Motive, the Glue that Holds Together the Murder Mystery

US law typically requires Motive, Means, and Opportunity to be demonstrated to a jury in a criminal trial.  As mystery writers, our job is to show these three things when finding the killer in our who-dun-its. Motive is a critical key to the story.

“The devil made me do it!” won’t hold up. The killer needs a good reason to snuff out the life of another character. Secrets drive motive; motive drives lies.

Sit back, watch your favorite murder mystery. Important to the story is collecting evidence—important here is the suspects’ stories.  The sleuth interviews, snoops, and investigates the murder to find one important element. The big WHY.

Motive becomes part of the backstory, the connection between the victim and killer. Other suspects secrets and lies matter too.  The motive is the glue that holds together the murder mystery storyline.

Without further ado, the Master List of Motives.

Hidden secret/Discovery
Revenge
Frustration
Hate/loathing
Obsession
Money/Greed
Righting a wrong
Sex
Jealousy
Love
Dispute
Political
Class Conflict
Narcotics
Other Felony
Protect Someone
Crime of Passion
Psychosis/Mental Disorder
Psychopath/Sociopath
Empathy/Sympathy
Self-defense
Blackmail
International Intrigue/Spy
Patriotic
Power