Wednesday 21 August 2013

Stories From New Murder Mystery Writers

By Tara Daniels


Crime novels are a highly popular genre for all ages. Nearly everyone loves an intricately woven tale of mayhem. New murder mystery writers surface frequently. From first chapter books to adult novels, there are novels for everyone. Even those who write other genres often include an element of criminal activity in their stories.

Publishers have certain long-term authors they depend on for any of the genres they publish. These are the tried and true authors who consistently produce good stories. However, any publisher is eager to launch a new author. They often feature new talent in a special series that combines veteran authors with new names in the field. The themes are similar, which promotes these new names to loyal readers.

Though they are not exactly new, Cozy novels are considered a new genre. Similar to old British crime novels, but with a difference, these novels feature a female sleuth as the protagonist. Read mostly by women, they are also generally written by women. The female sleuth is quite good at figuring out the puzzle presented, often when others have been unsuccessful. They are able to solve the crime with what seems to be little effort.

There are certain characteristics of this type of story that signifies them as cozies. The main one is that no violence is directly depicted. Yes, someone normally does get killed, but the gory details are not revealed in depth for the reader. They are merely suggested. The reader has to fill in the blanks from their own experiences with crime novels.

Additional traits that indicate a cozy is the sleuth, who is a woman, an amateur, and works independently. She is not affiliated with any organization, though may cooperate with local law enforcement to help solve crimes. There may even be a romantic involvement result, but no sexual content is included.

A cozy novel is character-driven as opposed to being plot-driven. The characters are strong figures. The female sleuth is especially strongly developed. Settings may be exotic, or in interesting local setting. Cruise ships are popular for settings. The crime may have occurred in the sleuth's own neighborhood. However, especially if a series is planned, the local murders will of course have to be limited.

The focus on characterization does not mean the author cannot weave an intricate plot. Quite the contrary. Many of these authors have very strong plots of their stories. It's just that the focus is about character development and not so much about the plot. The plot takes a backseat to the characters, especially the protagonist, the female sleuth who is unravelling the puzzle. Variations include the romantic suspense novel and the darker Gothic novels.

The rise in popularity of these cozy crime novels means there are many more being written and published. Publishing companies are searching for talented authors who can tell a strong character-driven story with a strong plot as well. Some newer authors who are popular and recognized for their adherence to the specifics of this genre include Gillian B. Farrell and W. Edward Blain. Not all of the new murder mystery writers adhere to the form of this genre, however.




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