When a Mystery is More Than a Mystery By Saralyn Richard

I’ve read several articles lately about genre-blending. In fact, genre-blending seems to be the new trend in literature. I use the word “new” in its broadest sense, though, because genre-blending has actually been going on for a long time.

I remember when Erik Larson’s Isaac’s Storm came out in 1999, everyone from my hometown, Galveston, Texas, took note. Having been steeped in lore of the 1900 Storm, we marveled at the retelling of the facts as we knew them. Could this book really be nonfiction? It was as full of the fiction writer’s tools—suspense, foreshadowing, irony, symbolism—as any well-written novel. 

Since that time there has been a slew of historical fiction novels based so tightly on facts about people’s lives (particularly those of women underrepresented in history), that they read like biographies.

Similarly, many of Stephen King’s tales of horror and the supernatural bleed into the genres of mystery or historical fiction. Some books, like Maurice Zusak’s The Book Thief, are classified as young adult, but easily fit into the genre of adult historical fiction. And don’t get me started on Neil Gaiman.

So what’s happened to the mystery genre with all of this genre-blending? Classic mysteries used to be prescribed puzzles. They always had a victim, a crime, a perpetrator, a detective, at least five suspects, a few red herrings, and a satisfying ending where justice prevailed. Whatever clever tropes an author wanted to use within those parameters was just fine, and there were many variations to tickle readers’ intellect along the way, such as the locked room mystery, the narrator-as-perpetrator mystery, the noir mystery, and the detective-savant mystery, to name a few. 

In the past few decades, though, mystery writers have charted new territory. The introduction of the female detective and the concomitant descriptions of her emotions and feelings as she undertakes the rigors of a formerly “man’s job” has satisfied readers, female and otherwise, so much that mystery writers have started giving their male characters deeper and more articulated personal struggles, as well. The result is a richer, more relatable story, a blend with mainstream fiction. 

It’s not unusual to read a mystery that has a large or small dose of romance mixed into it. In fact, there are many examples of mysteries being nominated for romance awards and vice versa. 

The tied-up-in-a-bow ending where the criminal is brought to justice is eroding, as well. Cases may end, just as in real life, with order restored in an unconventional way, or delayed until another book in the series comes out. 

Mysteries, in fact, are so diverse today that they can be described as gritty, cozy, humorous, culinary, noir, romantic suspense, amateur sleuth, legal/medical, police procedural, slashers, true crime, historical, and more.

So when is a mystery more than a mystery? These days, all the time.

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Award-winning mystery and children’s book author, Saralyn Richard strives to make the world a better place, one book at a time. Her books, Naughty Nana, Murder in the One Percent, and A Palette for Love and Murder, have delighted children and adults, alike. A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and continues to write mysteries. Reviews, media, and tour schedule may be found at http://saralynrichard.com.

Social media links:

https://twitter.com/SaralynRichard

https://www.facebook.com/saralyn.richard, https://www.twitter.com/SaralynRichard, https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralyn-richard-b06b6355/, https://www.pinterest.com/saralynrichard/,  https://www.instagram.com/naughty_nana_sheepdog/

https://www.pinterest.com/saralynrichard/ and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7338961.Saralyn_Richard.

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saralyn-richard

Buy links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/A+Palette+for+Love+and+Murder?_requestid=2258777

https://www.amazon.com/Palette-Love-Murder-Detective-Parrott/dp/1644372045/ref=

 

A Palette for Love and Murder: A Detective Parrott Mystery

A theft, a murder, a treasure hunt, and a palette-full of secrets.“In the Brandywine Valley, a delicate balance exists between the very wealthy and those who serve them, but the murder of a famous artist threatens this tenuous equilibrium. In her second outing featuring Detective Oliver Parrott, Saralyn Richard offers readers a compelling story of worlds in collision. A Palette for Love and Murder probes more than the mysteries of the art world and the motives for murder. It also delicately plumbs the depths of love and the human heart.

Another winner for Richard.” — William Kent Krueger, author of This Tender LandIn this riveting sequel to Murder in the One Percent, Detective Oliver Parrott delves into the art world of Brandywine Valley, where two valuable paintings have been stolen from the studio of the renowned artist, Blake Allmond. At first it seems like a routine property crime, but as soon as Parrott investigates, he discovers the Allmond family’s propensity for tragedy.

When someone is murdered, it’s a game changer, and plowing through a family’s secrets leads the reader through a murder, a treasure hunt, and a slew of characters who may or may not be trustworthy. The glamour of the art world and the privilege of the wealthy landowners in Brandywine can’t protect them from trouble, but it takes Parrott to realize that there’s more to an artist’s palette than globs of paint.

A Palette for Love and Murder has all the characteristics of a well-woven mystery, but with the additional layering of multi-dimensional characters and sometimes flawed relationships. Parrott and Tonya make a dynamic modern day Nick and Nora, sure to engage readers’ thoughts and to warm readers’ hearts.

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips