tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post6551368619283870017..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Mysteries and Self-EsteemJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21941170040417000212015-05-26T20:05:46.165-04:002015-05-26T20:05:46.165-04:00Jim, there are a lot of plot possibilities when tw...Jim, there are a lot of plot possibilities when two people can easily switch places. My twin friends still look alike and both have high level positions at their companies. Hmmm<br /><br />What a disappointing ending that must have been, Shari. I'd probably feel cheated not having things wrapped up in a satisfying way. <br />I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm not sure that all writers are in agreement about the rules of the mystery genre. Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-2126488698302972842015-05-26T18:28:00.596-04:002015-05-26T18:28:00.596-04:00Yup, Carla's right! ;)
Many of the mystery rea...Yup, Carla's right! ;)<br />Many of the mystery readers I know do read mysteries on two (or maybe more levels) - for the story and for how the author plays the game. If an author doesn't play fair, I cross them off my list. There was one very highly praised book a couple of years ago (I won't name names) that had two murders in it. One was solved, but one wasn't - "because that's how real life is." Well, in a mystery there are rules, people. That stuff is fine in "regular" fiction, but not in the mystery genre. Just my two crabby, and possibly high self-esteemed, cents.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-27656833267557890572015-05-26T18:01:07.483-04:002015-05-26T18:01:07.483-04:00Kara -- I have known 2 sets of identical twins and...Kara -- I have known 2 sets of identical twins and you are right. Both switched places from time to time.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-82846302240481416152015-05-26T17:58:31.466-04:002015-05-26T17:58:31.466-04:00It sounds like the author of the book you read did...It sounds like the author of the book you read didn't play fair with the readers, KM.<br /><br />This is somewhat off topic, but I think it would be fun to write a mystery about characters who are identical twins. The twins I know enjoy telling stories about switching places when they were young to fool their parents, teachers, dates etc. Of course, it would be a challenge to make the plot original and have a satisfying ending. Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-74986504857792516972015-05-26T15:36:41.232-04:002015-05-26T15:36:41.232-04:00I have to admit I never try to figure out the solu...I have to admit I never try to figure out the solution to the mysteries I read. Every once in a while, I do anyhow, and that's okay with me, although sometimes I think the solution was too obvious. But there have been times when the very obviousness in itself serves as a red herring.<br /><br />I do feel cheated, however, when the culprit turns out to be someone foisted on the reader in the very end of the story, or has been presented in such a way that the reader could not possibly have figured it out. For instance, I recently read a story in which the culprit had an iron-clad alibi. In the very end, we were informed that she had an identical twin sister, and was claiming the sister's whereabouts for her alibi.<br /><br />Mysteries are fun. And they are leisure reading. I don't feel a lot of "shoulds" apply. If it was a good story, whether I figured it out or not, great.KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-59404156714569460612015-05-26T13:56:40.593-04:002015-05-26T13:56:40.593-04:00Carla, I agree that people who read mysteries are ...Carla, I agree that people who read mysteries are absolutely brilliant! <br /><br />Gloria, I've been mulling over your comment that you like short stories to end with a twist. I suppose short stories are more likely to have surprise endings because of their length, whereas the killer in novels can be gradually revealed. Although, I have read a few novels with double twist endings so I could be completely wrong in my assumption. Maybe there should be a study about that. Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-49869740628487358932015-05-26T10:08:19.715-04:002015-05-26T10:08:19.715-04:00Interesting post, Kara. If it's a short story,...Interesting post, Kara. If it's a short story, I love a twist ending. If it's a book, I want more in depth characters and like to try and solve the whodunit. In most cases I have a pretty good idea of who it was before the end, but not always. Like E.B. I read a wide variety of books, although not horror books with psychopaths stalking the victim. Like Kait wrote, I hate when the author only briefly mentions the villain earlier in the book with no real clues to him/her thereafter. I think I read mysteries both for the puzzle and for a justice will be done ending.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-79240644190874223992015-05-26T10:08:14.798-04:002015-05-26T10:08:14.798-04:00I'm glad someone wanted to research this but a...I'm glad someone wanted to research this but agree with you, Jim. Wish it had been more comprehensive. Of course, I think all mystery readers are frickin' brilliant. The most wonderful, smart people on earth! carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15985823239660829148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-62605288043458244722015-05-26T10:03:23.972-04:002015-05-26T10:03:23.972-04:00I'm glad you mentioned those factors, Jim. It&...I'm glad you mentioned those factors, Jim. It's puzzling that the study was designed so that participants only read one of three short stories. I'm curious what inspired the researchers to measure self-esteem and mysteries. That wouldn't have been my first thought for a research project about why crime fiction is appealing to readers. Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-412456034260505762015-05-26T09:39:07.824-04:002015-05-26T09:39:07.824-04:00You make a good point, E.B. I also like variety an...You make a good point, E.B. I also like variety and it's not dependent on my self-esteem. Sometimes the weather is a deciding factor in what I read. During a thunderstorm, I like to read a fast-paced mystery. But if I'm sitting on the beach in July, I prefer to read a cozy.<br /><br />Warren, I love your comment. Sales really are bottom line and that's not a mystery. <br /><br />Grace, you make an interesting observation about how mysteries have changed over the years. I wonder if there has been research done about that? I also thought that keeping the reader guessing until the end was the goal of any mystery. It's surprising that some people like to know whodunit in advance. <br /><br />Not playing fair with the reader has kept me from continuing to read a series too, Kait. I think readers like to solve the case along with the character in a novel who solves the crime. So we feel cheated when information is kept from us. I have a theory that many mystery readers and writers would actually like to be detectives.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-16360630816390501132015-05-26T09:19:29.846-04:002015-05-26T09:19:29.846-04:00A sample size of 84 with three alternative one-pag...A sample size of 84 with three alternative one-page stories to make a generalization about who enjoys what kind of mysteries: I’m sighing at the overreach. And to assume a one-page story can represent "mysteries" is just....awesome, that's the word.<br /><br />People read mysteries first and foremost because they are good yarns. We picks our poison for lots of reasons, of which self-esteem might be one. Some like cozies, some noir. In thrillers and many suspense the reader knows who done it; other criteria drive reader satisfaction.<br /><br />Perhaps if I felt better about myself, I would have a stronger opinion of the study. :)<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21866985629127277002015-05-26T09:02:08.551-04:002015-05-26T09:02:08.551-04:00That's an eyeopener. I can't say whether m...That's an eyeopener. I can't say whether mystery readers are deeper thinkers, but I think they may be more analytic, open to making associations, and seeing what lies beneath. As Grace says, I tend to see what happens and wonder why. Why did the hero do that? Why did the hero go here/there, how does it figure in the ultimate end. The stories I heartily dislike are the ones where the perpetrator makes a cameo appearance in chapter two and then voila - that's the murderer and s/he was so good at covering his/her trail that there were virtually NO clues to point to him/her. I read one book, can't remember the name, where the murderer was someone who was caught committing another crime in another town and confessed to the murder that was the subject of the book. No clues, no appearance by the killer, nothing. I had to tip my hat to the author, I'm sure that happens in real life, and I did read to the end. But I never read another book by that author. I didn't think it was fair play.Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-51612641638578233172015-05-26T08:54:59.660-04:002015-05-26T08:54:59.660-04:00Many of the mysteries I read during the 60s and 70...Many of the mysteries I read during the 60s and 70s were so predictable. The murderer was always the nicest person in the book (helpful neighbor, super kind sister-in-law, etc.) who never had any suspicion cast on them. I got to the point where I would carefully study the book for that type of character, and sure enough that would be the murderer. Since then, writers have wised up and not fallen into that easy method of concealing the murderer. I frequently can guess who did the deed because I am very analytical when I read. If a person puts a book on the table, I wonder why it was mentioned and remember it. But when I am surprised by who the murderer is, I'm pleased that the author was cleaver enough to keep me guessing until the end--to me a sign of a good mystery writer.Grace Toppinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291304815273486038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-13366036973259482622015-05-26T07:58:54.706-04:002015-05-26T07:58:54.706-04:00I think there has been only limited research on my...I think there has been only limited research on mysteries but writers and publishers have an idea about what makes mysteries popular. They pay attention to one indicator of popularity — sales. Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-5953807466142635972015-05-26T06:21:07.513-04:002015-05-26T06:21:07.513-04:00I like mysteries, but I read other genres too. But...I like mysteries, but I read other genres too. But within mystery, I read various genres. After I read a dark mystery, I'm in the mood for something cozy. But I can't read too many cozies before I want something that isn't predictable. I like reading paranormal mystery because authors have different takes on the what is paranormal. Some use it to bring out evil. Others, use it to show the goodness of the universe. When I pick up a paranormal, I never have any idea what it will bring. But when one is especially scary or dark, I pick up a cozy for comfort. I can't imagine always reading the same thing so I'm not sure that I buy into the study's premise. People aren't static. One day I have low self-esteem, and on another day I have high self-esteem. Nah. I just like variety. <br /><br />As to why people like crime fiction--most of the time, I think its appeal allows us to think justice prevails in reality, which, in the real world, doesn't always happen. I think readers love mysteries because they don't hold the pretension of most literary fiction. Yes--that last comment might be provoking to some, but I swear when I try to read literary fiction, the condescension chokes me.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.com