What is a Red Herring in a Story? 50+ Examples

A red herring is a literary device that misleads or distracts readers from the actual issue at hand. Understanding this technique can enhance your writing and critical reading skills.

What is a Red Herring?

A red herring is a term used in literature and rhetoric to denote a misleading clue or distraction, often leading the audience or characters to wrong conclusions. This device is commonly used in mystery novels and thrillers but can be found in various genres.

Key Elements of Using the Red Herring Technique in a Detective Story

Here is a pie chart illustrating the key elements of using the red herring technique in a detective story. Each slice represents the relative importance of various steps:

Introduce Early (30%): The red herring must be introduced early to blend naturally into the story.
Create Plausibility (25%): Make the red herring plausible enough to distract the reader or viewer.
Provide Misdirection (25%): Use clues and actions that subtly point towards the red herring.
Reveal the Truth (20%): The real resolution should come later, making the red herring an intriguing twist.

The Origin of the Term

The phrase “red herring” dates back to the 1800s, believed to have originated from the practice of using strong-smelling fish to divert hunting dogs from the scent of their quarry. It metaphorically points towards misleading information that distracts from the core narrative.

How Red Herrings Work in Storytelling

Red herrings function as plot devices that can serve various purposes, including:

Creating suspense and intrigue
Encouraging engagement by involving the audience in the mystery
Enhancing character development

Examples of a Red Herring in a Kid-Friendly Mystery Story

1. The Case of the Missing Trophy

Someone has stolen the school principal’s golden trophy from the display case before the big awards assembly!

Characters:

Milo: A mischievous kid who’s always pulling pranks and just got detention last week.
Abby: The class artist who spends a lot of time in the art room near the trophy display.
Ben: The quiet librarian’s assistant who seems to know everyone’s secrets.

The Red Herring: Everyone thinks Milo is the culprit. He’s been caught near the trophy case before, and on the day of the theft, he was overheard saying, “That trophy is mine now!” Plus, his backpack was seen bulging suspiciously as he ran out of school early.

As the detective (the protagonist) investigates:

They discover that Milo’s suspicious comment was about winning a video game competition, not the trophy.
The “bulging backpack” was just filled with water balloons for a prank he never got to pull off because the trophy went missing first.

The Twist: It turns out Abby accidentally knocked over the trophy while setting up an art display and hid it in her art supplies out of embarrassment! She planned to fix it before anyone noticed but panicked when the assembly was announced. Abby confesses, and everyone forgives her because the trophy wasn’t actually damaged—just dusty.

Why It Works:

Milo’s Prankster Reputation: Kids can easily believe he’d be behind the theft.
Clues That Mislead: The overheard comment and bulging backpack steer the audience toward him.
A Relatable Twist: Abby’s mistake is something kids might understand, making the resolution satisfying.

Here are a few more examples of red herrings for kid-friendly mystery stories. These examples show how red herrings can be used to mislead readers and make the story more engaging.

2. The Missing Lunchbox

The Mystery: Someone’s lunchbox disappears during recess.

The Red Herring:

Suspect: Tommy, the class clown, is seen near the cubbies where the lunchboxes are kept. He’s known for borrowing things without asking and once took a lunchbox to play a joke.
Clue: Tommy is holding a similar lunchbox during lunch break, which makes it look like he stole it.

The Twist: Tommy borrowed an extra lunchbox to help carry snacks for the recess soccer team. The missing lunchbox was accidentally taken by a teacher who thought it was the “lost and found” bin.

3. The Mystery of the Vanishing Homework

The Mystery: The teacher’s pile of graded homework goes missing before it’s returned to the students.

The Red Herring:

Suspect: Lily, who is often late turning in assignments, is spotted near the teacher’s desk right before the homework vanishes. She’s also carrying a big folder.
Clue: Lily was overheard saying, “I’ll do whatever it takes to fix this grade!” suggesting she might have taken the homework.

The Twist: Lily wasn’t trying to steal the homework—she was returning an overdue book to the teacher. The homework had been knocked behind the desk by the janitor while cleaning.

4. The Case of the Missing Soccer Ball

The Mystery: The school’s special championship soccer ball disappears the day before the big game.

The Red Herring:

Suspect: Max, a rival team player, is seen hanging around the equipment room. He’s overheard saying, “We’ve got to get that ball!”
Clue: Max is also seen walking away with something round and wrapped in a bag.

The Twist: Max was actually delivering a cake to the coach for the team’s victory party. The soccer ball was taken by the team’s dog mascot, who thought it was a toy!

5. The Mystery of the Missing Class Pet

The Mystery: The class hamster, Nibbles, disappears from its cage over the weekend.

The Red Herring:

Suspect: Emily, who has been asking the teacher for weeks if she can take Nibbles home for a weekend, suddenly shows up on Monday with a large shoebox.
Clue: Someone found hamster food scattered near her desk, which seems like evidence.

The Twist: Emily was preparing to take Nibbles home the following weekend and was bringing in supplies. Nibbles had escaped the cage on their own and was hiding in the bookshelf behind some encyclopedias!

Why These Work for Kids:

Relatable Characters: The suspects are classmates, teachers, or even pets.
Simple Misunderstandings: The true explanations are innocent and easy for kids to grasp.
Engaging Suspense: Each red herring creates a plausible reason to suspect the wrong person or thing, making the real solution surprising but not outlandish.

Examples of Red Herrings in Literature

Here are a few notable examples of red herrings in well-known stories:

Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”: Multiple characters provide conflicting evidence, directing suspicion away from the true culprit.
Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Hound of the Baskervilles”: Misleading clues about the supernatural element create distraction from the real solution.
Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”: The appearance of madness acts as a red herring, obscuring Hamlet’s deeper motivations.

Creating Effective Red Herrings

Incorporating a red herring into your narrative can be an effective strategy. Here are some tips to craft them effectively:

Subtlety is Key: Avoid over-explaining the distraction. Let the clues unfold naturally.
Stay Relevant: Ensure that the red herring is relevant to the main plot. It should connect with the overarching themes.
Use Misdirection: Develop character motivations that lead readers away from the truth without being too obvious.

Types of Red Herrings in Detective, Spy, or Mystery Stories

Here’s a pie chart illustrating different types of red herrings often used in detective, spy, or mystery stories:

Physical Evidence (30%): Clues like planted weapons or fake evidence.
Suspicious Behavior (24%): Characters acting nervously or oddly for unrelated reasons.
Witness Testimony (20%): Misleading or mistaken accounts from witnesses.
Coincidental Clues (16%): Random coincidences that appear significant.

50 Examples of a Red Herrings in a Detective, Spy, or Mystery Story

Classic Red Herrings

A mysterious note found at the crime scene with cryptic symbols that turns out to be a prank.
A neighbor seen sneaking out late at night, who is actually walking their dog.
A threatening letter sent to the victim that was written by someone seeking attention, not the culprit.
A broken piece of jewelry found near the crime scene belonging to someone uninvolved.
A suspect with a criminal record who has a perfect alibi.
A witness claims they saw a figure in a trench coat fleeing but later admits they were hallucinating.
A weapon left behind that has nothing to do with the actual crime.
A loud argument overheard between two characters who turn out to be siblings fighting over trivial matters.
A disgruntled employee who is vocal about hating their boss but was out of town during the crime.
Footprints leading to the crime scene that belong to a delivery worker dropping off a package.

Psychological Red Herrings

A nervous character who stammers during questioning but is innocent.
A person who has a motive but is revealed to have been incapacitated during the crime.
A suspect fakes a limp to seem less capable of committing the crime.
An eyewitness swears they saw someone fleeing but turns out to have bad eyesight.
A character’s unusual hobby (e.g., collecting knives) makes them look guilty.
A paranoid character constantly changing their story, though they’ve done nothing wrong.
A person caught eavesdropping who claims they were planning a surprise party.
A suspect with a peculiar obsession (like collecting poison bottles) but no link to the crime.
A friendly neighbor always offering help but turns out to be too nosy, not criminal.
A suspiciously calm character during the investigation but genuinely had no involvement.

Physical Evidence Red Herrings

A dropped handkerchief embroidered with initials that belong to an innocent bystander.
A bloody knife found in a dumpster that doesn’t match the victim’s wounds.
A fingerprint on a doorknob that belongs to the mailman.
Torn fabric caught on a fence that matches a suspect’s coat but was from an earlier unrelated incident.
A smudged shoe print that leads to a red herrings suspect who wasn’t even in the area.
A strand of hair at the scene that belongs to the family pet.
A note with a code that, when solved, says something irrelevant like “Buy milk.”
A weapon hidden in a suspect’s car, planted by someone else to frame them.
A lockpick set found in someone’s bag that was used for a hobby, not the crime.
A cigarette butt with no connection to the real culprit.

Behavioral Red Herrings

A suspect avoids the police because they’re hiding something unrelated to the crime (e.g., cheating on their partner).
A wealthy socialite who acts entitled and rude but is innocent.
A shop owner who keeps changing their story because they’re trying to cover up tax fraud, not a murder.
A character who keeps disappearing during key moments but is just secretly dating someone.
A handyman seen repairing something suspiciously close to the crime scene.
A character who is overly eager to help with the investigation but simply loves mysteries.
A suspect feigning ignorance about a stolen object because they accidentally broke it.
A character seen carrying a heavy bag later revealed to be laundry, not evidence.

Spy and Espionage Red Herrings

A double agent who is framed as a mole but is actually loyal.
A briefcase handcuffed to someone’s wrist that contains personal documents, not top-secret plans.
A mysterious meeting at a secluded location that turns out to be a book club.
A gadget left behind that was a decoy, not the key to the mission.
A supposed “enemy spy” tailing the protagonist who’s actually an undercover ally.
A signal intercepted on a radio frequency that’s a prank or coincidence.
A character claiming they’ve been followed by someone, but it was a delivery driver.
A safe with seemingly incriminating documents that turns out to be unrelated to the current case.

Environmental Red Herrings

A broken window that suggests forced entry but was caused by a stray baseball.
A trail of muddy footprints leading away from the scene that belong to an innocent jogger.
A bag of money found near the scene of a robbery that was planted as a diversion.
A car with a dent matching the scene’s evidence, but it was damaged in an earlier accident.

Examples Of Red Herrings By Story Type

Here’s a bar chart showing the distribution of red herring examples across different story types:

Detective Stories (20 examples): Often involve misdirecting evidence and suspicious characters.
Spy Stories (15 examples): Focus on misdirection in espionage and covert operations.
Mystery Stories (15 examples): Use subtle, misleading clues to intrigue the audience.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When implementing red herrings, be cautious of these pitfalls:

Overuse: Relying too heavily on red herrings can frustrate readers.
Lack of Resolution: Ensure that the real issue is addressed clearly at the end of the story.
Weak Connections: All red herrings should serve a purpose; irrelevant distractions weaken the narrative.

Conclusion

Incorporating red herrings can significantly enhance storytelling by adding depth and complexity. Always ensure that your readers feel satisfied when the truth is revealed, despite any distractions along the way. For further reading on narrative techniques, explore sites like Writer’s Digest or check out the detailed breakdowns on LitCharts.