Mystery

The genre of mystery novels is a young form of literature that has developed since the early-19th century. The rise of literacy began in the years of the English Renaissance and, as people began to read over time, they became more individualistic in their thinking. As people became more individualistic in their thinking, they developed a respect for human reason and the ability to solve problems.

Perhaps a reason that mystery fiction was unheard of before the 1800s was due in part to the lack of true police forces. Before the Industrial Revolution, many of the towns would have constables and a night watchman at best. Naturally, the constable would be aware of every individual in the town, and crimes were either solved quickly or left unsolved entirely. As people began to crowd into cities, police forces became institutionalized, and the need for detectives was realized – thus the mystery novel arose.

  • Sometimes I Lie

    Sometimes I Lie

    In 1987 I was living in Huntington, Long Island, that Christmas there was a strange news story of a young newly married couple who had a fight, the wife had gone missing.  For at least a week there was nightly news stories about how the young husband was assisting the police in the search and… Continue reading

  • The French Girl

    The  French Girl

    The French Girl is one of those books that immerses you. A well written tale of six English students who spend a week in the French countryside only to have a French girl who was staying across the way go missing. Fast forward ten years and five of the six students are now settled into… Continue reading

  • The Hollow Men

    The Hollow Men

    A good read, would recommend. Continue reading