How do you like your mysteries?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

1) The author tells you who did it and you watch as the detective susses things out.
2) You don't know any more than the detective, so it's a "surprise" when the murderer is revealed.
3) Something else?

[Feck]

3 .

[Clinton Huxley]

1. I detest surprises. At my age, surprises are always bad.

[maiforpeace]

3 .

How interesting.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

1. I detest surprises. At my age, surprises are always bad.

I imagine you told A. Conan Doyle the same thing.

[Drewish]

If it's told from multiple perspectives or in the third person, then I prefer #1. I only like #2 if it's consistently from the same character's perspective. I had a rule when I was 9 watching Murder She Wrote, if Jessica Fletcher wasn't in a scene, then it should be ignored because she had to figure it out, and anything she wasn't aware of couldn't be part of what helped her solve the crime.

[Clinton Huxley]

1. I detest surprises. At my age, surprises are always bad.

I imagine you told A. Conan Doyle the same thing.

Had him round to dinner, once. Foggy night,one of the hounds had escaped.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

1. I detest surprises. At my age, surprises are always bad.

I imagine you told A. Conan Doyle the same thing.

Had him round to dinner, once. Foggy night,one of the hounds had escaped.

[Bella Fortuna]

1) The author tells you who did it and you watch as the detective susses things out.
2) You don't know any more than the detective, so it's a "surprise" when the murderer is revealed.
3) Something else?

I'll let you puzzle it out, Mister Detective.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

1) The author tells you who did it and you watch as the detective susses things out.
2) You don't know any more than the detective, so it's a "surprise" when the murderer is revealed.
3) Something else?

I'll let you puzzle it out, Mister Detective.

For you, I'd say a number 2.

[Tero]

1 and 2 work. But it all depends. Good characters and weak plot I never finish fast.

[Monster]

1) The author tells you who did it and you watch as the detective susses things out.
2) You don't know any more than the detective, so it's a "surprise" when the murderer is revealed.
3) Something else?

You can use a #4:
Lovecraftian: Everything is totally obvious to the reader, but the author attempts to explain the strange occurrences with implausible natural events.

Personally, I like #2.

[Ayaan]

I like option #2. It's fun to try to see if I can figure it out before the detective.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

1) The author tells you who did it and you watch as the detective susses things out.
2) You don't know any more than the detective, so it's a "surprise" when the murderer is revealed.
3) Something else?

You can use a #4:
Lovecraftian: Everything is totally obvious to the reader, but the author attempts to explain the strange occurrences with implausible natural events.

Personally, I like #2.

5) You don't why you're reading the damn thing in the first place.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

How do you like your mysteries?

Mysterious.