Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Guide To Crime Thriller Novels

By Eloise Hewitt


Crime is something that has always fascinated people. Indeed the sociologist Emile Durkheim believed that crime was a vital part of society as it helped to highlight the flaws of society. In recent times it is also something that people have wanted to read about, whether tracking real life criminals or their fictional counterparts. There are a wide array of crime thriller novels and it is worth thinking about what kind you would personally want to read.

When people think of crime thrillers they tend to think of noir style detective stories. The likes of Hammett, Chandler and so forth created a world of iconic images that many people have associated with detectives and crimes. For example when people think of a detective they tend to think of someone wearing a hat and a trenchcoat looking for clues.

Another example of the genre is the whodunit. In simple terms this is where a murder takes place and the detective has to track down the killer. Crucially they not only have to find them but they have to be able to prove that this person is the killer. Often the fun for the reader is checking the clues to see if they can be one step ahead of the detective.

There is also the classic noir genre. These detective novels are often about a wider conspiracy as opposed to a simple murder or set of murders. They tend to feature a world weary detective who has fallen on hard times and inevitably this case is their shot at redemption. While this is often associated with classic writers like Raymond Chandler there have been modern variations such as LA Confidential, a novel that seemed to embody a lot of the complexity and moral ambiguity that people love about the classic noir detective stories.

While this is one type of thriller there are variations. One interesting psychological spin has come from the Hannibal series of novels. In The Silence of The Lambs we have a detective who has to rely on a prisoner for information on a killer. The twist is that this prisoner is the infamous Hannibal Lecter, an intellectual genius who is also a murderer and a cannibal.

Cynicism tends to be a strong part of this kind of work. However there are also more accessible works. Agatha Christie created engaging detective characters such as Miss Marple and Poirot. Unlike the noir protagonists these characters seemed more engaged with society. Despite investigating horrible murders these characters seemed to be able to maintain their dignity.

Stories about murder and criminals do not necessarily have to be heavy in tone. Writers such as Alexander McCall Smith have a more light hearted approach. Also characters such as Poirot or Miss Marple often have a more comedic approach with a lot of the fun of the story being how they interact with society around them as much as the investigation of the crime itself.

There are a wide array of novels out there that look at crimes. Whether it is a classic whodunit or the latest twist on the noir genre there is something to please a range of tastes. Use your regular search engine to find out more about the latest releases and feedback from fellow readers to find the ones that will be best suited to your personal tastes.




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