Detective Fiction

Why Ask Why?
The most important part of any type of book or story is that it be interesting. This proves to be particularly important in detective fiction as well. What could be more interesting than having a crime committed in front of you, given all (or most) of the details and still not be able to figure it out? This is exactly how detective fiction authors draw people into these stories and books. By weaving an intricate and interesting plot full of fascinating characters, and all types of details about the crime, readers get drawn into the plot and cannot stop reading until they find out the solution to the mystery. Simply put, readers are drawn to detective fiction because it is so easy to become completely engrossed in the stories. The trick of the author is how to create such an environment to keep readers coming back again and again to the genre. The easiest way to begin to draw any reader into a story is through the characters. By creating characters in which the readers can both trust and relate to is vital. Nick Charles in "The Thin Man" and Archie Goodwin in "A Right to Die" are both such characters. Each man is portrayed to be both completely honest and therefore trustworthy. This trustworthiness allows the reader to both believe and sympathize with the character. Also by showing flaws and different traits such as drinking, smoking, or checking out women, more insight into the personality of the character is given. Again the more a reader can understand and relate to characters, the more they (the reader) will be drawn into the story. Numerous authors have written many stories and books using the same detective. By using a familiar character, it helps to draw readers back to reading these stories. Look at the Rex Stout fans, these people go to the extreme of following the detectives, Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Obviously Stout was doing something right in using the same characters over and over again in his stories. Conan