New Murder Mystery Writers Surface Daily

By Tara Daniels


People of all ages love to read crime novels. The plot twists of these tales fascinate many. Almost daily, new murder mystery writers surface. There are stories for all ages, from early reader chapter books to adult novels. Most genres at some point in time have some sort of criminal activity depicted.

Though authors who they have been depending on for years by publishers are their lifeblood, they also look for new talent. They constantly look for new talent to add to their stable of authors. Sometimes they launch new talent in connection with veteran authors. Using common themes, the new names are helped by the loyalty of the veteran's 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.

Among other traits of these type tales is the fact that the sleuth is generally a woman, is an amateur, and is not associated with any organization such as a police force. They may, however, cooperate with local law enforcement officials. Romantic relationships may develop, but the intricate details of any sexual exploits are not directly revealed.

These tales focus on characters, not plot. The characters are fully developed, especially the female protagonist. They feature exotic settings rather than the hometown. Sometime the hometown is featured, but it the action usually takes place on a cruise or some other event. The setting will always be significant to the female sleuth for some reason.

Just because characterization is paramount doesn't mean the plot is not important. On the contrary. Many authors weave strong plot lines along with the character focus. The character is the most important aspect, though the plot is also important. The protagonist is the primary focus in the whole novel, with her (or his) every action being important to advance the story. The reader follows closely as the protagonist unravels the mystery others have not been able to do. Romantic suspense novels and Gothic novels are variations of this genre.

This genre, or sub-genre of crime novels, is rapidly growing, meaning there is a need for new murder mystery writers to write them. Publishers are constantly searching for new talent who can deliver these tales. If the author can provide a character-driven tale with a strong plot, such as that delivered by Gillian B. Farrell and W. Edward Blain, they will be highly valued by these publishers. Other authors may not write exactly in this genre, however.




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