Nearly every crime book will make use of red herrings, particularly mystery books. But did you know that red herrings can be used in any genre? And when used well, they create the set-up for a delightful surprise twist at the end.
By definition, a red herring is a deliberate misdirection designed to mislead the reader by making something seem important when it’s not … in other words, a red herring is a false clue.
Writers use them to make the reader incorrectly guess what has already happened or what is going to happen. To make red herrings even harder for a reader to spot the false clue can be just about anything – a character, a piece of information, a physical object or an event.
One of the most acclaimed uses of red herrings to create a fabulous twist is Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
What book has your favourite twist?
July 28, 2026 at 5:20 am
I did not realize that one could use red herrings in non mysteries. But I suppose literary devices work in any genre.
July 29, 2026 at 6:36 pm
A lot of people don’t know you can, which is a really missed opportunity. Readers love a twist and if you can surprise your readers, they’ll keep coming back. If you want to read a book that has a good example of red herrings (although that is giving it away a little) I recommend a short romance story by Courtney Milan: The Lady Always Wins