Quickly Read Crime and Mystery Books

There’s nothing quite like diving head first into a good mystery or crime novel, but many of us just don’t have the time for a lengthy read. When you’re craving a great read but you find yourself short on time, here are three great books that don’t require too much of an investment.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (128 pages) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has spun many tales involving his famed detective Sherlock Holmes, but The Hound of the Baskervilles may be one of the most famous. This time around the mystery involves an attempted murder and a terrifying legend of the supernatural. Coming in at a mere 128 pages the minimal investment come with great rewards!

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (144 pages) Another addition to a series that follows a different kind of detective, Raymond Chandler brings us in to the world of PI Philip Marlowe as he’s hired by an old man to look into threats of blackmail. Its 144 page length makes The Big Sleep a quick but thoroughly enjoyable read.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (64 pages) Although not specifically a story of mystery Robert Louis Stevenson was certainly no stranger to intrigue. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde speaks profoundly to the internal struggle of good vs. evil inside mankind, and does so concisely, coming in at a breezy 64 pages.

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Mystery fiction: What makes a good detective?

A good mystery book would be nothing without a good detective, but is there a secret formula for creating the perfect fictional detective or are they all as unique as they crimes they investigate?

For a start, all mystery stories need some sort of central investigative figure. It helps to anchor the story and provides a platform for other strands of the story to come together on. Of course, different writers will take a different approach. Detectives can be young or old, male or female, professional or amateur.

There are many different components to making up a fictional detective. In more classic mystery writing, such as Agatha Christie, sleuths were trusted, yet eccentric, like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.

There are often some common tropes of more modern detectives. Hard drinking, unconventional yet driven to do the right thing and prepared to go to great lengths to solve the mystery, even going against the best advice of superiors or friend and family. Cracking the case is all that matters and a good writer will show this gradually comes to consume our hero. Oh, it also helps that he or she has few skeletons in their closet too.

Of course, a detective must have a high degree of intelligence and a slavish devotion to detail. They won’t let anything be glossed over and frequently notice things that others don’t. That’s what sets them apart. Often the main investigator and the supposed culprit may share some things in common and the culprit may relish pitting their wits against the person investigating them.

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Murder Musts for Mystery Writers

A great murder mystery doesn’t have to be elusive, here are some tips and tricks for any aspiring murder mystery writer.

Sometimes a murder can be a crime of passion. The mystery may not have to be in the method, maybe the murderer lost their temper in the moment? That doesn’t mean they weren’t good at covering their tracks, however, and much of the mystery can center around the trail of clues rather than the details of a diabolical plot.

The victims can be bad guys too. Maybe it was a betrayal? Maybe a bad debt finally did them in? Or perhaps it was an old score to settle? Whatever the reason, just because someone’s a victim, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re innocent. Bad blood between the bad guys can make for a compelling read, especially if the sleuth is at all conflicted when it comes to preventing more bloodshed.

Why stop at one? A central murder is a great way to get the ball rolling, but who says the fun has to stop there? The murders can multiply as the sleuth tries to solve the case, with each wasted minute endangering another life.

Armed with these tips you’ll be writing a great mystery in no time, and as your plot progresses you may just come up with some tips of your own. Happy writing!

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The Many Faces of Mystery

Murder mystery? Spy thriller? It’s one of our favorite genres, but with so many different titles falling into the mystery folder a look into the sub-genres of mystery is definitely worthwhile. Here are some of the more notable sub-genres within the wide world of mystery that you can start exploring today.

Murder/crime mystery. Perhaps most commonly representative of the mystery genre, the classic “who done it” covers a wide range of mystery novels, often with a key protagonist (usually a detective - professional or amateur.)

Noir. Borrowing many elements from murder and crime mysteries, the world of Noir gives us a stylised interpretation of the classic mystery, often focussing on the private investigator of the 1940s and 1950s.

Spy thriller. Often focused on the world of intrigue, spy thrillers combine mystery with suspense to keep us guessing with every turn of the page.

Paranormal. Without a doubt, the unexplained can simply be out of this world, and the paranormal certainly plays a big part in the success of many mystery novels to the point where it could be a stand-alone genre of its own.

Historical. Often times mystery books are no work of fiction. With countless unsolved mysteries found in the pages of history books, deep dives into non-fiction mystery make up a significant portion of the genre.

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Books Inspired by Real Life Mysteries

Real life often can be stranger than fiction, and can also serve as excellent inspiration! Though some authors choose to craft tales of pure imagination, others take real life events and carefully weave fact into fiction. Here are three stories of murder and mystery inspired by real life events.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. A classic by all accounts, Truman Capote’s tale of the brutal murder of a local Kansas businessman, his wife, and their children, at the hands of two ex-farmhands is closely based on real life events. At the trial, the jury took just 45 minutes to arrive at the guilty verdict, which at the time carried a mandatory death sentence. It took Capote six years to write the book after extensive research, much of which was assisted by famed author Harper Lee.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. Featuring Belgian Detective Hercule Poirot, Murder on the Orient Express was inspired by the real life tragedy of the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby just two years prior to the book’s publishing. The novel would later spawn two movie adaptations and serve as inspiration for three different television series as well.

The Long Drop by Denise Mina. The Long Drop tells the story of William Watt, a man wrongly accused of the murder of his family in 1950s Scotland, and Peter Manuel, the only man who seemed to have any answers. The award-winning Mina carefully crafts facts into a gripping tale of a dark and dangerous time.

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