 Mystery: April 14, 2021 Issue [#10710] |
This week: Murder Mysteries: Crime or Suspense Edited by: Lilli 🧿 ☕  
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| When you search for a book to read, do genre labels drive your choices? They certainly affect mine. If I’m in a puzzle-solving mood, it’s off to the mystery section to look for a murder story! Sometimes I end up with a crime story, other times suspense. Both have different appeals and this newsletter will look at each. |
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We all love stories; reading and writing them. And it turns out that some of the stories we love best are murder mysteries; stories about death and mayhem. So, let’s take a closer look at what’s involved and some differences between crime and suspense.
 MURDER
The first requirement of a murder mystery is a murder. Someone is going to have to die, sorry but it is what it is.
Crime stories: the body is discovered early on and the story revolves around solving the crime. A character (either officially or unofficially) undertakes to solve the murder and bring the murderer to justice.
Suspense stories: the murder is anticipated. Suspense is not so much what is happening, as what may happen. It’s about anticipation, often anticipating the worst. It is about creating an uncertain situation in which the outcome is in doubt. Suspense depends on stretching time – delaying answers as long as possible.
SECRETS
Both sub-genres have secrets! Some secrets might include concealing a character’s true identity, creating small chains of revelations, and presenting events without immediate explanation.
Crime stories: we know very few or none of the secrets. With a crime story, the reader is exposed to the same information as the detective. We keep reading to look for clues and motives. It’s about solving the puzzle. Who did it? Why did they do it (motive)?
Suspense stories: we know half the secrets and the characters know none. When the reader knows more about what’s happening or may happen, the reader becomes concerned for the character; empathy builds. Will the characters live or die? We root for the characters and sometimes yell at them, “Don’t go in there!”, “Turn around!”, or “Don’t trust him!”.
Why this information is helpful:
If you don’t know the elements needed for a specific genre (or subgenre), you won’t reach the right audience. The mystery genre contains a variety of subgenres. When you are clear about the required elements, you’re prepared to write a story that appeals to the right readers.
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