Mystery Subgenres

Last week, we explored the Literary skeleton, this week we explore Mystery subgenres.

1. Amateur Investigator stories feature a protagonist who is not currently a cop or a PI. They are drawn into the mystery because of personal stakes, incurable curiosity, or a brilliant mind. 

2. Bumbling Detectives mix the Mystery structure with the Comedy structure.

3. Cozy mysteries feature either an amateur or professional sleuth and are usually set in small towns. There is little focus on violence and it avoids gory details.

4. Medical mysteries feature physicians or other medical professionals who encounter and solve murders or mysterious illnesses.

5. Hard Boiled/Noir mysteries feature a gritty, cynical, usually male private investigator, in a violent urban setting. This is the “dame walked into my office” subgenre.

6. Historical mysteries feature clever detectives in many historical settings. They can use historical figures as detective or have a detective investigate stories involving or surrounding historical figures.

7. Howdunit mysteries begin with the reader "witnessing" the murder, crime, etc. and the story unravels how the perpetrator is caught.

8. Legal Mysteries feature a sleuth who is a lawyer or court official who solves the case on their own when the clueless or corrupt cops fail to do so.

9. Police Procedurals  feature a sleuth who is police detective, officer, forensic technician, medical examiner, etc. who solves the murder or crime. The crimes range from mild to gruesome. The level of gory detail varies.

10. Private Investigator mysteries feature a sleuth (sometimes an ex-cop, soldier, spy or lawyer) who delves into the cases that the cops often can’t, or don’t want, to solve.

11. Supernatural mysteries combine the mystery structure with a Fantasy element.

Next week, we take a look at the building blocks for the Mystery skeleton.

Check out the newly released Mystery Build A Plot Workbook in print and e-book format.

For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and explore the free tools and information about the series on my website.