Mystery-Themed Writing Exercises for Summer

Do you like writing exercises? I’ve never done many (since high school), but I’ve found 7 mystery-themed writing exercises inspired by a summer setting. Be prepared to smell suntan lotion, sweat a little, and discover some new secrets.

These mystery-themed writing exercises are intended to spark your creativity and help you explore character, setting, tension, and plot—all with a sun-drenched, summer vibe and a twist of danger.

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The Beach Tote 🏖️

Prompt: A character finds someone else’s beach tote. It’s been accidentally left behind. Inside are five ordinary items—and one thing that shouldn’t be there at all.

Exercise:

• List the five ordinary items.
• Describe the suspicious item.
• Write a 250-word scene where your character decides what to do about it.

♨️ It’s a Heatwave

Prompt: In this mystery-themed writing exercise, it’s 102°F, the power’s out, tempers are flaring—and someone blurts out a confession they weren’t supposed to.

Exercise:

• Choose the setting – a restaurant, retirement home, back of a taxi, or Uber
• Write the scene from the perspective of someone who overhears the confession but isn’t sure what they heard… or if it’s even true.

Where’d They Go? 🎇

Prompt: After a crowded fireworks show, one person in a group of friends never comes back from the bathroom. Their phone is discovered in their car.

Exercise:

• Write the scene from the POV of the friend who first notices they’re gone.
• Focus on building tension through the use of sounds, lights, and crowd behavior.
• In 300 words or fewer, plant 2 clues and 1 red herring.

🏕️ Summer Camp Mystery-Themed Writing Exercise

Prompt: At a sleepaway camp, a counselor is discovered sneaking into the woods every night.

Exercise:

• Write two versions of the same scene: One where they’re doing something innocent (but suspicious-looking), and one where they’re hiding something criminal.
• Explore how tone and word choice can shift reader perception.

Cold Case Cooler 🔍

Prompt: While reorganizing an old beach house, someone opens the ancient freezer in the garage and finds something unexpected inside.

Exercise:

• What’s in the freezer?
• Write a 500-word monologue from the character who discovers it, as they debate what to do.

💂 The Tourist Trap

Prompt: A security guard at a tourist attraction notices a person returning every day, but always in a different disguise.

Exercise:

• Write a log of the guard’s observations over 5 days.
• On the 6th entry, include a twist: the person finally approaches the guard.

The Summer Memory – mystery-themed writing exercise 🚤

Prompt: A character tells a story about something that happened last summer. But another person who was there remembers it very differently.

Exercise:

• Write both versions of the story side by side (200–300 words each).
• Add small details that suggest one (or both) people are hiding something.

🕵️‍♂️ Extra Ideas

Ways to make these mystery-themed writing exercises more interactive:

• Try setting a timer for 15 minutes and writing fast
• Use a story puzzle (like scrambled character backstories, motives, or a timeline) to solve before you write
• Incorporate a mysterious object into your story
• Assign dice rolls to characters, settings, and plot twists – roll to determine story elements
• Trade the same prompt with a writing partner and compare scenes—you’ll see how mystery unfolds differently through every lens.

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Read my post about Summer Reading Challenges, and then follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with news about my book and any special offers! Be sure you grab your FREE 10-step checklist to plan your novel when you subscribe!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024, and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? released Feb. 25, 2025! My first novella, SeaBreeze Obsession in Trinity Sands Beach Club, released June 17, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)