What tipped you off?

 

 

                                  
 

If you like suspense, mystery, or thriller novels, how do you like the bad guy to be revealed? Do you want to know right up front? Do you want to follow along and try to discover the perp along with the investigators whoever they might be? Do you want to read from both sides of the crime? Do you like trying to spot the "red herring"? Are you adept at spotting the culprit quickly?

What in general tips you off to who the bad guy will be/is? Can you identify the mechanism used to either fool you or reveal the criminal to you? How do you feel when you discover the perp early? Does that make the story predictable?

Would love to hear your answers . . .

 

Father, you've given so many different methods for telling stories. So many talented people. Please bless your storytellers with the grace to tell them as you design them. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Comments

[BK Jackson]

I don't think I read as many mysteries as I do thrillers, so generally, you know who's the bad guy behind what's going on, but spend the book trying to catch him and prevent mayhem.

[Nicole]

Some thrillers don't give you the bad guy right away, but, yeah, some of them involve the chase. Do you prefer thrillers or thrilling mysteries? ;)

[BK Jackson]

LOL! Well usually thrillers involve bigger stakes, so I lean toward those. I was never a "Murder She Wrote" kind of gal.

[Nicole]

"Murder She Wrote" was clever but unfulfilling. Cozy Mystery. I love good thrillers, exciting mysteries, and real suspense. I guess I would answer my own questions with "Yeah, all of the above." Just wondering if people had preferences to discovering the bad guys/gals.

[Brenda Anderson]

Nicole, I don't have a preference for suspense or mystery, I just want a well-written book. If it is a mystery, I want to be challenged to find the bad guy. If I can guess who the antagonist is early on, then chances are anyone can.

I love a suspense that shows a multi-dimensional bad guy, where you can almost sympathize with them. That's writing evil well.

[Nicole]

I like to be surprised too, but I can handle it either way if, like you, the story is well-written. Sometimes the bad guys are chilling (a la Steven James and Dean Koontz), and sometimes they're more sympathetic (one of Brandilyn Collins' novels). Either way, well done, I can enjoy the search for them. The easy-to-spot, stereotypical evil ones don't cut it for me either, Bren.