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Perspectives, book reviews, and guidance from our editors to help authors craft riveting mysteries, suspense novels, and thrillers.

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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THE CRIME WRITER, by Gregg Hurwitz: A Riveting Novel and a Masterful Lesson in How to Write Mystery/Suspense

[by Ross Browne]

If there were ever a novel that writers and editors could take special pleasure in devouring like candy, The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz is it. Putting aside the clever plot device that makes the book so naturally irresistible to novelists, The Crime Writer is a smartly written novel that stands […]

By |2024-02-13T17:05:45+00:00|Book Reviews|Comments Off on THE CRIME WRITER, by Gregg Hurwitz: A Riveting Novel and a Masterful Lesson in How to Write Mystery/Suspense
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How Dean Koontz Creates Dramatic Character Arc (and Convincingly Humanizes a Golden Retriever) in His Best-Loved Novel

[by Ross Browne]

Dean Koontz is a very funny guy who while contemplating his future as a geriatric (bunny slippers are involved) says he expects to feel then as he does now: that Watchers is the most satisfying book he’s ever written. He also believes many readers will think it to be his best, no matter how […]

By |2024-01-18T17:28:27+00:00June 19th, 2020|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Dean Koontz Creates Dramatic Character Arc (and Convincingly Humanizes a Golden Retriever) in His Best-Loved Novel
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How Stephen King and Alexandra Sokoloff Cultivate Willing Suspension of Disbelief in Crime Fiction Tips and techniques based on two hit novels

[by Ross Browne]

A recent article in The New Yorker defines the willing suspension of disbelief as “the reader’s decision to put the argumentative, quibbling part of his mind into neutral and go along for the narrative ride.”

Stephen King is a master at this, and I’m sure I’m not alone in admiring how easy he makes it […]

By |2024-01-22T17:18:16+00:00June 19th, 2020|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How Stephen King and Alexandra Sokoloff Cultivate Willing Suspension of Disbelief in Crime Fiction Tips and techniques based on two hit novels
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Reviewing BLUE MOON by Lee Child Considering what works and what could work better in Jack Reacher # 24

[by Ross Browne]

Author’s note: As a reader, I’m a loyal fan of the Jack Reacher series, awaiting each release with rabid anticipation. As a professional editor, I’m a longtime admirer of what Lee Child does well and, at times, a constructive critic of what I believe he could do better. I write about Lee Child often […]

By |2024-01-06T22:42:02+00:00|Book Reviews|Comments Off on Reviewing BLUE MOON by Lee Child Considering what works and what could work better in Jack Reacher # 24
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Reviewing SUDDEN PREY by John Sandford Considering characterization and its impact on story in a bestselling crime series

[by Ross Browne]

Anyone familiar with my taste in books probably knows how much I love John Sandford and admire his skills as a writer. One reason I like his Lucas Davenport series so much is that these deftly plotted novels usually go deep into the minds of deranged killers in seriously […]

By |2024-01-19T23:23:47+00:00|Book Reviews|Comments Off on Reviewing SUDDEN PREY by John Sandford Considering characterization and its impact on story in a bestselling crime series
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