Crime Fiction Owes More to the Victims
Politicians and social commentators often make hash out of violence in popular culture, gaming, and the arts. They say that depictions of violence desensitize...
All Novels Are About Secrets
All novels are about the price of keeping secrets. A provocative thought offered by Amanda Eyre Ward in an article for CrimeReads. "The fuel...
The Mystery of Sex
Mysteries and thrillers often have a romantic or sexy subplot. From James Bond's many sexual liaisons to the happily married Nick and Nora Charles,...
Why Historical Mysteries May Require Careful Research
Writing historical fiction presents creative challenges distinct from other types of fiction. Adding genre elements - such as a mystery - can complicate your...
Pace Your Mystery, Sustain Tension
Every story requires the writer to pay attention to pacing, but none more than the mystery novel. Your literary novel might get away with...
Learning to Create Tension from The Comfort of Strangers
One of the key elements of great suspense or psychological thriller stories is a sense of disorientation. When a protagonist doesn't know if they...
Why are the Crazy Ones Always So Hot?
From Lucifer on down, we are culturally attracted to beautiful killers. The list is lengthy, but for many, it starts and ends with serial...
5 Tips for Writing a Domestic Thriller
In an article for Writer's Digest, writer Leah Konen offers five pieces of advice for writing a domestic thriller - suspenseful stories that drop...
Character Gossip is More than a Way to Share Information
In a post on CrimeReads, Liz Alterman examines the role gossip plays in small town suspense novels. "From Arthur Miller’s The Crucible to Agatha Christie’s...
Use Misdirection to Keep Your Reader Guessing
Regardless of your genre, creating misdirection is one of the surest ways to surprise your readers. In a post on Killzone, Sue Coletta offers...
