Are you a writer? Get a clue.

Every book is a mystery, but not every novel is a whodunit. Can you learn from analyzing a traditional mystery to add depth to your story, regardless of genre? Find out at the Willamette Writers Coast Chapter meeting at Newport Public Library this Saturday, Feb. 17.

Presenter Emmeline Duncan will show how studying the building blocks of a classic mystery, from clues to red herrings, authentic villains and flawed sleuths, will help improve the plot of every work-in-progress.

Novelists, short story writers and even memoirists can benefit from this presentation.

Like her Ground Rules Mystery series, Duncan is based in Portland. The series includes “Fresh Brewed Murder,” “Double Shot Death” and “Flat White Fatality.” Soon to be released titles are “Death Unfiltered” and “Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop.”

Duncan also writes for teens as Kelly Garrett. Her debut young adult novel, “The Last to Die,” was an Oregon Book Awards finalist. She also received a 2020 Oregon Literary Fellowship. When not writing, she spends her time seeking out new coffee shops and hiking trails to explore, frequently accompanied by her canine sidekick.

The Willamette Writers Coast Chapter hosts a mix of in-person and virtual events from September through June. Willamette Writers, the parent organization, is the largest writers association in Oregon and one of the largest in the nation.

The program begins at 2 pm at Newport Public Library, located at 35 NW Nye Street. For more information, go to willamettewriters.org.