Changing Trends In The Latest Crime Novels

By Leticia Jensen


The demand for the latest crime novels has always been high. The experienced authors of these books have evolved from the styles of cozy fireside mystery writers to the creators of thrillers with intricate plots and intense characters. This transition has been brought on by an informed generation that demands more of the writer than ever before.

The line between a novel and a text book has become thinner because the readers of today have much more information at their disposal and they expect their favorite authors to have and use this same knowledge in their books. The trick being to use the technical information without making one feel like they are back in a college lecture. One goal of every author is to enthrall and involve every reader in the story line without putting them to sleep.

They want to know the characters and be able to relate to the hero. Whether it is a detective or someone with three PHDs and is simply very lucky at solving the "Who" in a who done it the reader wants to be able to feel like they could be that person if they were in the right place when something bad happens.

The mystery writer today must develop a personal life for the people who populate their book. Today's readers like to know what made the killer the way he or she is and they want to know that the hero has family and relationship struggles just like everyone else. Many of the novelists of today create super rich profiles for the leading character and some are consultants for the police department working the case.

Many of the thrillers on the market today take place in international settings and involve presidents or government incidents. They may involve mass murders or preventing those mass murders. There may be a multitude of individuals who make up the body of the book and must be developed as completely as the hero or heroes have been.

A method that has become very popular with readers as well as authors is one that involves a series of books about the same main characters. This style allows the readers to get to know the characters on a very personal level. The last chapters sometimes set up the theme of the next book in the series. This is usually true of trilogies or sets but other authors have made a career of one specific character and their families and friends. Readers will anxiously await the next issue.

Mystery writers must maintain a very cutting edge attitude to sustain their reader's interest and keep them turning the pages. Some pay attention to what is happening in the news for the story line they will follow. Others may look to television shows that are successful to direct their lines of thought and create the plot they want.

The biggest change in crime novels is the involvement of readers in lives of people depicted in books. The story lines are as different as they have always been with the twist of being more technical than previous eras have shown themselves to be. Today's authors are far more cutting edge than their predecessors could have ever hoped to be.




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