Coffin Nail Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 As the most popular and probably the biggest genre what do you think draws people to crime fiction? And what sort of crime fiction appeals to you? Are you into solving a mystery? Or picking over the details of a bank heist? Are you all about the gruff but loveable detective series? Or the legal wranglings in a courtroom drama? I love a good juicy murder, the more grim and gruesome the better. Whether its the police, the criminal psychologist or the forensics team that solve it doesn't seem to matter much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 There's a particular passage in one of Dorothy L Sayers Lord Peter Wimsey novels where Lord Peter and Harriet are discussing the worth of her writing fictional crime stories. The gist of Lord Peter's feelings were described as a matter that we (crime fiction readers) enjoy a world where resolution is sought and found. Gritty, well drawn characters and believable (of a sort) situations with a well developed psychological aspect. That's my kind of crime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruska Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I think, for me, it the solving of a problem. Or perhaps bringing a sense of justice and morals to a world that is getting out of control. I love a good detective that cuts a lonely path through life in the pursuit of justice and the chance to make a difference. I love resolution but the stories that rattle around my head longest are the ones were they can't bring the criminal to justice. Admittedly that seems to happen more on t.v. and there are very few books that end like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave165 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I love a private detective or police detective story, particularly American detective fiction. I am not a fan of thrillers which tends to get lumped in with crime fiction, 2 separate genres to my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel2210 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I'm the same as you Coffin Nail, the gorier the murder the better!! My family always say "never upset Rachel she knows too much!" I see you're reading Lynda la Plante, she's one I'm yet to read. I enjoy the dramatisations of her books on ITV so the books themselves must be much much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katrina1968 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I'm really enjoying the British mystery writers such as Elizabeth George. I'm a big fan of the armchair by the fireplace cozy villiage mysteries. I think most people really get into mysteries because it allows for our alter egos to see what its like to walk the sinister side without actually having to do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Well, you see, I'm a fan of this genre, too. I'm reading Jeff Lindsay at the moment, who's great, but I also love Jack Kerley, Michael Marshall, Henning Mankell, Peter Robinson... ...funny story about Peter Robinson. My mate Ant works as a boom operator in TV and recently worked on the pilot episode of the Inspector Banks whatsit. The great Robinson stopped by on set one day with his wife and started talking to Ant. Knowing my appreciation of the Banks books, Ant asked him if he'd mind signing the days 'bible' for me, adding that I'm an avid reader of his novels. His wife said to Ant: "If there's one thing my husband's good at, it's writing something imaginative to his fans!" Gratefully, Ant took back the paper and read what Peter had written: To Mac. Cheers. Peter Robinson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Nail Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 I'm the same as you Coffin Nail, the gorier the murder the better!! My family always say "never upset Rachel she knows too much!" I see you're reading Lynda la Plante, she's one I'm yet to read. I enjoy the dramatisations of her books on ITV so the books themselves must be much much better! On the whole I really enjoy Lynda La Plante. But have to confess, Deadly Intent is a bit of a duffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 I love all sorts of crime novels, it covers such a massive genre from the gritty hard boiled detectives to the little old lady, forensics and thrillers, romances and horrors. I don't have a particular love of one particular type and am just as likely to read a romantic crime thriller like Linda Howard, or a forensic case like Tess Gerritssen to a classic by Agatha Christie or Simeon. I like European ones which have been translated like Mankell, Larsson, Camilleri or Vargas and old school like Dorothy L sayers, they cover any mood and can be picked up whenever you feel like it and I don't even mine re-reading them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenKingman Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 People are fascinated by the darker side of human nature and hence the popularity of crime books, movies etc. Serial killers in particular horrify people but they view them with amazement i.e. they wonder how on earth can these people act out their horrific impulses when most 'normal' people manage to repress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I think I like to be shocked and read books that have such amazing twists that I could never have seen them coming. Hence Jeffery Deaver I like a good ole detective story every now and then but I usually never guess the whodunnits so it's not that important to me. I have generally no idea why this genre is so appealing. I guess people are always drawn to the dark side of the human mind. I enjoy reading true crime as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I love trying to guess who did it although I very rarely get it right. I also like the fact that I can live in a world in which I don't belong, living the life of the detective, i find it fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talisman Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I never used to read crime fiction at all, but have read a few really good ones in the last year or so. I think the thing that appeals to me is not so much wondering who did it, but just the suspense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'm very specific in the type of crime fiction I'll read. The only ones I like are comic crime books, so the likes of the Agatha Raisin series, the Jasper Fforde books and I'm currently on my second Julian Clary book. The only exception are some historical crime novels, such as the Oscar Wilde mysteries written by Gyles Brandreth, which I've enjoyed immensely. I'm always amazed at my reading group, which is full of sweet older ladies (I think I'm the youngest by at least 20 years) who all love the grizzliest murder books, the bloodier the better as far as they're concerned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 I'm always amazed at my reading group, which is full of sweet older ladies (I think I'm the youngest by at least 20 years) who all love the grizzliest murder books, the bloodier the better as far as they're concerned! Had to laugh at that it made me think of Arsenic & Old Lace the old Cary Grant movie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Nail Posted June 29, 2010 Author Share Posted June 29, 2010 Had to laugh at that it made me think of Arsenic & Old Lace the old Cary Grant movie I love that film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 I love that film. Me too, saw it recently at the Theatre and its a brilliant story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I've read a few crime books over the years, from Colin Dexter's Morse and Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta novels to Malcolm Pryce's Louie Knight stories (and at the same time I always make time for Sherlock Holmes, Foyle’s War and Poirot etc on TV). I think the thing that appeals to me is the mystery; putting together the pieces of the puzzle to work out what has happened - I'm not interested in gore. I tied to read a Karin Slaughter (apt name . . .) novel after someone recommended her to me, but I didn't get past the first chapter because it was the worst kind of schlock imaginable. Give me a good mystery and I am happy, give me sensationalised violence and it will end up in the bin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I really like blood and gore in crime. I also like it when you see things from the perspective of the killer and can really get into their sick mind. I don't know how crazy that makes me though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandMan Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Well, I really got started on crime novels when I first read Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series. Since then I've kind of been hooked on crime books which go into the nitty gritty forensic aspect of death. However, I also have a penchant for books orientated around the actual killer, hence my thread on hitmen. What attracts me to such books is the fact that I'll probably never (hopefully) have to experience events like those described, and it grounds me I guess into the harsher reality of existence: that as long as there are two people left on the planet, someone is going to want someone dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 ...funny story about Peter Robinson. My mate Ant works as a boom operator in TV and recently worked on the pilot episode of the Inspector Banks whatsit. The great Robinson stopped by on set one day with his wife and started talking to Ant. Knowing my appreciation of the Banks books, Ant asked him if he'd mind signing the days 'bible' for me, adding that I'm an avid reader of his novels. His wife said to Ant: "If there's one thing my husband's good at, it's writing something imaginative to his fans!" Gratefully, Ant took back the paper and read what Peter had written: To Mac. Cheers. Peter Robinson. Haha, good story What an eloquent man indeed! I'm currently reading Robinson's Aftermath, I just happened to pick up the novel in a secondhand bookshop and though I'd never heard of him before, the blurb was intriguing and I bought it on a whim. The story's really good so far, in fact excellent, and Chrissy's told me Robinson does an amazing job in all his novels. I was just searching for any threads on him when I stumbled upon your post To Mac. Cheers. frankie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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