Dr. Deadly's Book Club

You know that moment in the horror movie? Some poor soul hears a noise and heads for the basement door, ready to go down and investigate, while you clutch at your armrest and screech, don’t go down there, you idiot! Those situations were so common they became a basis for satire, but I’d bet you can think of a lot of things we’ve learned not to do from those movies.

Now, what about tropes in crime fiction? Dr. Deadly thinks a few jump out from the top-rated titles in recent years. Let’s analyze.

Crime Fiction Wisdom: Beware the Following!

We all know that – like it or not! – norms and trends evolve with the times. Crime novels have always reflected the changes of their eras. Signs of the times are woven into the danger of the story – just like when cell phones began appearing in scary movies, and inevitably went dead or out of service range as soon as the poor soul’s car broke down on a desolate, foggy road.

Dr. Deadly will focus on four themes that seem most apparent to her from crime fiction of the 2020s. Readers learn that, where these patterns exist, danger is sure to follow…

SINGULAR WOMEN ANYWHERE

If you’re a woman by yourself on a train, by a window, in a cabin, under a bridge, or really anyplace at all, prepare yourself for one twisty mystery.

GROUPS ON TRIPS OF ANY KIND

Looking forward to an island getaway with your best friends? Or that work retreat on a mountainside? Well, don’t leave home without your bodyguard.

CLEANING LADIES

In Dr. Deadly’s book, cleaners do difficult work and should have a peaceful, pleasant life. But that career path may be the inroad to intrigue.

CONTENT CREATORS

Who hasn’t dreamed of being that YouTuber, or podcaster, or reality TV star? Except there could be serious health risks involved in going viral…

Now…what might it mean?

So, what does danger at island resorts and around hardworking housecleaners say about the psyche of the modern crime story? Here is Dr. Deadly’s two-part hypothesis:

Recent crime fiction highlights how norms can change…

From the early 2000s crime fiction evolved to reflect millennial culture. This asks us to look within, understand ourselves, and acknowledge imperfections. Crime fiction explores our capacity for wrongdoing, and thus naughty self-awareness turns nicely into tropes like unreliable narrators. This is one popular example of the psychological suspense that is now a robust part of the genre.

Another millennial hallmark is greater action toward inclusivity. Every era, of course, transcends past boundaries. In crime fiction we’ve see a vastly expanding landscape, including a truer range of human perspective and experience. Protagonists come from different life experiences to solve their dilemmas.

Look back to the four themes created by Dr. Deadly, and the novels shown as examples. Does it make sense to say any of these themes were shaped by this millennial energy? “Singular women” and maid protagonists show us that women as well as individuals in less prominent or center-stage roles can be caught up in high-stakes situations, and can be the hero – or heroine – of the day. As for content creators…need Dr. Deadly explain our current fascination?

…while human nature stays the same.

But what about “Groups on trips of any kind”? Well, remember that old expression…the more things change, the more they stay the same? (Dr. Deadly looked it up, and French author Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote that in 1849.)

Cultural norms may change with each decade or generation, but Dr. Deadly would argue that basic human characteristics take exponentially longer. One enduring human trait is that we are social creatures, interested in group dynamics we rely upon for survival. That’s why sending a group of people to an island and watching drama unfold is as riveting now as it was in the 1930s when Agatha Christie wrote And Then There Were None, one of the best-selling books of all time, or in the 1950s of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Think of Survivor and its viewership; can you imagine, a hundred years from now, what the modern-day version will be?

And so, while future crime fiction tropes might evolve to imagine the sinister side of finding life on other planets, or deepfake dating, or extending our lifespan to a hundred and thirty years…Dr. Deadly bets authors will never stop putting groups of people with their fears, their anger, and their jealousies together in isolated places. So…attend that next family reunion with your eyes wide open!

Where should the spotlight land in the next wave of crime fiction safety tips? Take Dr. Deadly’s poll!