Students will combine reading in the detective fiction genre with expository writing. Embedded in this unit are reading and writing skills, such as defining, editing, explaining, illustrating, justifying, revising, supporting, and validating. During fifteen 40-minute lessons, grade 6-8 students will: recognize a form of literature according to its characteristics; indicate personal preference by self-selecting a novel in the detective fiction subgenre of mystery; practice predicting, deducing, and analyzing through oral and written discussion; write in expository mode, as well as in descriptive and persuasive modes to a lesser degree; develop and use an extended vocabulary by incorporating terms used by those involved in crime solving; progress through all aspects of the writing process from prewriting to publishing; use self-monitoring and feedback from peers and teachers to evaluate reading, writing, listening, viewing, studying, and research skills; and evaluate what they have learned from the novel and the writing project. The instructional plan, lists of resources, student assessment/reflection activities, and a list of National Council of Teachers of English/International Reading Association (NCTE/IRA) Standards addressed in the lesson are included. A detective's handbook; a flick sheet; the detective's handbook rubric; a peer editing/revision worksheet for expository entries; a self-monitoring worksheet; and a list of detective novels for grades six through eight are attached. (PM)