Changing Trends In The Latest Crime Novels

By Leticia Jensen


The demand for the latest crime novels has always been high. The experienced authors of these books have evolved from the styles of cozy fireside mystery writers to the creators of thrillers with intricate plots and intense characters. This transition has been brought on by an informed generation that demands more of the writer than ever before.

The readers of today have much more sophistication than they did even twenty years ago. The movies and television shows available have increased the knowledge available to them and the result is that the writer must provide a far more detailed dialogue for their followers. They want to know what is being done to solve it and how it is being done without feeling like they are reading a text book.

The audience wants to be more involved with their characters as well as the actual solving of a mystery. They want an intense relationship to develop between themselves and the hero of the story. It can give the reader a reason to keep turning the pages of a book when he feels involved with a hero as well as the criminal factors involved.

The mystery writer today must develop a personal life for the people who populate their book. Today's readers like to know what made the killer the way he or she is and they want to know that the hero has family and relationship struggles just like everyone else. Many of the novelists of today create super rich profiles for the leading character and some are consultants for the police department working the case.

Some authors have adopted the theme of international terrorism as their forte. The concept of stopping a specific terrorist or incident captures a reader's interest because it is actually happening in the world today. Conspiracies are also a popular subject with the readers of this era. The multiple characters that are developed demand a lot of attention to detail from the author to become believable enough for the best sellers lists.

A popular means to success that has developed over decades for some novelists is the continuing story of one character. Some writers are so adept at this line of writing that they have developed a character following that nearly guarantees a best seller with each new segment they write. You can see this with the Alex Cross series produced by James Patterson and in the Scarpetta series written by Patricia Cornwell.

In order to remain a popular author for life the author must stay abreast of the needs of his audience. They must keep their readers on the edge of their seats, unwilling to put the book away until they finish it. This means they must use whatever resources available to them to accomplish this goal. Whether it is the news, TV or a vivid imagination they must seek out inspiration daily.

The trends that the mystery novels are following are as varied as they have always been. The difference is that they are more technically correct and the characters have more to them than previously required. They have lives and the reader is more involved with their day to day lives than ever before possible.




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