Drawing on the fields of psychology, neuroscience and anthropology, a New York Times best-selling author unlocks the secrets of mystery's allure, shedding new light on everything from the formulas of our favorite detective shows to the calculated risks of the stock market.

Introduction: The mystery of mystery -- The mystery box -- The magic gasp -- The power of comic sans -- Strategic opacity -- The duck-rabbit game -- The Harkness method -- Coda: The mechanic as detective.