I’ve mentioned before on this blog that while I’m happy to read a bit of just about anything, my preferred genres are mystery, historical fiction, fantasy and nonfiction. Today I thought I’d talk about a bit about one of these genres, and share with you some of the reasons why I love reading mystery novels so very much.
Mysteries exercise the little grey cells
Well-written mysteries tease and challenge the brain, encouraging readers to play close attention to subtle hints and hidden clues. Clever authors create plausible scenarios that have readers shouting “of course!”, rather than “huh?” I really enjoy following along with a canny sleuth as he or she tracks down their culprit, pitting my own mental faculties against the characters, and the author.
Mysteries can be cathartic
While the genre is vast in style, setting and scope (a fact that I will touch on in more detail in a moment), the mysteries I personal enjoy the most are the ones that provide some form of closure. Whether or not the “bad guy” gets captured isn’t as important to me as having some form of resolution – the mystery is solved, the loose ends are tied up, and the characters are provided with fitting endings. This kind of closure can be incredibly cathartic, particularly in a world that so often seems to be spinning out of control. Stories in which characters are successful in their endeavours can bring reassurance to readers, reminding us that sometimes things do work out in the end after all.
There’s a mystery for everyone
Longing for a dark, depressing mystery series starring an alcoholic lone-wolf Icelandic detective? Sure thing. Craving a cozy mystery with an endearing elderly lady protagonist set in the English countryside? We’ve got that. A ladies detective agency in Botswana? An Italian police detective? A medieval crime-stopping monk? A futuristic detective who solves mysteries with his robot partner? A young girl who dabbles in chemistry and tries to poison her sisters? A dozen different police procedurals featuring various Chief Inspectors? Done, done and done. Whether you want to laugh or cry, travel to the future or the past, explore the world or stay right where you are, there’s probably a mystery series that’s right for you.
Mysteries mean rarely having to say goodbye
If you tend to feel bereft after finishing a book and saying farewell to beloved characters, mysteries might be right up your alley, because they rarely appear as stand-alone novels. Series with entries numbering in the double digits aren’t uncommon, meaning you’ll be able to put off those final goodbyes for quite some time.
Do you love mysteries as much as I do?
I seriously LOVE mysteries… and it started when I was very young with The Famous Five, Secret Seven, then Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. Later Agatha Christie and so forth.
I love that you have Martha Grimes there as I adore her Richard Jury / Melrose Plant series (and am ignoring the fact there’s a German TV series in which the actors look NOTHING like I think the characters should!).
I haven’t read Kerry Greenwood but LOVE the Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries TV series – such an amazingly fun show!
Yay for other lovers of mysteries!
I think Agatha Christie was my mystery gateway drug too, though I did dabble in The Hardy Boys as a kid, too! 🙂
There’s a German Jury/Plant series?!?! I’m so curious now…!
I’m actually not a mystery fan, but I can understand why others are, and I love your list! Trying to play along and figure things out and guess who the murderer is or what’s going on is always fun (I’ve read a few and have read some that were kind of urban fantasy/mystery mashups). And your list of all the different types of mysteries and protags really does show how much variety there is. Keep enjoying your mysteries!