Why I Choose Crime Thrillers

 

There is nothing more intriguing and enticing than the genre of crime thrillers. It's a world of mystery, mysticism, complex characters and complex societal issues. It has always been my go-to genre. I can still recall the very first book I picked during my first year at University, Richard Montanari The Rosary Girls- it engrossed me immediately.  It was the enticing plot, characters, twist and the unforgettable villain/serial killer. I did not realize how much that book would impact me and spark my writing journey.  A particular scene from that book remains vividly in my memory. It wasn’t just the thrilling action but the brilliance of the author’s portrayal of the villain and the treatment of his victims.  

That piece years later chaperoned my recently completed book Splitting Half- a mystery psychological/crime thriller.

In this post, I would like to share why I chose crime thrillers.

 

1. The psychological depth fascinates me.

Crime thrillers are the perfect canvas for examining human behaviour. It offers an insight into the moral complexity and psychological depth. It dwells into the gray morality, honing into the psyche of the criminal, its victims and investigators alike.  It’s this depth that forces the reader to come face to face with the uncomfortable truths about justice, ethics and human nature.

I am drawn to exploring the depths of the human mind- both investigator and criminal. To what lengths would the villain go to get his message across? What would a detective give up just to put the villain behind bars? As a crime thriller writer, this gives me the freedom to explore the human psyche. As they say, the best thrillers challenge the mind.

 

 

2) The Thrill of Intellectual challenge

Crime thrillers are psychological arenas that challenge your intellect. It makes you think. As a writer, I thoroughly enjoy crafting complex puzzles and pieces into my stories, leading my readers through twists and turns. Some genres rely heavily on emotional beats- nothing wrong with that- yet crime thrillers engage the reader's mind. Simply put, It is for the readers to weave through the reasons of ‘Why’- why the villain is the way he is and why the detective needs to put an end to the villain. They aren’t just the detective but also play a part in the villain's world. Isn't that just fascinating? There’s precision, logic and an intricate web of clues in crime thrillers. Everything must weave into one seamless puzzle- motive, suspect, and crime. That is the most thrilling part of it.

For me, it’s about strategy. I put myself in the shoes of both the detective and criminal, I anticipate each one’s move- now that is thrilling. But it’s not just about the shock value and it’s about letting the reader fall from his/her chair gasping ‘I knew it was him! I knew it.’ Trust me I have been there.

 

3) Research Process

Research is the important icing of crime thrillers. It adds depth, authenticity, realism and reliability to a story. As a world based on real world issues and real world setting, it’s vital to incorporate real world forensic details, police procedures and scientific aspects. Readers appreciate and expect the investigation to follow believable procedures. Mind you readers are very smart and any inaccuracies can pull them out.

I have become an expert in both the detective and medical examiner. As a crime thriller writer, I have spiraled down the hole of researching crime scenes protocols to the inner workings of a criminal mind. If you took a dive into my Google searches you would be surprised. From blood spatter patterns to fingerprints techniques and autopsy procedures. I have been all over.

Hear this, upon researching toxicology I stumbled right into how certain poisons were used in ancient times to settle political disputes. 

These rabbit holes have led to some unfinished manuscripts.

However, it's more than just reading about fascinating autopsy procedures or fact-checking- it's an essential part of the creative setting. Learning about real crime cases or investigative procedures sparks ideas for the plot and character development. Sometimes watching a simple movie can inspire an entire storyline. True story. So many of my unfinished manuscripts were inspired by either watching a movie, reading a book or even just from good old-fashioned Korean Drama! If you know you know.

 

4) The Blend of reality and fiction: The Best of Both Worlds

While other genres build their worlds from scratch, crime thrillers are rooted in reality. That is why research is crucial as it sets the foundation for the plot- a sense of realism in police procedures, forensic procedures and psychological profiling. This genre thrives on authenticity and realism. As mentioned, I love researching real-life forensic procedures and real-life cases with law enforcement procedures for believably. As a crime reader, I enjoy and appreciate it when a story feels real, when a character is relatable and when the location is captured vividly. I love weaving these real-life moments into my stories. 

But there’s room for changing the creative storytelling narrative. It leaves room for ‘what if's?’ What if a detective’s past blurred their ability to see past the truth? What if an airtight alibi had a loophole? This world of crime thrillers allows me to take elements of the real world and bend them to my thrilling narrative. For example, say a detective arrives at a crime scene, at an abandoned warehouse. The victim is in a strange position- hands clasped, eyes closed with a single card on their chest, right. There's the scent of decay in the air with a single blood drop leading to the exit. How would that play out with real-world research elements? Well simple, instead of relying on imagination you weave and thread through with:

• Time of death: The detective takes notes of bluish discolouration on the victim, and estimates the time of death. 
• Secondly, crime scene procedure. The officers secure the area, then we got forensic photographers documenting the scene and the ME (medical examiner) examines the body for defensive wounds. 
• Lastly, the behavioral profiling. The significance of that card. Your profiler character (inspired by real-life criminal profiling techniques) theories the killer might be organized, meticulous and possibly leaving a message. But to who and why?

So you have real world investigative techniques with a fictional playground, that grounds the story immensely. Not only do readers get a mystery but also get the sense of realism, like 'this is actually happening.'

 

5) The rush of suspense, tension and unpredictable twists

We can all testify that crime thrillers are the masters of tension, the hall of fame of unexpected twists and heart-racing suspense. This keeps the reader on edge, builds that tension feeds just enough information to maintain intrigue and keeps the reader guessing until the very last page. There’s a certain thrill of being caught off guard and crime thrillers offer just that. Whether it’s a shocking betrayal or a reveal that changes everything, I love crafting such moments. I can testify that sometimes I shock myself if there's a shocking twist or unexpected reveal.

To conclude this delicious post, I chose crime thrillers because of the layers of onions it presents for me, so to speak- to explore human nature. What drives the villain to commit the crime?  How do biases, past trauma or hidden motivations shape the way justice is swayed? And what role does society play in this factor? These intricate layers add depth to my storytelling. Simply put, this genre is an endless circle of fascinating roller coasters. You never know where the twist will land you.