Crime Fiction, according to most authorities, is fiction which deals with, of all things, crime. Crime supposedly means detective, solving of crimes, police procedure plots, etc. It is a sub-genre to the mystery genre.
Now I hear from Jordan Dane, mistress of thrillers, that the term “Crime Fiction” is being used as an umbrella for all mystery, suspense, and thriller works. Let’s briefly examine those genres and sub-genres and see how they can be considered “crime fiction.”
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_fiction target="_new")states that Crime Fiction and Mystery Fiction are also synonymous, meaning the different genres and sub-genres dealing with detective, crime, mystery, and anything dealing with solving a crime puzzle.
Since suspense is a major component of any mystery, no matter what the genre or sub-genre, then suspense fiction can be seen to be part of Crime Fiction. According to Writer’s Digest, July 10, 2008, the nine tricks to writing suspense tie to the needs for good mystery or thriller fiction – crime fiction. In fact the English name the sub-genre we call suspense as thrillers. All tie together.
Brian Garfield on International Thriller Writers, 1994, states that novels of suspense (thrillers) contain elements of mystery, romance, and adventure.
I appeared on a panel with Jordan Dane and Merline Lovelace as we discussed Crime Fiction (mystery, suspense, thriller) at the Heartland New Day BookFest on Saturday. Both authors are delightful authors and people. All the people in the room (the largest attended session at the festival) enjoyed themselves. I recommend if you ever have a chance to hear either of them, take it.
Any way, all this time I’ve been writing Crime Fiction and didn’t know.
Vivian Zabel
Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap
4 comments:
I enjoyed being on the panel with Jordan and Merline. It was fun and educational.
Things always change, names of things, how we are supposed to do stuff--and now we're writing crime fiction. Just go with the flow, is what I say (though sometimes don't do.) Marilyn
I'll keep on writing my way and let whomever decide what it's called. *laugh*
I'm with you two! We write, let thems that label figure out what to call it!
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