Red herring
A clue or suggestion that temporarily directs the reader toward a mistaken conclusion.
A red herring offers a plausible explanation that later proves mistaken. In a mystery it may implicate an innocent person or suggest the wrong motive. It guides attention by making particular facts seem decisive.
A satisfying red herring still makes sense after the truth emerges. The suspect may have been concealing a different secret. Explaining that behavior helps preserve the story's coherence and the reader's trust.
Example
Muddy boots implicate the gardener. He had gone out that night to protect a greenhouse from frost.
In the workshop
Plan the clue's real explanation alongside the misleading one.
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