Clue (book Series) - Format

Format

Each book begins with a small chapter where Mr. Boddy introduces himself to the reader. He explains the situation and introduces the six suspects. This ends with some kind of cliffhanger that leads into the first chapter.

Except for the first book, which contains thirteen, all the books contain ten mini-mysteries similar to the Encyclopedia Brown books. Each mystery ends with a question to answer, and a picture of the checklist from the game is provided to assist with solving. The answer is printed upside-down on the next page, providing an explanation of how the criminal was foiled, or how the victim (if there was one) survived. The first nine mysteries typically involve some sort of competition between the guests (in which case readers must deduce who won), a guest attempting to murder another guest, or some sort of rare treasure of Mr. Boddy's that has been stolen.

Someone attempts to murder Mr. Boddy in the final chapter of each book. In the solution, no explanation is given, and it is suggested that Mr. Boddy actually dies. In the introduction of subsequent books, however, Mr. Boddy explains how he survived the end of the previous book, with the exception of the eighteenth book. This allows the series to come to an end at any point without ending abruptly and also leaves it open for another book.