What do you as a reader, feel like you get out of reading a mystery , crime, or thriller book?

[Marie-Jo]

A mystery novel is another way of exploring human psychology. In other words, I like reading a mystery not only to find out who did it but why he or she did it. The why is to me more interesting than the who.

[Angelo]

I completely agree with Mary-Jo.

The psychology aspect to me is fascinating. I like whodunnits too, but finding out why they did it is so much more interesting to me. It's why I went into psychology in the first place, and also why I then started writing fiction!

[Angelo]

Sorry, MARIE-Jo!

It's been a long day... ;-)

[Marie-Jo]

No problem, I have been called worse names...

[Sharon]

I read for entertainment and am very definitely character-driven in my likes and dislikes. I really don't 'analyze' what I like about mystery/detective books as I like a pretty broad range of types within the genre. At both extremes, I don't care for the really 'silly' cozies, characters and situations have to be at least somewhat reasonable ... and I do not care for the other extreme either, noir and all the characters, good and bad, with some kind of issues.

[Yawatta]

I love shocking twists. I loved to sit at the edge of my seat, bug-eyed, can't put the book down because I'm so intrigued or so scared. Thrillers are fun to read because it takes me into an imaginary world for a few hours where my heart is racing fast. The plots always interest me, so I'm not bored. Plus, thrillers have villains, and I'm a huge fan of the bad guys. They're usually more fun and interesting within the story. Don't get me wrong. I love the heroes or good guys too. It's especially delightful when the good guys win in the end.

With mysteries, I'm a very curious being. I love solving puzzles, I love knowing things, so it's cool to read this genre because I know there will be something I have to solve before the story ends. If it's a murder mystery, then I'm guessing the culprit within the first sentence :)

[Stephen]

I hope for a believable plot, solid and interesting characters, a satisfying resolution and, above all, style. I try to provide these things in my own fiction.

[Sandi]

I want a page-turner. I want to be absorbed into the book's world. I want to feel sad when it ends because I enjoyed it so much. That's true of any book I read, actually

[Sanchita]

What really amazes me in a mystery is how the detective uses simple observations to find out the culprit. One such case is that of Feluda by Satyajit Ray. I also wrote a blog on it. Please go through it and let me know your inputs:
http://sanchitasarkar.wordpress.com/2...

[Georgia]

It is a study of human nature at it's best as well as its worst!

[Stephen]

Interesting piece. For myself, I bend over backwards to get female characters right; judging from the reviews for "Secrets," I was fairly successful -- to the point where one reader was mad at me for creating such a self-centered lout of a husband. That was exactly what I intended to do.

[Sean]

1. The fun of solving (or not ) the mystery.
2. Learning about the protagonist.

[Barbara]

I like to see the perps get caught or killed or whatever. This doesn't always happen in real life, but you can count on it in most mystery/thrillers. So - in books at least - the bad guys get what's coming to them.

[Autumn]

For me, I know this sounds crazy, but escapism. I am not the type of person who would be a serial killer or anything like that, it is so far beyond my personality. But, I have always wanted to be, since elementary school, a psychiatrist. This is a way I can get into the minds of people I wanted to work with. I can see how the mind works and processes information. I can see people at their worst and try and understand what makes them act the way they do. Does that make sense?

[Angelo]

Autumn wrote: "For me, I know this sounds crazy, but escapism. I am not the type of person who would be a serial killer or anything like that, it is so far beyond my personality. But, I have always wanted to be, ..."

I think that makes a lot of sense. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I find the psychological aspect of crime thrillers fascinating. Like you said, it's a way of seeing people at their worst and trying to understand what makes them do the things that they do.

So your comment makes a lot of sense to me!

[Carol]

I totally agree Autumn. You describe what I like to a tee!

[[deleted user]]

My expectations from mysteries are as diverse as the tangled web of stories that are written under the magnifying glass of crime today!
My concept of a neat ending flies out the window when I'm trying to decipher a thriller as opposed to a classic Agatha Christie novel.
What they share is the aspect of closure, the understanding of characters, and the motivation behind the crime.
I think mysteries offer readers a chance to explore complicated situations and problems outside the comfort zone of daily existence (many of which we would never feel as comfortable with should we have the misfortune to be intimately involved in a crime).
And of course we can always feel better (or worse) for guessing who actually committed the crime, and experience through words, a glimpse into the world of mystery and detection.

[Elizabeth]

ESCAPE from our own realities.

[Danielle]

I tend to like the ones with good plot twists that make sense and aren't contrived. I like snappy characters with attitude. I also try to figure out what happened and why before the author tells me.

[[deleted user]]

And just to add to the topic. I just came across this article on the web. And it's fantastic.

http://redpenofdoom.com/2012/04/18/wh...

[Autumn]

Great article! But, I happen to be a girl who loves a good thriller, and am just now brushing up on the romance books. ;)

[Staci]

An escape to a world that I know nothing about. I mean the average person will never commit a murder (hopefully) or be involved in anything related. Reading it takes you to that place when you were a kid and wanted to be a detective when you grew up. A place where you're pitted against humanity with just your brain as a weapon. I love it!

[LindaH]

Short answer: a puzzle I can't solve.

[Danielle]

I want a good read with a strong main character. Some humor is good. Some attitude is great! I want to try figuring out whodunit. If I can't and they played fair with the clues, then I'll probably read more of that author's books.

[Janis]

NYKen wrote: "And just to add to the topic. I just came across this article on the web. And it's fantastic.

http://redpenofdoom.com/2012/04/18/wh..."

Thanks for this link. I read dozens of thrillers for every romance and I'm a woman, but I love his take on why they're both not just fun but well worth reading.

[Glenn]

I like the edginess of those genres. Although mysteries aren't always about murder, like crime-fiction and thriller novels, they usually revolve around an act of desperation that drives characters to act or react in ways they normally wouldn't. There is always a sense of danger when a character is pushed out their comfort zone and, if the writing is good, their thrill becomes ours.

[Paul]

Sandi wrote: "I want a page-turner. I want to be absorbed into the book's world. I want to feel sad when it ends because I enjoyed it so much. That's true of any book I read, actually"

I agree Sandi. I love being totally immersed in a good plot. I have nothing against 'happy endings' as such, but much prefer a surprising twist. Book plots, like life, i feel, should never be too predictable.

[Stephen]

That's what I try to do in my own work.

[[deleted user]]

Janis wrote: "Thanks for this link. I read dozens of thrillers for every romance and I'm a woman, but I love his take on why they're both not just fun but well worth reading.

http://redpenofdoom.com/2012/04/18/wh......"

Autumn wrote: "Great article! But, I happen to be a girl who loves a good thriller, and am just now brushing up on the romance books. ;)"

You're welcome Autumn and Janis. Actually I just came across a youtube video recently that was great. Unfortunately, I cannot find it again. When I do, I'll post the link here.

[K.B.]

I love the thrill of trying to figure out who did it and the twist. There is nothing better than finding out you've been completely in the dark and having that aha moment. As a writer, I also really enjoy the construction, analyzing the way the way the puzzle pieces fit together. A good mystery is complex and hard to figure out. The writer has to tell you just enough.

[Stephen]

And that is not an easy task. The day I actually surprised my wife with who the murderer really was proved to be a happy day indeed.

[Ken]

Glenn wrote: " they usually revolve around an act of desperation that drives characters ..."

I recommend finding a copy of Raymond Chandler's essay 'The Simple Art of Murder'. Oh, hell. Here's a link:

http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitp...

In it he kind of puts down the 'cozy' English version, opting instead for the uncommon things occurring in commonplaces environs that aren't what they seem on the surface. Anyone who enjoys a mystery will get something from the essay.

I'm a big Chandler fan and have tried to capture the spirit of the master in my book 'Deadly Talley'. Not trying to plug it but if you must, have at it.

[Paul]

I concur with Autumn's view re; escapism. They're a holiday from my own life. And of course i want to be entertained, above all else.
I used to think everyone experienced reading as i do. Reading a thriller is like watching a movie in my head, rich in colour & detail. When other people have told me over the years they don't experience reading in this visual way, i feel sorry for them & feel so grateful that whatever lottery i won at birth has left me so richly rewarded.

[Eduardo]

The two things I want out of a thriller are:


1. Something that at least for a few minutes lets me forget about [my] "real life", and

2. A good example of how to pull off a thriller effectively that will inspire me to do likewise in my writing.

Or to put it another way, I read to enjoy and to learn about writing.

[James]

Ken wrote: "When you mention writers that educate like Robin Cook or Tony Hillerman, the education is often used as sleight of hand or distraction. A mental 'ignore the man behind the curtain if you will."

Fantastic observation, Ken. And I must agree that too much detracts from the story.

I like to learn something as well, but I primarily read mysteries for the challenge of beating the author to the answer. Since the author is usually writing from the protagonist's perspective, I prefer that he or she allow me to see all of the clues available to the protagonist. If I feel like the author has withheld a lynchpin clue just to keep the reader from guessing the answer too early, I'm not likely to pick up another of his or her books.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

James wrote: "Ken wrote: "When you mention writers that educate like Robin Cook or Tony Hillerman, the education is often used as sleight of hand or distraction. A mental 'ignore the man behind the curtain if yo..."

I've found that truly good authors will make it possible little by little for his/her readers to work through what makes people tick. Not just the bad guys, either. The edgier the story and the characters, the more satisfaction I get out of reading a novel. And I also look to see how time, place, and sociocultural issues add to the characters' actions or beliefs.

[James]

Nancy wrote: "I've found that truly good authors will make it possible little by little for his/her readers to work through what makes people tick."

Well said. The search for that kind of writing stretches across all the fiction genres that I enjoy, though I think I pay more attention to it in thrillers. I can't stand cardboard cutouts. The Tenth Circle is a great example of an author delving deep into the bad guy's psyche as the book plays out. Jon Land is also great at including subtle details of conversation and action that give clues to the individual without beating the reader over the head with it.

[S.K.]

Yes, I appreciate the nuances that create tension, unease, and a growing menace in the narrative. Most of the time I can't just add up the clues and figure out the murderer as I'm reading. Mostly, it's just a sense that something is "off" with a particular situation or character that draws my attention.

And I agree that to achieve this effect is VERY difficult for a writer.

[John]

I simply read crime fiction for the reading pleasure they give me. I don't even bother trying to figure out who the killer might be in the book.

[Skye]

I read for pleasure. I read my way through the Canon because it was my major; now I read strictly for pleasure.

[Zoe]

I read for the pleasure of the mystery and crime and how the sleuths work it out and also whether the villain will get away with it... Just that little thrill always makes me happy ☺️

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Paul wrote: "Ken wrote: "Executive summary: I'll take character over faultless logic and airtight detection."

I resonate with this. Puzzles and logic problems are fun but they aren't why I read mysteries. The ..."

Oh - I feel that all good writing addresses human struggles and desires - it doesn't have to be just crime fiction!

[Skye]

I like a good story ( plot) wonderful character development, suspense, voice/tone and persona.