PD James has said that murder mysteries hit a popularity peak during WW2, when uncertainty was at an apex. On its surface this seems peculiar. Why would people respond to dire world events with stories of unnatural death? She explains the paradox this way: crime story conclusions restore a sense of order in turbulent times. No matter how dire the first act, everything will be resolved by the end. In this, readers feel a sense that justice is inevitable.
The suspense genre is a bit different. I see it as the glamorous first cousin of the cozy mystery. In contrast to the classic drawing room confrontation in a mystery, in which everything is spelled out, you’re more likely to get an ambiguous ending in suspense, or see a victim return from the dead, or witness the protagonist double crossed. Justice is served less overtly in suspense. In that sense, it’s a little more unsettling.
As a popular genre, there is a pretty wide spectrum of talent. Here are three suspense stories and what I thought of them.
1.
Florence Darrow is a young editorial assistant at a New York publishing house. After a regrettable moment, she loses her job and has to quickly secure rent money. She is hired by an enigmatic best-selling writer whose identity is not public. Florence’s own writing ambitions are tempted when the author takes her to Morocco and dies in an accident. Could Florence complete the woman’s next book and publish it under her pseudonym?
I loved the first two acts of this story. It’s an intriguing premise, Florence’s artistic frustrations are relatable, and I loved the armchair travel to North Africa. Unfortunately the twists towards the end are standard and the ending doesn’t entirely satisfy.
2.
Marissa and Matthew are a glamorous DC couple: he is a lawyer, she owns a high-end Dupont Circle boutique. After she is unfaithful, they agree to see a therapist whose license was revoked due to her controversial methods. Things go awry when a secret is revealed.
Like Harlan Coben, the authors write twisty suspense with characterization that could use some work. (To be fair, characterization is a late problem in the Coben genre.) I enjoy their books in the moment but often struggle to tell them apart. This was my least favorite of the ones I’ve read. I wasn’t invested in the story. The pacing was off as well.
3.
On the other end of the characterization scale is Laura Lippman. She is a much better writer than I expect from this genre, including nuanced throwaway characters. I love this detail from a lesbian PI: “I wear pants and long-sleeved shirts even when it’s ninety degrees out. Because the business world set (AC) temperatures for people wearing suits. The women come in here bare-legged with sleeveless tops and are freezing.”
This is the story of Adam and Polly, who meet working in bar near the Maryland coast. As their relationship develops, their pasts are revealed. It’s an intriguing slow burn; maybe a little too slow. At times I would have sacrificed the insights for some adrenaline. The twists surprise, though.
Books Smitten 