BEHIND THE BESTSELLERS considers the art and craft of popular and bestselling novels–and what writers can learn from their authors.

How P.J. Vernon Delivers Fresh, Distinctive Characterization in Mystery Fiction

[by Ross Browne]

When You Find Me was, without a doubt, one of the most pleasant literary surprises I’ve had in a long time. It’s a debut novel that got a warm reception from readers and critics alike, and with good reason. It’s a Southern gothic-style thriller with an inventive […]

By |2024-01-18T15:45:21+00:00December 14th, 2023|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How P.J. Vernon Delivers Fresh, Distinctive Characterization in Mystery Fiction

Exploring Ken Follett’s Masterful Handling of Plot, Characterization, and Historical Storytelling in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

[by Ross Browne]

If you’ve read any of Ken Follett’s work, it probably comes as no surprise that he was able to turn his own personal fascination with cathedrals and how they’re built into a damn good novel. But from a fiction technique viewpoint, what he done with The Pillars of The Earth transcends good and might be seen […]

By |2024-01-07T20:57:18+00:00September 14th, 2022|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on Exploring Ken Follett’s Masterful Handling of Plot, Characterization, and Historical Storytelling in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

How JK Rowling (Writing As Robert Galbraith) Sustains Reader Engagement in a Very Long Mystery

[by Ross Browne]

If you’re a fan of JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith, you’re probably well aware how much longer her latest release is than the other four books in the series.

My own first reaction to the size of the hefty tome—darn near 1,000 pages in hardcover—was mostly: Terrific! More […]

By |2024-01-18T17:39:39+00:00May 11th, 2021|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How JK Rowling (Writing As Robert Galbraith) Sustains Reader Engagement in a Very Long Mystery

Considering the Pros and Cons of Irredeemable Antagonists in Crime Fiction in WRECKED by Joe Ide

[by Ross Browne]

I’m not exaggerating when I say the discovery of Joe Ide’s IQ series made an often-awful 2020 more bearable. Wrecked is the third book in this series starring the fiercely intelligent but lonely and isolated Isaiah Quintabe (“IQ”), who on first glance might resemble a modern-day Sherlock Holmes of Long Beach. In this story, […]

By |2024-01-07T22:03:19+00:00February 24th, 2021|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on Considering the Pros and Cons of Irredeemable Antagonists in Crime Fiction in WRECKED by Joe Ide

Considering The Sad, Honorable Life of Jack Reacher Contemplating Reacher's future in the hands of Andrew Child

[by Ross Browne]

October 27, 2020 brought two notes of bittersweet dichotomy for fans of the Jack Reacher series. On one hand, we had a new release to dig into, always a good thing in the eyes of “Reacher Creatures.” On the other, The Sentinel is the first book in the series whose byline Lee shares with […]

By |2024-01-20T17:47:28+00:00February 2nd, 2021|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on Considering The Sad, Honorable Life of Jack Reacher Contemplating Reacher's future in the hands of Andrew Child

How Jeff Lindsay Introduced Dexter To The World Considering pacing, plot, and story setup in the first 50 pages

[by Ross Browne]

Flap Copy: He’s handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He’s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: He only kills bad people.

Ross’s Take: Though Darkly Dreaming Dexter was a book […]

By |2024-01-06T20:17:52+00:00January 16th, 2021|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Jeff Lindsay Introduced Dexter To The World Considering pacing, plot, and story setup in the first 50 pages
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