1. TYPES OF MYSTERY CAPER Defined by humorous narration, scrambling action, bumbling but lovable characters, and just fun. Protagonists or plots need not be super-realistic, as comedy is the primary goal. Authors:Works: Nancy AthertonAunt Dimity and the Duke (1994) Aunt Dimity’s Good Deed (1996) Lawrence BlockThe Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams (1994) Elmore Leonard52 Pickup (1974) Freaky Deaky (1988) Get Shorty (1995)

2. CLASSIC WHODUNIT Defined by their plots, which must have a strong puzzle element. Protagonist is usually brainy, eccentric, antisocial, possesses quirky areas of knowledge. Usually male. Little sex, violence, humor, or physical action – focus on using the brain/intuition. Authors:Works: John Dickson CarrThe Crooked Hinge (1938) Agatha ChristieMurder on the Orient Express (1934) Andrew M. GreeleyHappy are the Meek (1985) P.D. JamesDeath of an Expert Witness (1977) Nicholas MeyerThe Seven-per-cent Solution (1974) Ellery QueenQBI: Queen’s Bureau of Investigation (1955) Dorothy SayersWhose Body? (1923)

3. COZY Almost entirely a female subgenre Usually include an amateur detective, cats, knitting or quilting, cooking, pots of tea, family, friends, and community Fans are interested in the emotions and social interactions of ordinary, suburban or small town women of a certain age; fans not interested in sex, violence, or vulgarity Somewhat comedic – tone is light, fun, easy reading Authors:Works: Nancy AthertonAunt Dimity’s Death (1992) Aunt Dimity Digs In (1998) Agatha ChristiePartners in Crime (1929) Mary Higgins ClarkMy Gal Sunday (1996) Carol Higgins ClarkSnagged (1993)

4. ESPIONAGE About spies and spying British version is usually realistic, nicely written, has little sex or violence American version is also know as a “Thriller” and is more action-packed than realistic, often macho, includes gore and seduction Authors:Works: Tom ClancyThe Hunt for Red October (1984) Without Remorse (1993) Nelson DeMilleTheGeneral’s Daughter (2002) Ian FlemingCasino Royale (1953) Ken FolletEye of the Needle (1978) Frederick ForsythThe Day of the Jackal (1971) The Odessa File (1972) John LeCarre’The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963)

5. FORENSIC Use crime-solving aspects of pathology, physiology, anthropology or archeology, psychology, and behavioral analysis Use trace evidence processing, fingerprinting, DNA, ballistics, document analysis accident reconstruction, bugging, wiretapping, computer technology, etc. Has a moderate to extreme gore factor, with or without much actual violence Rarely light or humorous in tone Authors:Works: Patricia CornwallPostmortem (1990) Jeffery DeaverThe Bone Collector (1997) Thomas HarrisThe Silence of the Lambs (1988) P.D. JamesDeath of an Expert Witness (1977) James PattersonKiss the Girls (1995) Along Came a Spider (1992)

6. HARD-BOILED Set among criminals rather than crimefighters Typical storyline concerns revenge, vigilante justice, or the commission (rather than the detection) of a crime Classic narrative style is terse and stripped-down Subject matter may include hellish marriages, sexual abuse, drug/alcohol addiction, prison life, or other similar antisocial experiences Readers should be prepared for a shocking or offensive experience Formerly called “Sleaze” Authors:Works: Dashiell HammettThe Continental Op (1930) Lawrence BlockThe Specialists (1969) James M. CainThe Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) Double Indemnity (1935) Ed McBainBig Bad City (1999)

7. HISTORICAL Set in a previous era, or deals with events which occurred in a previous historical era Often feature real persons or events in some form Demand a high level of knowledge from both writer and reader Can vary widely in tone, style, and realism Authors:Works: James EllroyThe Black Dahlia (1987) Ken FollettEye of the Needle (1978) Jack HigginsThe Eagle Has Landed (1975) Walter MosleyDevil in a Blue Dress (1990) Dorothy SayersThrones, Dominations (1998)

8. LEGAL Usually feature a lawyer as the protagonist Considerable freedom in the field – prosecutors against defense lawyers, American attorneys and British barristers, small-town generalists to Supreme Court justices, legal mysteries versus legal thrillers PI influence led to levels of social commentary and a wider range of investigative actions Authors:Works: Erle Stanley GardnerThe Case of the Sulky Girl (1933) – Perry Mason John GrishamThe Street Lawyer (1998) Scott TurowPresumed Innocent (1987) The Burden of Proof (1990) Michael ConnellyThe Lincoln Lawyer (2005)

9. MILITARY Protagonists are from one of the armed services of one of the world’s nations – usually a “superpower” Setting may include a war or military conflict, real or imagined This background allows for unique crimes, investigative procedures, legal and political issues, training, weapons, social relationships, causes of death, and plot devices. Can also be categorized as Thrillers, Espionage, or Police Procedural; they don’t always feature any mystery element. Authors:Works: Tom ClancyThe Hunt for Red October (1984) Nelson DeMilleThe General’s Daughter (1992) Alistair MacLeanIce Station Zebra (1963)

10. POLICE PROCEDURAL Must be realistic depictions of official investigations Emphasize teamwork, methodical pavement-pounding, lucky breaks,administrative hassles, and endless paperwork Cultural and clean British detective/inspectors are classified in the Classic Whodunit category Until recently, procedurals were strictly American Retain a working-class, down-to-earth, close to the streets feel – including lots of profanity, irony, sick humor, and tragedy Authors:Works: Patricia CornwallHornet’s Nest (1996) Nelson DeMillePlum Island (1997) James EllroyThe Black Dahlia (1987) Ed McBainThe Mugger (1956) Joseph WambaughFinnegan’s Week (1993)

11. POLITICAL Have a governmental or public policy setting and focus They can vary from assassination novels, to Washington insider farces, to attacks for or against an issue such as capital punishment Authors:Works: Tom ClancyWithout Remorse (1993) Richard CondonThe Manchurian Candidate (1959) James EllroyAmerican Tabloid (1995) Frederick ForsythThe Day of the Jackal (1971) The Odessa File (1972) John GrishamThe Street Lawyer (1998) Scott TurowThe Laws of Our Fathers (1996)

12. PRIVATE EYE Defined by a non-police detective, usually a paid professional investigator Protagonists should represent a balance between empathy versus cynicism, community versus independence Style should be realistic on the surface, but romantic underneath Authors:Works: Raymond ChandlerThe Big Sleep (1939) Farewell, My Lovely (1940) Janet EvanovichOne for the Money (1994) Two for the Dough (1996) Three to Get Deadly (1997) Sue GraftonC is for Corpse (1986) N is for Noose (1998) Dashiell HammettThe Maltese Falcon (1930) The Thin Man (1933) P.D. JamesAn Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1972)

13. SERIAL KILLER Typically have a higher level of random violence, explicit gore, and serious mental illness than any other Have somewhat different motivations than other types of mysteries – whether the crimes are committed by a psychopathic stranger or a sociopathic acquaintance, these motives are rarely about winning an inheritance or covering up a misdemeanor Serial killer stories can be crosslisted in any subgenre except Cozy Authors:Works: Michael ConnellyThe Poet (1996) Blood Work (1998) Patricia CornwallPostmortem (1990) Thomas HarrisSilence of the Lambs (1988) Ridley PearsonNo Witnesses (1994)

14. THRILLER Among the most loosely used terms in the genre, being applied to any book with even a little action or adventure Usually built around a plot device such as a chase, a showdown, a rescue, an act of vigilante justice, or a race against time to prevent a crime from occurring Almost all thriller protagonists are male – and not the small, whiny type! Authors:Works: John BuchanThe 39 Steps (1915) Richard CondonThe Manchurian Candidate (1959) Ken FollettThe Eye of the Needle (1978) Jack HigginsThe Eagle Has Landed (1975) Elmore Leonard52 Pickup (1974) Glitz (1985)