As a horror and mystery writer and a lifelong reader and watcher of the two genres, author Naomi Brett Rourke has come to know the tropes and clichés of novels and stories in this category. That’s why she considers the key element to writing a great horror or mystery novel is including a surprise or twist. It’s exciting to be surprised, Rourke says. She recalls being surprised by the twist in Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and by the iconic twists and turns of The Twilight Zone. She always tries to include a twist ending in her own writing as well.