Red herring

A red herring is a clue, character or event planted to lead the reader toward a wrong conclusion, used mainly in mysteries and thrillers to protect a surprise.

In a detective story, the gardener lurks near the study, scowling. He has a motive, a muddy boot and no alibi. By chapter twenty he is cleared. The real culprit was the one who was nice to everyone. The gardener was a red herring.

How it works

A red herring offers the reader a plausible but wrong answer. It works because it feels like a clue, with a real basis in the story, and because it draws attention while the truth is placed elsewhere.

• A suspect. A character with motive or opportunity who turns out innocent.
• A false lead. An object or event that seems to mean something and does not.
• A misleading frame. A narrator or character who interprets the evidence wrongly.

Playing fair

The rule of fair play: the reader must have been given the real clues too. A solution that depends on a fact never shown is a cheat. A red herring should also be more than a delay. The best ones reveal something about a character, so the detour is worth taking.

Why it matters to a writer or editor

Editors check that the herrings are well-balanced. Too many, and the reader tires of being led around. Too few, and the solution is obvious. A herring that is dropped without explanation leaves an open question. Make sure each is closed off, and that the true answer is still foreshadowed somewhere in the text, so the ending reads as surprising and inevitable at once. See suspense and setup and payoff.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the phrase come from?

It is often said to come from the practice of dragging a strong-smelling smoked fish across a trail to throw hunting dogs off the scent. The story of its origin is itself debated.

How is a red herring different from foreshadowing?

Foreshadowing points toward what will happen. A red herring points away from it, toward something that will not.

Is a red herring cheating?

Not if it is fair. The true clues must also be present, and the false one must make sense on its own terms.