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Thứ Năm, 1 tháng 5, 2014

A Brief Guide To Crime Thriller Novels

By Eloise Hewitt


While crime is often depicted on television and the movies the novel remains an endearing source of entertainment in this genre. One of the big reasons is that it allows the reader to imagine that character and to create the world in their mind for themselves. This is very much the case with crime thriller novels and there are a wide array of titles to choose from that are likely to suit your personal taste.

There is some debate as to what was the first detective story. Many people believe the roots of the genre can be traced to Edgar Allen Poe with short stories such as the tell tale heart. While the Victorian Gothic genre may have been dark and feature crimes, murders and so forth this was the first type of story that focused on the detective.

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.

This kind of thriller also has a certain kind of narrative voice. It is usually in the first person and from the perspective of the detective. It tends to follow the heroic narrative tradition albeit the hero is not going to a world of fantasy but a world of murky morals and corruption.

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.

It should be said that there are plenty of more lighthearted stories as well in this genre such as the work of Alexander McCall Smith. In these stories the main character tends to be more charming and there is more of a sense of a warmer character despite investigating the murder. This is the literary equivalent of TV shows such as Columbo.

You can find numerous titles online. It is worth looking for reviews from fellow readers and crime thriller enthusiasts who can guide you through the various titles. Remember to check a broad range of views as this will make it easier to find something that will be best suited to your personal taste.




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