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Book Review - How To Write Killer Fiction by Carolyn Wheat

© Janet Kay Blaylock

This is a book review of "How To Write Killer Fiction" by Carolyn Wheat.

Are you interested in finding out more about mysteries or suspense? Did you know there is a difference between these two? This book will help you to understand the difference between mysteries and suspense as well as teach you how to write these genres. She has three parts to her book: The Funhouse of Mystery, The Roller Coaster of Suspense, and The Writing Process.

Mysteries

I started reading her book and was intrigued about how she defined mysteries and suspense. For example, she lists different elements that are in mysteries and different elements in suspense. These elements are found on page 29 of her book.

Here are some of the elements in mysteries: puzzle, power fantasy, myth, detective has skills, action offstage, red herrings, satisfaction: intellectual.

She also views mysteries as a funhouse. If you go through a funhouse and look at the mirrors, you will get distorted views. This is what happens with mysteries. You will think you know who the suspect is, but because of red herrings, which are false clues, you are led in a different direction. These clues are like the mirrors in the funhouse.

Suspense

These are some of the elements in suspense: nightmare, victim fantasy, fairy tale, hero learns skills, action onstage, cycles of distrust, satisfaction: emotional.

She views suspense as being on a roller coaster. You will be going up in the plot, and then suddenly, there is a slowing down point, then you will get an emotional high and then down again. This is what happens on a roller coaster. They take you up and down. When you come to the end of the roller coaster, you are satisfied emotionally. That's what happens with suspense. You are satisfied emotionally. I found this book interesting. I liked her description of mysteries and suspense. It helped to understand the difference between mysteries and suspense. Another point she made is how the suspense reader is two steps ahead of the hero, and the mystery reader is two steps behind the detective. I hadn't thought about that as I read the different genres.

I also like the way that she explains mysteries, and then suspense, and then explains how to write these genres. You have to understand the difference between mysteries and suspense or any of the other subgenres in order to write them. I think the book was well organized. I think you will find this book an excellent resource if you are interested in learning how to write these genres.

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