Despite what Chekhov would advise, authors sometimes add foreshadowing details that never pay off. These are called red herrings. In particular, mystery authors tend to leave red herrings throughout a story to keep the reader guessing who the culprit really is. The author might include suspicious details about several different people, not just the “bad guy.” For example, one suspect might be nervous before being interrogated by the police, but her reason for being nervous might have nothing to do with the main story. Or a fortune teller might see the face of bearded man in her crystal ball, but the character with a beard may actually turn out to be innocent. Having multiple potential culprits creates tension and excitement.

According to the passage, why might an author want to include red herrings in a mystery story?

A
to prove Chekhov wrong

B
to keep multiple suspects in play

C
to talk about a police interrogation

D
to show that most people are good at heart