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| Dark Places |
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
If you have not read the novel or seen the movie and plan to, stop reading now.
Genre: Mystery - Past story woven into Present Story. POV names and dates replace chapter numbers.
Premise: Victim unravels past murder mystery.
Primary and Secondary Characters:
Protagonist (Survivor)
Friend 1
Friend 2
Suspect 1/Antagonist (convicted killer), motive satanic sacrifice.
Suspect 2 Father of abused girl, motive revenge.
Suspect 3 Father of protagonist, motive greed.
Suspect 4 Cult member, motive payback for nonpayment
Suspect 5 Stranger, motive compassionate euthanasia.
Suspect 6 Girlfriend of Antagonist.
Victims 1, 2, and 3, possible 4th.
Point of View Characters:
1. Protagonist First Person
2. Antagonist (protagonist’s brother) Third Person Close Up
3. Secondary Character (protagonist’s mother) Third Person Close Up
4. Suspect 5 (hired killer) Third Person Close Up
Chapter 1: POV Protagonist. Relates protagonist’s current situation, sprinkle of pertinent backstory, story goal stated, and suspect 1/antagonist introduced and his motivation given.
Chapter 2: POV Secondary Character. Mother reveals pertinent backstory, points finger at Suspect 1/Antagonist, the person most opposed to the truth being revealed.
Chapter 3: POV Protagonist. She meets people who can help her obtain her story goal. Pieces of backstory suggest Antagonist/Suspect 1 isn’t guilty. She refuses the challenge to solve the mystery.
Chapter 4: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Begins relating what really happened from his point of view. Introduces his relationship to Suspect 6 and delivers a critical clue to solving the mystery that won’t become apparent until the end.
Chapter 5: POV Protagonist. She reveals more backstory. Interviews person who thinks suspect 1 is innocent and begins to question his guilt.
Chapter 6: POV Secondary Character. Mother reveals more backstory pertinent to the situation at the time the crime was committed. Hints at motive for Suspect 5 that won’t be apparent until the end.
Chapter 7: POV Protagonist. She reveals more back story. Agrees to solve the mystery.
Chapter 8: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Continues the real story and that makes a false accusation look true, a red herring that complicates things.
Chapter 9: POV Protagonist visits Antagonist/Suspect 1 in prison. She promises to prove he is innocent.
Chapter 10: POV Secondary Character. Mother learns of false accusation that makes Suspect 1 look guilty.
Chapter 11: POV Protagonist. She looks for Suspect 3 and is unsuccessful. She relates backstory about her life after the murder. She learns of the false accusation which leads her to want to interview the accuser. Points finger toward guilt of Suspect 2.
Chapter 12: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Continues the backstory narrative. Introduces Suspect 4, a connection which made him look guilty.
Chapter 13: POV Protagonist finds accuser who asserts the accusation was true, but the protagonist doesn’t believe her. Points finger at Suspect 2.
Chapter 14: POV Secondary Character. Mother learns of Antagonist/Suspect 1 connection to Suspect 4. Finger points to Antagonist/Suspect 1.
Chapter 15: POV Protagonist. She wants to interview a second witness and fails. Finds a clue that reveals relationship between Suspect 1 and Suspect 6.
Chapter 16: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1 continues the narrative and is confronted by the false accusation.
Chapter 17: POV Protagonist. She meets with people who believe in Antagonist/Suspect 1’s innocence. Finger points to Suspect 3. Protagonist resolves again to find him.
Chapter 18: POV Secondary Character. Mother continues backstory and the false accusation is reinforced. Finger points to Antagonist/Suspect 1.
Chapter 19: POV Protagonist. She remembers an important clue. She visits Antagonist/Suspect 1 a second time and asks for an explanation. He tells a partial truth. He denies knowing Suspect 6.
Chapter 20: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. He continues the story and reveals two key reasons one of the murders was committed that won’t become apparent until the end. Finds out possible motivation for Suspect 3. Also reveals false evidence planted by Suspect 6 that made him 1 look guilty.
Next week, we finish dissecting Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.
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