D is for Detective or...

Diamonds, Death and Deceit

D is For Detective, Diamonds or Diamonds, Death and Deceit

Your detective can be a bungling idiot who, for all his short comings, manages to solve crimes in a timely and clever manner. Or, you may have Angela Lansbury, a.k.a. Jessica Fletcher murder mystery writer be pulled in because of her expertise to solve a crime. David Hemmingway in Death Diamonds and Deceit takes on the job for reasons dear to him. 

A career choice could be the impetus that puts your sleuth on a collision course with a crime that she needs to solve.

Whatever role your detective takes in your mystery, you need to build that character well so s/he serves your story and your reader. Diamond Jim Brady or Colombo, Stephanie Plum or Kay Scarpetta—what kind of detective will you build? He or she must be equal to the task as well as a staunch observer of human nature. Another prerequisite, she or he must be a match for the villain.  She must be strong enough to win over the antagonist in the end, even though she may not triumph until the very end. 

Balance is key. Your detective is smart enough, strong enough, good enough to be believable and effective for your story needs. You get to play god as you make your flawed, but perfect for this story, detective.