Sleuthing in the Sun: 8 Ways to Find Mystery Writing Ideas This Summer

☀️Summer might not scream “murder,” but mystery writing ideas are everywhere! While others are lounging by the pool or planning beach vacations, we’re dreaming up alibis, suspicious strangers, red herrings, and secrets buried in the sand. But what if the heat is frying our inspiration?

🔍 Don’t worry. Here are 8 clever, summer-themed ways to generate fresh mystery writing ideas, no matter your writing style—from cozy to cold-blooded.

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1) Visit a tourist trap – imagine a crime scene

At a tourist trap: think boardwalk, kitschy museum, lighthouse – ask yourself:

• Who might vanish from here?

• What could be hidden in plain sight?

• What happens when a tourist sees something they shouldn’t?

🍦Idea Starter: A beach town’s beloved ice cream truck man is found dead… after warning a guest that they’d be next.

2) Mystery writing ideas: Eavesdrop!

🌞Summer brings people outdoors, and we get to listen to them! Sit somewhere shady, sip something cold, and listen. That strange breakup, a whispered apology, the suspicious “I told you not to say anything”—all gold for mystery writers.

Idea Starter: Two teens are overheard planning a prank… but the next day, someone ends up missing.

3) Check small-town crime news

📰Mystery writing ideas come from everywhere, and smaller communities often have surprisingly juicy incidents in their local papers. Search for summer headlines involving:

• Unexplained disappearances

• Unusual accidents

• Heated neighborhood disputes

Idea Starter: A family renting a lake house goes missing, but the house was booked under a fake name.

4) Baby, it’s hot outside

♨️A heatwave can make people impulsive, angry, and careless. What does a crime look like in the middle of a heatwave? What happens when evidence melts, rots, or warps?

Idea Starter: A body is found in a sealed car during a record-breaking heatwave. Was it an accident—or staged?

5) Mystery writing ideas: summer celebration gone wrong 🎇

Summertime – carnivals, parades, outdoor concerts – all settings full of ideas for mischief, misdirection, or mayhem.

Idea Starter: During a fireworks show, someone disappears in the crowd—except no one seems to remember them ever being there.

6) Summer secrets journal 📒

Each day, jot down one secret someone might hide during summer. For example:

• A lifeguard covering up something from last year.

• A summer flirt gone too far.

• A missing person who was never reported.

Over time, you’ll build a trove of ideas.

7) What’s lost must be found

Online forums, Craigslist, or beach resort message boards often feature curious posts, including lost phones, jewelry, wallets, and pets. Some sound innocent—others, not so much. 🤷‍♀️

Idea Starter: A woman finds a wedding ring buried in the sand, with a message etched inside… and no matching missing item report.

8) Summer twist on the queen of mysteries – Agatha Christie 🔎

Challenge yourself to take a classic Christie setup (a locked room, a last-minute will, a dinner party) and relocate it to a summer setting: a yacht, a vineyard, a hiking trail. (Think And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile.)

Idea Starter: A private island getaway turns deadly when a storm traps the guests and the host vanishes, but their phones continue to receive messages.

Mystery writing ideas never take a vacation

🌴Summer might feel lazy, but for a mystery writer, it’s a season full of what-ifs and why-nots. The bright sun just makes the shadows darker. So grab your notebook, soak up some summer vibes, and keep your eyes open. Your next mystery writing ideas might be waiting just around the next sun umbrella.

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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!)