When I first fell for the genre of crime fiction, it was the puzzles, the game of trying to make sense of the clues, that caught me. My first ´love´ as an adult reader was Dorothy L. Sayers, one of the most famous Golden Age writers.
What I enjoyed in her books (apart from Lord Peter Wimsey whom I found rather charming) was the way she let the reader follow Wimsey´s investigation. She let us play along, showing us the cracked egg and the tube of paint, the cipher letter and the stains on the floor. So when I read a great mystery, it appealed to my curiosity, making me want to solve mysteries myself.
Give me some good detective work, and I´ll keep quiet - for a few hours at least.
I have learned to like other subgenres, but I still appreciate a good, old-fashioned investigation, and whether I write about amateur sleuths or police procedurals, I like to add those little clues: the dirty towel, the binoculars in the tree, the little toe etc.
Come back tomorrow for a new Kickinbottom story (a rather open-ended one) with a none-too-brilliant character who might need YOU to figure out what´s going on.
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10 kommentarer:
Dorte - What a great idea for a post! I like the "investigation" aspect of crime fiction, too. I like the clues, I like the questioning of suspects, and of course, the dirty little secrets that come out.
And I will definitely be back tomorrow for that Kickinbottom story! :-) :-)
I love the organization that goes into investigation, I think (it's the Type A part of me!)
Until tomorrow ........
I haven't read any Dorothy Sayers's books for years - time to remedy that. I do like trying to solve the puzzles.
Most of us began there and still enjoy a revisit.
Thanks for this contribution ot this week's CFA Dorte
I ashamed to admit there are many of the "classic" authors that I've never read, including Dorothy L. Sayers!
Someday.....
Margot: I knew you´d enjoy a post about Sayers.
Elizabeth: Sayers is a great example of extremely well-planned crime stories.
Tracy: I knew the bait would work ;)
Margaret: she even made me create my own ciphers for weeks the first time I read "Have His Carcase".
Patti: I bought a new copy of one of her stories a few years ago because I have to have them all (and in one piece).
Kerrie: as you can see, I can´t stay away.
Kelly: be careful! If you read one, you may have to read them all :D
Wonderful post. I, too, love the investigation aspects of mysteries. Fun to try and outguess the detective.
As for Sayers. Read them all a long time ago, but I've been meaning to reread since I've mostly forgotten them. I did read the full collection of short stories last year. Fun.
Thank you, Yvette. I agree, the investigation is an extremely important part of a crime novel.
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