The Paw Print

By Issie Wee, Staff Writer

The mystery genre has long captivated many readers ever since its creation in the 19th century. Recently it has been gaining rapid attention with BookTok becoming popular in social media. BookToks spotlighted mystery books, especially murder-mystery books like “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson, “One of Us Is Lying” by Karen M. McManus and “The Inheritance Games” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. These books, with their page-turning suspense and attention-grabbing dramatics, renewed enthusiasm for reading as well as for the murder mystery genre. However, this attention has been focused solely on a specific type of murder mystery, the whodunit storyline, leaving the howcatchem in the shadows. 

The typical whodunit storyline leaves the culprit unknown for both the characters and the readers. This format focuses largely on the suspense of going through the discovery and guessing moments with the characters. It also allows the readers to experience the red herrings, the anticipation as they get closer to discovering the mystery and the satisfying “aha!” moment when the truth unravels. But as much as a good whodunit mystery gets us stuck into a reading marathon through the night, it is time to turn our attention to its lesser known sibling, the howcatchem.

The howcatchem plot, also known as an inverse mystery or “open mystery,” presents the crime and often the criminal, at the very beginning of the story. Rather than getting the suspense from who committed the crime, the howcatchem focuses the suspense on how they will be caught. And when done well, this format can be just as satisfying, if not even more, than the classic whodunit. So why does it still sit in the shadow of its more famous counterpart?

Understanding the appeal of each

The whodunit draws its strength from the curiosity and doubt instilled upon the readers as they themselves are thrown into a world of suspects, motives and misdirections. Every character might be guilty, and every detail might be a clue…or a trick. One of the prime examples of these are Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” or “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson. In both books, the reader is constantly second-guessing what they know.

In contrast, the howcatchem shifts the emphasis from guessing to understanding. In a howcatchem, the audience is often in on the secret. We know who the killer is, and we are watching the detective slowly piece it together. The tension comes not from wondering who, but from wondering how the truth will surface. It is less about surprise and more about the inevitability of catching the culprit, a slow burn rather than a jump scare.

This format is not only used in books but also in television, with “Columbo” being one of the most iconic examples. Each episode of “Columbo” reveals the murderer in the opening scenes, and the joy is in watching the clueless detective, with his rumpled coat and persistent questioning, slowly dismantle the murderer’s carefully crafted alibis. More recent series like “Poker Face,” created by Rian Johnson, continue this tradition, offering stylish, clever mysteries that do not hide the truth but rather revel in the chase.

Why the howcatchem deserves more attention

Despite its strengths, the howcatchem remains underrepresented and mostly unknown in popular literature. This is particularly true in the young adult space, where BookTok’s influence is most visible. This may be because publishers and marketers assume readers want the familiar, addictive puzzle-box structure of a whodunit. But readers are more sophisticated than they are given credit for, and the howcatchem offers a refreshing twist on a familiar genre.

In many ways, the howcatchem is a more character-driven form of storytelling. When the audience already knows the “what,” writers are forced to dig deeper into the “why.” This leads to exploring the psychology of the criminal, the flaws of the detective and the philosophical questions surrounding justice and morality. The best howcatchems are not just about catching a killer; they are about understanding them, giving more depth to the story than simply discovering that they were the killer.

This format also allows for more creative freedom. In a whodunit, the writer has to withhold information, sometimes to the point of manipulating the reader. In a howcatchem, the writer can be transparent, focusing instead on how the drama unfolds. It is a format that rewards attention to detail, character complexity and narrative ingenuity.

“You” by Caroline Kepnes is a dark and disturbing howcatchem told from the killer’s point of view. Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” flips its narrative halfway through and transforms a classic whodunit into something much more psychological. These books succeed not because they hide the truth, but because they explore what truth really means.

The future of the mystery genre

There is room for both styles in modern mystery storytelling. Whodunits satisfy our need to be surprised, to be fooled and then enlightened by the eventual reveal of the truth. Howcatchems speak to our desire for understanding and for justice to find its way through cunning and persistence. We eagerly anticipate the moment the characters realize the truth that has been in front of us the whole time.

And in an age of true crime documentaries, forensic thrillers and morally gray characters, the howcatchem might actually be the timelier form. It reflects a world where crimes are often solved not by dramatic revelations but through painstaking, methodical work displayed in the howcatchem plots and where the question is not just “Who did it?” but “Can they get away with it?”

This is why BookTok, publishers and writers would do well to embrace the inverse mystery as part of the genre’s evolution. Young readers are not just looking for thrills; they are looking for depth, for complexity and for stories that reflect a more realistic depiction of detective work. The howcatchem genre gives us this, and so much more.