If you’re a fan of reading books with white-knuckle, adrenalin-pumping storylines, you might be under the impression that some of those genre category titles are interchangeable. Interestingly, they’re similar yet different:
THRILLER — The s/hero must thwart an enemy’s plans rather than uncover a crime that has already happened.
MYSTERY — The reader doesn’t know “who done it” until the end.
SUSPENSE — The reader knows “who done it,” but the book’s characters don’t find out until the end.
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER — The main character usually experiences a “dissolving sense of reality.”
CRIME — The focus of the storyline is on a criminal who must be apprehended.
POLICE PROCEDURAL — The emphasis is on the procedures used by law enforcement to solve the crime.
My publisher categorized my next book, Indelible: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book One, in the following three genres:
“Buchanan’s narrative is well-paced, flying right along. . . . the author has delivered an exciting beginning to an intriguing series.” —KIRKUS REVIEWS
SERIAL KILLER THRILLER — The s/hero must thwart a serial killer’s plans and possibly uncover previous crimes during their current quest.
PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR MYSTERY — The reader and the PI see many of the puzzle’s pieces, but the full “picture on the box” isn’t revealed until the end.
SUSPENSE THRILLER — A exhilarating one-two punch that combines the reader’s knowledge of “who done it,” with the un-knowing s/hero’s efforts to thwart the antagonist’s plans.
What’s your favorite book genre?
Indelible: A Sean McPherson Novel, Book One
Release Date: April 6, 2021
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