GOF as Mystery Novel,

[Scott]

No: HPFGUIDX 9424

Jim said-
"A good mystery would have the reader saying, "of course it was 
Moody!"

I'm curious if anyone else has looked at GOF in this way.<<<<<<<<<  

Kelley wrote:
"This part took me right out of the book, and all I could think 
 was "Wha-at?" with incredulity.  Though I haven't found any plot-
 holes to make this impossible, it still feels so unconvincingly 
 convoluted.  I had not looked at GoF, or the rest of the books in 
 general, as 'mysteries', though they certainly are, and I think 
 you've made an excellent point.  Perhaps your explanation is what I 
 was feeling, but couldn't articulate.  Well said. "

Ok, I love mysteries. Some of the first books I can remember reading 
were "The Boxcar Children Mysteries". They were my first "chapter" 
books.

Anyway. I've read everything from Mary Higgins Clark to Agatha 
Christie, and I've taken classes on mystery writing. There should 
always be some evidence. Something inconspicuous (sp?) but obvious. 
You're are 100% right in saving that the solution should be one you 
that makes you stop and thing "I shoulda known!" 

There was, IMO very litte in GoF that actually pointed to Crouch. On 
re-reading you can make certain inference but just reading it there 
isn't anything to let the reader know.

I guess that GoF, whilst being the longest and darkest is IMHO the 
most weakly-plotted of all the Harry Potter books so far...

Scott