History Main / BeneathSuspicion

** If the detective seems a bit too convinced that the killer must have been of a specific gender, then there's a big chance that it was a deliberate ploy by the killer. ''Literature/MrsMcGintysDead'' and ''Literature/TheMovingFinger'' both have a male killer planting evidence pointing to a woman, while the female culprits of ''Literature/MurderIsEasy'' and ''Literature/{{Nemesis}}'' commit particularly violent murders that they know will point to a man.
* ''Literature/{{Circleverse}}'': The murderer in ''[[Literature/TheCircleOpens Shatterglass]]'' ends up being a ''prathmun'', a member of Tharios' Untouchable caste, considered so low and degraded that to even acknowledge his presence requires being ritually purified afterward.

* A non-murder example is in the universe of ''Franchise/StarWars'', where droids are able to go pretty much anywhere so long as they act like they belong there, since droids are treated as less-than-lower-class by nearly everybody to the point that they don't keep track of them at all. Case in point: C-3PO and R2-D2 are able to walk about the Death Star armed only with faint excuses, despite the fact that one of them is currently wanted for carrying the the schematics to the Death Star itself!

* A non-murder example is the entirety of ''Franchise/StarWars'', where droids are able to go pretty much anywhere so long as they act like they belong there, since droids are treated as less-than-lower-class by nearly everybody to the point that they don't keep track of them at all. Case in point: C-3PO and R2-D2 are able to walk about the Death Star armed only with faint excuses, despite the fact that one of them is currently wanted for carrying the the schematics to the Death Star itself!

[[folder:Films — Animation]]

[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]
* Played with in the first ''Film/ScaryMovie'', as the killer is "posing" as mentally handicapped. His ObfuscatingDisability is portrayed [[RefugeInAudacity so over-the-top]] that it defies description, but since this is a parody movie, it also works on the audience.

* Played with ([[{{Troperiffic}}along with everything else]]) in ''Film/HotFuzz''; whenever Nicholas voices his suspicions of Simon Skinner, people respond that he runs the local supermarket, as though that puts him beyond all possibility of wrongdoing.
* ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'': This is a common pattern in the revelations of Jigsaw killers and copycats, often involving them playing as victims in some way.
** ''Film/SawI'': Nobody, not even the audience, ever thinks at any point that the "dead" body in the bathroom where Adam and Lawrence are trapped in is just PlayingPossum and is, in fact, the mastermind. At best, they'll think that the mastermind is Zep (one of the victims in the main game) before TheReveal at the end, due to him having been provided plenty of "mastermind equipment" like cameras.
** ''Film/SawII'': Downplayed with Amanda, one of the supposed victims in the Nerve Gas House. While nobody ever suspects her as being a Jigsaw apprentice, there's a decent amount of {{Foreshadowing}} to it over the course of the film before her reveal at the end.
** ''Film/SawIV'' sets up a twist ending that's very similar to the example from the first film, down to having a fake suspect for the audience to assume as an apprentice. Just like Lawrence and Adam, Eric and Hoffman are trapped in a small room at the Gideon Meatpacking Plant with Art having them on hold while overseeing Rigg's game. Similarly to Adam with Zep, Rigg finds out that Art had an instruction tape with him, and Hoffman unties himself from his chair, matching John getting up in the first film.
** ''Film/Saw3D'': Lawrence is an interesting variant. The previous films where he was absent had various small hints to him having become an accomplice behind the scene, but this film has no foreshadowing to it at all before his reveal; the closest thing that gets to a hint is him sarcastically praising Bobby's claims in the Jigsaw Survivor Group meeting.
** ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'': Logan is another variant. At first, he's seemingly set up to be an innocent who's accussed by Halloran of being the one behind the new Jigsaw killings, what with him trying to eliminate or otherwise block access to potential evidence that could point towards him with help of Eleanor. However, during the climax, Halloran proves himself right when it turns out that Logan was faking at being a victim in the Laser Collars.
** ''[[Film/Spiral2021 Spiral]]'': Schenk is never suspected by anyone to be Spiral Killer, even just before revealing himself at the climax. That said, it's easy for the audience to assume this when he's supposedly captured by the killer, because his game is never actually shown, unlike the other victims in the film and ''many'' more in the previous ones.
* Similarly in ''Film/MurderByDeath'' (1976), several candidates are nominated for the murderer, and the big reveal at the end? [[TheEndingChangesEverything There was no murder at all]] (except maybe of a weekend) because the corpse gets up and thanks everybody for making a fool of themselves; he only invited the world's best detectives in order to extort money from them... [[TheUnreveal But there's one more twist]] just before the credits roll.

* ''All'' of the working-class characters in ''Film/GosfordPark'' are considered this by the detective, since the murder victim was upper-class and the detective is only interested in anyone who had "a real connection" with the victim. Had he bothered to question any of the servants, he might have learned that the victim had slept with some of them.
* ''Film/TheLimehouseGolem:'' Kildair spends the film investigating the only four men who visited the library containing the Limehouse Golem's hidden journal in the right timeframe to record its last entry. None of them are guilty. While only those four ''men'' visited the library that day, the librarian never thinks to mention Lizzie and several other ''women'' who visited the library.

* ''Film/AmericanAnimals'': Warren insists that the members of TheCaper disguise themselves as old men because old people are easily ignored. However, they actually stick out among the college students of the university library. During their second attempt, they simply dress in suits.
* ''Film/DeadlyAdvice'': The reason UsefulNotes/JackTheRipper gives as to why he was never caught. An unassuming hairdresser, he once even cut Inspector Aberline's hair; showing how close to an investigation he could come without being suspected.
* In ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' Mr. Pink considers Mr. Blonde the only person he completely trusts because he's too much of psychopathic killer to be working with the police.

* ''Film/GlassOnion'': Early in the film, Blanc dismisses genius CEO Miles Bron as a suspect in Andi's death because the two were recently involved in a very public legal battle and only an idiot would kill her with such an obvious motive. It's only late in the film that Blanc realizes Bron is in fact an idiot who has convinced everyone he's a genius, meaning he's exactly the sort of person who would kill Andi.

* On ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer,'' Buffy gets a job at a local burger joint with a high turnover rate. She finds a human finger in the meat grinder and believes that [[TheSecretOfLongPorkPies they're killing the employees for food]]. Instead, it turns out that they're being eaten by a demonic customer who looks like a harmless old lady.
* On ''Series/Deception2018'', the FBI agents are hunting Sasha, a Russian mobster so secretive that few even know what he looks like. They raid a local bar filled with various mob guys but can't find Sasha. After magician aide Cameron helps them bust an underling, the guy reveals who Sasha is: The club's bartender who the team had passed during the raid. While arresting him, agent Kay gives the guy credit, lampshading that no one would give the bartender a second look, let alone think he's the boss.

* On ''Series/TheHardyBoysNancyDrewMysteries'', in the episode ''Campus Terror'', Joe Hardy's old flame Wendy calls the brothers in to help solve a series of kidnappings and disappearances taking place in an East Coast women's college, as she's the next targeted victim. She barely escapes an attack as the Hardys rush in moments after the attacker has fled & both the Hardys & the police treat her as just another victim. While suspicion falls on various men around campus (a young man who's stalking one of the female students, a professor with a history of evil experiments, the school's male self-defense teacher), it turns out that Wendy herself is the kidnapper, suffering from delusional split-personality episodes, and her "other personality" faked the attack to throw the police off.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
** ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}''.

** ''Series/{{Jessica Jones|2015}}'': Jessica realizes that her new neighbor, the drug-addicted Malcolm, is being used by Kilgrave as a spy. When she discusses this with Trish, they realize it's a perfect cover, as "everyone dismisses the junkie".

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In "Something Wicked", the MonsterOfTheWeek in a small town is none other than [[DeadlyDoctor the doctor]] who is treating the patients (children who have had the energy sucked out of them by said monster).
%%* ''Series/UnnaturalHistory'': Ambassador Tolo's PR representative.
* A heroic variant appears in one episode of ''Series/{{Lucifer}}''. After Chloe nearly dies and Lucifer temporarily returns to Hell to try to save her, he disappears for several weeks only to show up newly married to Candi, a BrainlessBeauty exotic dancer. At the end of the episode it's revealed that "Candi" is in fact highly intelligent and was putting on a show of being TheDitz as a favor to Lucifer in order to find out if his mother had any hidden agendas.
* Played for laughs in an episode of ''Series/TheOtherTwo'', where Brooke repeatedly violates a non-disclosure agreement to her friends, only to subsequently get ratted out, causing her to become increasingly paranoid that her friends are ratting on her. It's obvious to the audience, however, that Brooke is violating the NDA[=s=] on the phone while riding in Ubers, whose drivers Brooke eventually, sheepishly remembers "are actual human beings."

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Film/MuppetsMostWanted'': The Muppets are stopped trying to leave Paris because the police suspect that they're involved with an art theft in a museum that bordered their venue and happened the night of their performance. After questioning several of the Muppets, though, they conclude that they're far too stupid to pull off a crime of this kind. They forgot to question their new agent, who had been working with an IdenticalStranger of Kermit to pull off a string of heists.
[[/folder]]

* In ''LightNovel/MushokuTenseiJoblessReincarnation'', Orsted has identified and analyzed every one of Hitogami's agents except one, but that one blind spot is enough to foil his plans. The agent turns out to be Gisu, a person with no combat abilities or political sway.

** If the detective seems a bit too convinced that the killer must have been of a specific gender, then there's a big chance that it was a deliberate ploy by the killer. ''Literature/MrsMcGintysDead'' and ''Literature/TheMovingFinger'' both have a male killer planting evidence pointing to a woman, while the female culprits of ''Literature/MurderIsEasy'' and ''Literature/{{Nemesis}}'' both commit particularly violent murders that they know will point to a man.

** This ends up the case with Daisy Kincaid[=/=] Emma Shimmel from ''Death of a Gigolo''.

!!Since this trope is usually related to important twists, beware of unmarked spoilers!

** Inverted in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'', when Harry's spying on Draco Malfoy has him convinced that Malfoy is a Death Eater and responsible for lots of the life-threatening mischief at Hogwarts that year. Everyone he talks to finds this [[EpilepticTrees very far-fetched]], because Malfoy's just a teenage student and not even a particularly competent one. Of course, he turns out to be right [[spoiler: and that the most important members on his side also knew but pretended not to for strategic reasons]].

** Invoked by [[spoiler:Hank]] in ''Death by Pantyhose'', who seems like a lovelorn geek afraid of his own shadow.
** In ''Pampered to Death'', [[spoiler:Cathy]] seems like [[TheDitz a complete ditz]], going off on wild theories as to who the killer is. [[spoiler:Jaine doesn't suspect her until the end of the book.]]
** This ends up the case with [[spoiler:Daisy Kincaid[=/=] Emma Shimmel]] from ''Death of a Gigolo''.

* In ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'', no one expected that [[spoiler:Ata]] was TheMole. Being TheNondescript certainly worked in his favor.

* In one ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'' adventure, when a robot claims to have video footage exonerating the [[PlayerCharacters PCs]], the gamemaster is advised to maintain this trope: "Don't go 'heeeeeeey, there's a data port right over there, wanna try it?'. Wait for the [=PCs=] to ''ask'' if there's a data port nearby, then casually say 'oh yeah, there's one over in the corner'." [[spoiler: When the robot is hooked up, it restores the previously-crashed Computer.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Unavowed}}'': Nobody on the Unavowed Guild suspected The Instigator's true form was [[spoiler:the orignal human host, who was secretly a classic demon-summoning cult leader who disgusted the actual demon (the player character) into re-writing their memories just so they could forget they were living in the brain of a fucked-up homicidal sociopath.]]

* This trope is [[ExploitedTrope exploited]] in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' with [[spoiler:Vexen and Demyx. One member of Xehanort's new Organization (not mentioned by name) is [[TheMole actively working against]] Xehanort's intentions; for that purpose, he turns to Vexen, who specifically rejoined them for the purpose of continuing work on the Replica Program. Since Vexen is not one of the 'chosen' who is serving as the [[BigBadEnsemble thirteen seekers of darkness]], he can perform certain actions in the stead of the betrayer, who ''is'' one of the chosen. However, since Vexen's Replica Program is a key element in letting the thirteen exist at the same time, he turns to [[ButtMonkey Demyx]]. As Demyx himself points out, he and Vexen weren't friends in the Organization and didn't know each other ''before'' the Organization, so no one would suspect them of collaborating; further, Demyx both has a reputation of [[BrilliantButLazy not caring]] and is not one of the chosen, so he has still more freedom than Vexen does.]]

* In ''Videogame/Psychonauts2'', the true mastermind of the plot turns out to be [[spoiler: Nick Johnsmith, the mailroom clerk]]. As it turns out, [[spoiler: "Nick"]] is actually [[spoiler:a deposed prince of a third-world country]] who chose to infiltrate the Psychonauts via posing as as a menial worker that almost everyone liked. Particularly impressive given that he's surrounded by people that can ''read minds''.

* In ''Videogame/Psychonauts2'', the true mastermind of the plot turns out to be [[spoiler: Nick Johnsmith]]. As it turns out, [[spoiler: "Nick"]] is actually deposed prince of a third-world country who chose to infiltrate the Psychonauts via posing as as a menial worker that almost everyone liked. Particularly impressive given that he's surrounded by people that can ''read minds''.

** Inverted in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'', when Harry's spying on Draco Malfoy has him convinced that Malfoy is a Death Eater and responsible for lots of the life-threatening mischief at Hogwarts that year. Everyone he talks to finds this [[EpilepticTrees very far-fetched]], because Malfoy's just a teenage student and not even a particularly competent one. Of course, he turns out to be right.

* Justified in ''[[Literature/{{Perfume}} Parfum]]'' (the book, not made clear in the film) because Gaston has no personal smell; thus, he almost cannot be remembered and slides under everybody's radar.

* ''Literature/CormoranStrikeNovels'': In ''The Cuckoo's Calling'', the murderer turns out to be the brother of the first victim, who was the one who initially hired the detective after the police ruled the death a suicide, and is for most of the book the only one convinced her death was murder.

* ''Manga/{{Himenospia}}'': The protagonist can brainwash women into being her servants, and yet is made an UnwittingPawn of by two of them.

* Inverted in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'': even though Monsieur le Mayor matches Jean Valjean's description, including the near-superhuman strength, Javert concludes that they cannot be the same person because there is no way that an escaped convict could ever become the mayor of a town (and because they caught the "real" Valjean soon after Javert first suggested that le Mayor was Valjean). They are the same, and Valjean goes to defend the accused by revealing himself shortly thereafter. Justified in [[Film/LesMiserables the film]], as Valjean was bald with a long beard in prison, and le Mayor had a full head of hair and was clean shaven; in most stage adaptations, however, the difference between the two is merely a change of clothes.

* An adventure in ''TabletopGame/StarWarsD6'' introduces Rivoche Tarkin, [[DefectorFromDecadence niece of the infamous Grand Moff and deep cover agent for the Rebellion]] that has never been suspected because nobody in their right mind would suspect ''Tarkin's niece''. The only reason she's exposed and needs being extracted is that the Empire has uncovered evidence that points at someone that would attend her engagement party and with the Grand Moff dead his faction's enemies felt safe enought to ''[[FramingTheGuiltyParty frame her]]''.

* In ''Videogame/Psychonauts2'', the true mastermind of the plot turns out to be Nick Johnsmith, the mailroom clerk whose body spends most of the game debrained and later used as a host for Helmut Fullbear's mind. As it turns out, "Nick" is actually deposed prince of a third-world country who chose to infiltrate the Psychonauts via posing as as a menial worker that almost everyone liked.

** ''Film/SawIV'': This film sets up a twist ending that's very similar to the example from the first film, down to having a fake suspect for the audience to assume as an apprentice. Just like Lawrence and Adam, Eric and Hoffman are trapped in a small room at the Gideon Meatpacking Plant with Art having them on hold while overseeing Rigg's game. Similarly to Adam with Zep, Rigg finds out that Art had an instruction tape with him, and Hoffman unties himself from his chair, matching John getting up in the first film.

** ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'': Logan is another variant. At first, he's seemingly set up to be an innocent who's accussed by Halloran of being the one behind the new Jigsaw killings, what with him trying to eliminate or otherwise block access to potential evidence that could point towards him with help of Eleanor. However, during the climax, Halloran provides himself right when it turns out that Logan was faking at being a victim in the Laser Collars.

** Also the true head of the smuggling ring in ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' and culprit of both I1-5 murders is the sweet, self-effacing ManipulativeBastard Quercus Alba. Despite being the ambassador from KG-8 to the present, nobody thinks to investigate the guy who can barely walk even with a cane. At least, until Shi-Long Lang [[SpottingTheThread spots the thread]] during your investigation, and starts his own gambit that leads to Edgeworth accusing the correct suspect.

** Dee Vasquez and Acro in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' and ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll Justice For All]]''. Justified by the fact that the investigators didn't even know Vasquez was near the murder scene until the very end of the first trial day, and Acro is in a wheelchair. Acro basically even says, "I'm in a wheelchair, you jerk, how could you accuse me?!"

** Dee Vasquez and Acro in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' and ''Justice For All''. Justified by the fact that the investigators didn't even know Vasquez was near the murder scene until the very end of the first trial day, and Acro is in a wheelchair. Acro basically even says, "I'm in a wheelchair, you jerk, how could you accuse me?!"

** Dee Vasquez and Acro in ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'' and ''Justice For All''. Justified by the fact that the investigators didn't even know Vasquez was near the murder scene until the very end of the first trial day, and Acro is in a wheelchair. Acro basically even says, ''"I'm in a wheelchair, you jerk, how could you accuse me?!"''

* Played straight and also zig-zagged in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''. One episode has Dipper realize that local MadScientist and {{Cloudcuckoolander}} Old Man [=McGucket=], who he's ignored for the most part over the show's past season, might be [[spoiler:the Author of the Journals]]. The quest to recover his lost memories leads to the straight example: the reason why few townsfolk seem to remember the local oddities is because of a cultist group called The Society of the Blind Eye, dedicated to erasing resident's memories of such activity in the town, comprised of Bud Gleeful, father of the previous season's BigBad Gideon, lame reporter Toby Determined, Tats, the bouncer of the local lumberjack bar, Sprott, the former owner of Mabel's pig Waddles, and a man married to a woodpecker who had appeared as a RunningGag several times before. They all used the Society to make themselves and others forget their failures and oddities. The zig-zag part comes in [=McGucket=]'s identity: no, he wasn't the Author of the Journals. But he did work with him on the portal project, and would go on to found the Society in order to prevent himself from going mad after seeing the Nightmare Dimension during said project. However, he went too far, erased too much, and became a hermit hillbilly and local crackpot.