, it raises suspicion—even if the lie covers something totally unrelated. Or maybe a timeline is just fuzzy enough to allow doubt to creep in.

Time inconsistencies are a subtle but powerful way to plant misdirection.

4. Coincidences That Look Like Clues

Sometimes, things line up just a little too well. A character finds the murder weapon—but only because they stumbled on it. Or two events happen near each other and seem connected, even though they aren’t.

This can be risky. Too many coincidences and your story might feel contrived.

5. Point of View Bias or Framing

If your story is written in first person or limited third, your narrator’s perceptions can become a red herring on their own. What they assume can mislead the reader without a single lie being told.

This is one of my favorite tools—it invites the reader to share in the narrator’s bias, then reveals the truth through contrast.

Planning the Red Herrings

A mystery becomes much stronger when you’ve mapped out how to write a red herring as carefully as the solution itself. When they’re thrown in as an afterthought, they usually feel hollow—or worse, confusing. But when they’re built into the foundation of the story, they add texture, momentum, and a deeper sense of reader engagement.

Here’s a process for how to plan for, develop, and write red herrings:

1. Start with the Truth

First, figure out exactly what happened—who did it, why, how, and when. Until the core mystery is solid, it’s impossible to plant meaningful misdirection. Every red herring should play off the real answer.

2. Identify Who Could Have Done It

Brainstorm a list of characters with potential motives, shady pasts, or opportunities to be involved. The goal isn’t to point the finger at everyone—it’s to make several people look plausible in different ways.

3. Build the Red Herrings Around Character Logic

Red herrings work best when they’re grounded in what a character would actually do. Don’t make someone act guilty just for effect—find the real reason they might lie, dodge questions, or behave oddly. That way, the misdirection feels earned.

4. Plant Clues With Intent

Every misleading clue should be placed with a purpose. Is it meant to cast doubt? Distract from a real clue? Reinforce a false assumption? A clue with no intention behind it is just noise.

5. Review for Fairness and Clarity

Once a draft is in place, I often ask writers to reread with a specific lens: Does this red herring still make sense once the truth is known? If the answer is no—or if the misdirection feels like a stretch—it’s worth revisiting.

Writers are often surprised by how early they need to plant the seeds of misdirection. Waiting until the second half of a book usually feels too late. Weave red herrings into character introductions, early plot beats, and dialogue so that they grow naturally with the story!

Biggest Red Herring Mistakes

It’s easy for red herrings to go wrong. It’s one thing to mislead a reader; it’s another to confuse, frustrate, or lose them altogether. And unfortunately, that’s a common risk when red herrings are overused or underdeveloped!

Here are the most common pitfalls to watch for—and how to avoid them:

1. Making the Red Herring Too Obvious

If a character is so suspicious that they might as well be wearing a blinking sign that says “Look at me!” readers will instantly dismiss them. Ironically, that undermines the misdirection completely.

👁️‍🗨️ Solution: Subtlety is key. Let the suspicious behavior emerge gradually, or give it plausible alternative explanations that make sense in hindsight.

2. Making It Too Convincing—Then Dropping It

A red herring that builds tension for chapters and then disappears without explanation feels like a cheat. Readers invest in clues and expect them to lead somewhere—even if that somewhere isn’t the answer.

👁️‍🗨️ Solution: Close the loop. When a red herring is revealed as false, give the reader a satisfying reason for the misleading behavior. Think of it as a mini-resolution inside the larger mystery.

3. Using Coincidence Instead of Design

If your red herring relies on unrelated coincidences (like someone happening to be in the wrong place at the wrong time just because), it weakens the credibility of your plot.

👁️‍🗨️ Solution: Root misdirection in character behavior, not chance. The more intentional your clues feel, the stronger your mystery becomes.

4. Overloading the Reader with Too Many Red Herrings

Trying to keep everyone suspicious can backfire. Instead of feeling intrigued, readers may get overwhelmed or stop trying to solve the mystery at all.

👁️‍🗨️ Solution: Choose two or three meaningful red herrings and give them depth. It’s better to explore a few well-developed suspects than scatter suspicion in every direction.

Ultimately, the goal of a red herring isn’t to “trick” your reader—it’s to invite them into the story, keep them guessing, and make the truth feel both surprising and inevitable once it’s revealed!

Reader Satisfaction: The Payoff Principle

One of the best feelings in mystery writing—at least from a reader’s perspective—is being wrong in the best possible way. A great red herring leads readers down a path they think is correct, only to show them something even more interesting just around the corner. When done well, it doesn’t feel like a trick. It feels like a reward.

Most successful mysteries don’t just surprise readers; they give them a sense of satisfaction. That comes from one key principle: the truth should reframe everything that came before it. The clues, the misleads, the suspicious behavior—they should all make sense in hindsight, even if they pointed in the wrong direction at the time.

That’s where red herrings earn their keep. They should:

🔎 Hold up under a second read

🔎 Reflect real motives or behaviors (even if unrelated to the central crime)

🔎 Leave the reader thinking, Of course! I should’ve seen it coming.

One example is Knives Out. Several characters are presented with strong, believable motives—and as each thread is pulled, we learn that those motives were real, just not relevant in the way we thought. That kind of structure allows the audience to enjoy being wrong without feeling deceived.

So when you’re planting red herrings, don’t just aim for surprise. Aim for meaning. Let the misdirection deepen the character dynamics, reinforce the theme, or build tension that still pays off—even if it isn’t tied to the final answer!

How to Write a Red Herring That Keeps Readers Hooked

Red herrings aren’t just decorative; they’re functional. They’re what make a mystery feel layered, intelligent, and worth rereading. When they’re used thoughtfully, they deepen character relationships, amplify suspense, and create that addictive sense of “What if I’m wrong?” that keeps readers turning pages late into the night.

The key is to treat red herrings with the same care as any other part of your plot. Give them intention. Give them logic. And, most importantly, give them closure—so that even after the truth is revealed, your reader still feels like everything made sense.

Mastering how to write a red herring isn’t about tricking your audience; it’s about crafting misdirection that feels meaningful, rewarding, and deeply satisfying.

If you’re looking for a full roadmap on crafting an engaging mystery from the ground up, you can check out our post on how to write a mystery novel—it covers everything from structure to character arcs to final reveal techniques!

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