Great post. Looking forward to reading "Sausalito." I haven't been able to finish a novel for many reasons, so short stories are where I currently live. Old movies have been a big part of my life, so I enjoy writing in the noir period of the late 40s. Don't follow many rules. I go where the story takes me. Many of my crime pieces don't have dead bodies. Blackmail or prostitution often suffice. Trying to keep if fun these days.
Nice write up. And points out one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. Fiction is so formulaic these days. In one way, that's comforting to some readers since they know what to expect. But to me, it's a snore fest. We writers need to let our imaginations soar instead of following a particular literary formula. Trust me, there are plenty of readers out there wanting that literary difference.
A great read. Dennis Lehane is among my favorite authors. His Patrick and Angie series was one of the most important inspirations for my detective series.
His later work really seems to have strayed from the humor he found in P&A. What do you think?
I have not read any of the P&A, should I be ashamed to admit it, lol? I love the stand alone books. Mystic River, that I picked up by accident during a trip, blew my mind. Ah, to write that well! I mention Since we Fell in the post, but it's a flawed book in my opinion. Great writing, fantastic characters, great pace, and then a somewhat flat ending. As if the editor had said: this is getting too long, cut it. I think that a few more chapters were needed....
Yes, agreed about Since We Fell. And I enjoyed both Mystic River and Shutter Island, but compared to A Drink Before the War, they feel like minor works. I speculate that some among the literati critiqued his humor in the early days, because I can't think of any other reason he'd choose to abandon it. It was so well done! All his later works have been almost monotone in their serious nature, no breath of fresh air with a laugh.
And as far as never having read books, I've never read any Elmore Leonard or James M. Cain and only just recently read my first Mickey Spillane, yet I claim detective novels among my favorite genre.
I'll have a go at "A Drink..." Considering the state of my TBR, one more won't topple the pile. As far as Cain is concerned, Double Indemnity is great with, again, a weird ending (the movie does it better). Mildred Pierce bored me stiff. I like Elmore L. Out of Sight and Rum Punch are tops. Spillane is a bit of an odd thing for me. I read him as a kid (13 or so!) because my uncle was a fan and I snatched the books. Talk about reading something too young! I'd say Crime is my favorite genre because it's what I feel most comfortable writing in, but I read all over. Re-reading Kostova's The Historian right now and that's Dracula, so... Talking about humor, have you read Hiaasen's Skinny Dip? It's so funny it hurts.
Hiaasen recently rocketed to the top of my TBR after my beta reader asked me if I'd read him and told me my books remind her of him. Now you're mentioning him, and I think I'll just put down what I'm currently reading and give Skinny Dip a go.
I would contend that all stories are crime-adjacent.
- yes, we've talked about this before, and i agree. It's interesting to look at fiction through that lens.
For me, I do really like craft rules, but as far as what is supposed to be in crime fiction? I have no idea or interest. You're right that those kind of rules create repetitive and boring fiction. Ripe with tropes.
I loved how The Man Who Died Twice, the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series, played up the trope of the dead guy start by having the dead guy himself ask the “detectives” to find out his killer. A similar thing happens in Glass Onion, a movie full of twists and turns and even better (in my opinion) than Knives Out. Have you seen these?
I like it when the movies play the reference game (I've not seen Onion yet). Everybody is so familiar with the conventions that the audience does all the shortcuts. Harder to do in a book - it's either perceived as being too clever for its own good or yawn-inducing. Tricky.
It is cleverly done. I did not guess the complete ending (which is a good thing!). As a writer, you'll be interested in the 2 very different voices and writing styles - between the book and "the book in the book".
Enjoyed this post. I have my first southern suspense novel coming out maybe 9 or 10 months. A dead body for sure, a unique burial and a haunting secret. Loved writing it. Short stories and poems are fun too! Write whatever strikes you!
Nothing would make me happier than making a convert, lol. Funny fact: I didn't read a lot of short stories before I started writing them. It's a great way to discover new writers.
Over the course of ten Nick Hoffman mysteries, I played with where the body would show up and in one book nobody was killed but there was plenty of mayhem, academic and otherwise. It was fun varying the "placement" and of course interviewing medical examiners and doctors to investigate various kinds of deaths.
Children are fair game, though, right?
That's what gets me when I read about people being shocked by dead dogs. It's strange how people's minds work... scary too.
Great post. Looking forward to reading "Sausalito." I haven't been able to finish a novel for many reasons, so short stories are where I currently live. Old movies have been a big part of my life, so I enjoy writing in the noir period of the late 40s. Don't follow many rules. I go where the story takes me. Many of my crime pieces don't have dead bodies. Blackmail or prostitution often suffice. Trying to keep if fun these days.
Nice write up. And points out one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader. Fiction is so formulaic these days. In one way, that's comforting to some readers since they know what to expect. But to me, it's a snore fest. We writers need to let our imaginations soar instead of following a particular literary formula. Trust me, there are plenty of readers out there wanting that literary difference.
A great read. Dennis Lehane is among my favorite authors. His Patrick and Angie series was one of the most important inspirations for my detective series.
His later work really seems to have strayed from the humor he found in P&A. What do you think?
I have not read any of the P&A, should I be ashamed to admit it, lol? I love the stand alone books. Mystic River, that I picked up by accident during a trip, blew my mind. Ah, to write that well! I mention Since we Fell in the post, but it's a flawed book in my opinion. Great writing, fantastic characters, great pace, and then a somewhat flat ending. As if the editor had said: this is getting too long, cut it. I think that a few more chapters were needed....
Yes, agreed about Since We Fell. And I enjoyed both Mystic River and Shutter Island, but compared to A Drink Before the War, they feel like minor works. I speculate that some among the literati critiqued his humor in the early days, because I can't think of any other reason he'd choose to abandon it. It was so well done! All his later works have been almost monotone in their serious nature, no breath of fresh air with a laugh.
And as far as never having read books, I've never read any Elmore Leonard or James M. Cain and only just recently read my first Mickey Spillane, yet I claim detective novels among my favorite genre.
I'll have a go at "A Drink..." Considering the state of my TBR, one more won't topple the pile. As far as Cain is concerned, Double Indemnity is great with, again, a weird ending (the movie does it better). Mildred Pierce bored me stiff. I like Elmore L. Out of Sight and Rum Punch are tops. Spillane is a bit of an odd thing for me. I read him as a kid (13 or so!) because my uncle was a fan and I snatched the books. Talk about reading something too young! I'd say Crime is my favorite genre because it's what I feel most comfortable writing in, but I read all over. Re-reading Kostova's The Historian right now and that's Dracula, so... Talking about humor, have you read Hiaasen's Skinny Dip? It's so funny it hurts.
Hiaasen recently rocketed to the top of my TBR after my beta reader asked me if I'd read him and told me my books remind her of him. Now you're mentioning him, and I think I'll just put down what I'm currently reading and give Skinny Dip a go.
I would contend that all stories are crime-adjacent.
- yes, we've talked about this before, and i agree. It's interesting to look at fiction through that lens.
For me, I do really like craft rules, but as far as what is supposed to be in crime fiction? I have no idea or interest. You're right that those kind of rules create repetitive and boring fiction. Ripe with tropes.
Great post!
I loved how The Man Who Died Twice, the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series, played up the trope of the dead guy start by having the dead guy himself ask the “detectives” to find out his killer. A similar thing happens in Glass Onion, a movie full of twists and turns and even better (in my opinion) than Knives Out. Have you seen these?
I like it when the movies play the reference game (I've not seen Onion yet). Everybody is so familiar with the conventions that the audience does all the shortcuts. Harder to do in a book - it's either perceived as being too clever for its own good or yawn-inducing. Tricky.
Speaking of clever books, this reminds me of the Eight Detectives book you recommended. I meant to buy it, but forgot. It sounds very appealing.
It is cleverly done. I did not guess the complete ending (which is a good thing!). As a writer, you'll be interested in the 2 very different voices and writing styles - between the book and "the book in the book".
Enjoyed this post. I have my first southern suspense novel coming out maybe 9 or 10 months. A dead body for sure, a unique burial and a haunting secret. Loved writing it. Short stories and poems are fun too! Write whatever strikes you!
Looking forward to your book Terresa. I admire suspense writers, they've cracked some mysterious code that escapes me :)
Great post. I have not been a short story fan, but maybe you changed that.
Nothing would make me happier than making a convert, lol. Funny fact: I didn't read a lot of short stories before I started writing them. It's a great way to discover new writers.
Over the course of ten Nick Hoffman mysteries, I played with where the body would show up and in one book nobody was killed but there was plenty of mayhem, academic and otherwise. It was fun varying the "placement" and of course interviewing medical examiners and doctors to investigate various kinds of deaths.
Don’t kill the dog? Now she tells me🤦♂️😇
Note that I made sure to be inclusive... I also mention cats and rodents, and.... on and on :)