Mystery subgenres abound. There is the cozy, the soft boiled, the hardboiled, noir, romantic suspense, gothic mysteries, police procedurals, private eye novels and thrillers. I’m sure that someone will write to me and tell me I’ve left out a few. If you just want the definitions of this stuff, with a couple of examples of books in each subgenre, you can go to Mostly Fiction
What does it all mean to you as a reader? You got me. All of the mysteries are shelved together. I think most of us read them to see if we can figure out whodunit before the end. We read them because in the end justice is served and all is right with the world. I doubt if a reader who is intrigued with the idea of a particular book will turn it down just because it’s a cozy and not a soft-boiled book. Or will you?
I know a woman who won’t read mysteries with male main characters. I know several men who won’t read “women’s” books. And one friend of mine won’t read British mysteries or ones about, or even written by, an actor. Don’t ask her why, she’ll go on for hours. So what’s your preference? And why?
Filed under: Mystery, genre | Tagged: book blog, fiction, genre, Mystery, read
