Top Seven Mystery Novel Sub-Genres

The mystery novel has long been a cornerstone of the publishing industry, a widely popular genre that draws millions of readers to bookstores nationwide. As the mystery novel has become more complex, however, it has birthed several sub-genres which have quickly taken root across the publishing spectrum.

A mystery novel refers to any full-length fiction work that involves a crime. Sometimes the protagonist is a member of the police force and sometimes it is simply a concerned citizen, but the mystery novel involves the investigation of crime and the justice brought to the criminal.

Whodunit

The first mystery novel sub-genre is the classic Whodunit, which is a story that focuses on the detective, who works through carefully hidden clues to solve the crime, usually a homicide. Most Whodunits are written either in the first person or only from the point of view of one character, which is almost always the detective.

Famous Whodunit Novelists: Nicholas Blake, Simon Brett, Lawrence Block

Amateur Detective

The second mystery novel sub-genre is the amateur detective story, which is a novel in which the protagonist is not a police detective, but someone whose interest in solving the crime becomes overwhelming. He or she will usually work outside the law the discover who killed, injured or extorted the victim, and is often related to or friends with the victim.

Famous Amateur Detective Novelists: Peter S. Fischer, Agatha Christie, E.C. Bentley

Private Detective

The third mystery novel sub-genre is the private detective story. These novels usually involve a victim who solicits the help of a private eye. The themes are usually dark and violent in private detective novels and the crimes are often more horrific. A private detective novel can also be crossed with a suspense or thriller novel to create characters whose motivations are more psychological.

Famous Private Detective Novelists: Sue Grafton, Lawrence Sanders

Medical Mystery