Amazing post, Isabel! I’m someone who’s very easily spooked and unsettled, and it doesn’t take a lot to trigger my paranoia, but I still find myself gravitating towards books that activate my fight or flight instinct pretty often. This was an insightful post, I enjoyed reading it. One thing about Agatha Christie that is so serious to me is that she did so much research for all of her books, that she was considered an expert in many fields!
Oh what a great think piece! I came to this same conclusion as well about mysteries and thrillers. I think the active participant bit hits the nail on the head too. In romance we're not solving something, piecing it together. We're watching people fall in love. In a thriller we get to take the driver's seat almost, and I think that's why it's more palatable commercially to a mainstream audience (or especially those who are part of more literary spaces). It's brain candy, but it's also escapist. I still think about Catherine Steadman's The Disappearing Act, it was such a delicious page turner that even though I had to be up at 4am for an early morning flight, I was absorbed so entirely on the mystery I just *had* to find out what was going on!
Thank you for the mention! I'm so happy you enjoyed my post!
It really is lovely to see thrillers taking the book world by storm. I don't read as many as I used to within the "genre" but my taste does tend to be quite sinister and dark, because, you're right, it's cathartic to engage with our fears and, conversely, comforting to get out of our comfort zone. I can't wait to delve into the ones I have on my shelf (Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll and If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio)
Loved this, my newsletter title says it all... I could read only mysteries and I would be happy hahaha They are my faves since I was like 10 years old and started reading Agathe Christie.
Thank you for sharing my post, Isabel 💕 I mostly read mystery and thrillers on audiobook because it’s even more sinister, more thrilling, and an overall wonderful reading experience especially with good voice acting.
Thank you for sharing my piece ☺️☺️ you nailed it with why we read mysteries & thrillers with the idea of relief. When my cat was sick and she then passed all I wanted was a comfort mystery.
Very interesting! When I first got back into ready I started with thriller/mystery probably for that reason and since then I have ventured out a bit more, but love to go back to the occasional thriller!
Hi Isabel, enjoyed reading this post. You hit on some very important points and my comment will overlap with yours. I think one of the main reasons Mystery/Thrillers is such a popular genre is because it allows the reader to become an active participant in the story. They're not just reading the story and reacting, they're in the story. There is an opportunity for the reader to solve the mystery, recognize false directions, come up with the right answer and unweave the tangled story before actually reading the end. I happen to mainly write crime fiction, but I always try to include some level of mystery, missing facts or a twist in the story. Bottom line, and it seems I'm stating nothing new, but I feel the more readers are actively involved (emotionally, solving, feeling fear, anger, sadness, etc.), the better. Thanks for sharing this post. - Jim
I love a good page turner
Same here!
Amazing post, Isabel! I’m someone who’s very easily spooked and unsettled, and it doesn’t take a lot to trigger my paranoia, but I still find myself gravitating towards books that activate my fight or flight instinct pretty often. This was an insightful post, I enjoyed reading it. One thing about Agatha Christie that is so serious to me is that she did so much research for all of her books, that she was considered an expert in many fields!
Thank you so much! And wow she is just amazing!
Oh what a great think piece! I came to this same conclusion as well about mysteries and thrillers. I think the active participant bit hits the nail on the head too. In romance we're not solving something, piecing it together. We're watching people fall in love. In a thriller we get to take the driver's seat almost, and I think that's why it's more palatable commercially to a mainstream audience (or especially those who are part of more literary spaces). It's brain candy, but it's also escapist. I still think about Catherine Steadman's The Disappearing Act, it was such a delicious page turner that even though I had to be up at 4am for an early morning flight, I was absorbed so entirely on the mystery I just *had* to find out what was going on!
Thank you! I love your thoughts on this - and they are so true. I think I may have to read The Disappearing Act!!
Thank you for the mention! I'm so happy you enjoyed my post!
It really is lovely to see thrillers taking the book world by storm. I don't read as many as I used to within the "genre" but my taste does tend to be quite sinister and dark, because, you're right, it's cathartic to engage with our fears and, conversely, comforting to get out of our comfort zone. I can't wait to delve into the ones I have on my shelf (Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll and If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio)
Of course! If We Were Villains was pretty good :)
Oh great to know, makes me even more excited for it!
Loved this, my newsletter title says it all... I could read only mysteries and I would be happy hahaha They are my faves since I was like 10 years old and started reading Agathe Christie.
Also, The Women is fantastic 🥰
Thank you! And yes omg I just finished it last night - I was sobbing
Thank you for sharing my post, Isabel 💕 I mostly read mystery and thrillers on audiobook because it’s even more sinister, more thrilling, and an overall wonderful reading experience especially with good voice acting.
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to get into audiobooks as I was thinking mysteries would be good to listen to while I work. Do you have any favorites?
One of my favorites from last year was The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell. Love the story, the plot twists, and voice acting as well.
Thank you so much!!
Thank you for sharing my piece ☺️☺️ you nailed it with why we read mysteries & thrillers with the idea of relief. When my cat was sick and she then passed all I wanted was a comfort mystery.
Of course! And thank you. I’m sorry you lost your cat and glad reading gave you comfort 💞
Other on line sellers representing local book shops? I think I mentioned Thriftbooks (https://www.thriftbooks.com/https://www.thriftbooks.com/), there's also Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/) and Abebooks, owned by Amazon (https://www.abebooks.com/).
JIM! Yes thank you so much.
Thank you for sharing my post! I'm grateful. 🙏
Thank you for your post!
Very interesting! When I first got back into ready I started with thriller/mystery probably for that reason and since then I have ventured out a bit more, but love to go back to the occasional thriller!
Isn’t it fascinating? Interesting to hear your own story! Thrillers are - ironically - comforting and familiar to many of us
Hi Isabel, enjoyed reading this post. You hit on some very important points and my comment will overlap with yours. I think one of the main reasons Mystery/Thrillers is such a popular genre is because it allows the reader to become an active participant in the story. They're not just reading the story and reacting, they're in the story. There is an opportunity for the reader to solve the mystery, recognize false directions, come up with the right answer and unweave the tangled story before actually reading the end. I happen to mainly write crime fiction, but I always try to include some level of mystery, missing facts or a twist in the story. Bottom line, and it seems I'm stating nothing new, but I feel the more readers are actively involved (emotionally, solving, feeling fear, anger, sadness, etc.), the better. Thanks for sharing this post. - Jim
Hi Jim! Thank you so much, and yes this point is so true. You are involved in the mystery itself.
Oooo let me know how you like it! Criminal Minds is definitely a comfort show for me too - I get it haha!