I've read many mystery novels in which the writer left out the
denouement, but, in my opinion, a mystery without one is
seriously lacking. Admittedly, I grew up reading Hercule Poirot,
in which he always demanded to gather up all the suspects so he
could demonstrate his brilliance in deducing the meaning of all
the perplexing clues and fingering the murderer.
Poirot's motive for such demonstrations may have been
egotistical, but there's no doubt he had a flair for the
dramatic. And stories without the classic denouement leave me
feeling cheated.
Tips on writing denouements
1) Include all the major characters/suspects
2) Make sure that the physical surroundings of the meeting place
are inducive to comfort. Put the suspects at ease and the
murderer will more likely act irrationally when he or she is
accused.
3) Have the protagonist/detective start his or her narrative at
the beginning and work to the end, explaining all the confusing
details along the way.
4) Point out the motives each suspect had for doing away with
the victim. It's always a good idea to have at least two or
three other people who gained something from the removal of the
victim.
5) Don't let your protagonist/detective do all the talking. In
general, it is his or her narrative, but inserting an occasional
question or comment from someone else will keep the reader aware
that others are there also. It's also good to mention their
reactions to the elucidation of the mystery.
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