Mystery And Suspense

Suspense fiction encompasses novels of crime and detection (regularly referred to as mysteries - these include English-style cosies; American-style hard-boiled detective stories; dispassionate law-enforcement procedurals; crime stories); action-adventure; espionage novels; techno-thrillers; tales of psychological suspense; and horror. A celebrated aspect of suspense fiction's popular appeal - one that surely accounts for much of this broad category's sustained market vigour - is the interactive element: The reader may choose to challenge the tale itself by attempting to outwit the author and solve a crime before detectives do, figure out how best to defeat an all-powerful foe before the hero does, or parse out the elements of a conspiracy before the writer reveals the whole story. 2000-2001 Writer's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers & Literary Agents by Jeff Herman (1999)