Not a Hard-Boiled Police Procedural nor a Cozy
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| Marilyn in a pensive pose. Perhaps she's thinking up another murder? |
So where does the Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series fall into a genre slot? That’s a good question with not an easy answer.
One reviewer described the series as, “Think Ed McBain’s 87th precinct series mellowed out in a California beach town”
Another said, “Meredith does an outstanding job of showing the family stresses inherent in police work. Woven among the interactions you’ll find a taut suspense story, a touching family saga, a police procedural and a love story.”
I know that neither really answers the question I posed in the beginning, but it might give you some insight into what kind of tale I like to write. Because it is a mystery and a police procedural, there will always be more than one crime—and usually at least one murder. The reader will follow along with the detectives as they collect clues and interview people. At the same time, the reader will learn about what is going on in the private lives of the men and women who work for the Rocky Bluff P.D.
It’s not hardboiled because I don’t do what I’d call detailed descriptions of the gory details and my detectives don’t use any bad language. Oh, they might, but I don’t quote them. The readers can add that in their minds if they so desire.
The books aren’t cozies either for a number of reasons: The sleuths are professionals. I haven’t put a cat into a single book, and most cozies have cats. It’s not that I don’t like cats, we have two inside cats and a whole bunch of feral cats that people have dropped off and hubby feeds.
So maybe you should try one and see if you can come up with a name for the kind of genre they belong in. (And by the way, though the characters’ lives continue from book to book, I write each one as a stand-alone.)
Thanks for hosting me today, Jackie.
Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith
- Click on the image to buy!
Blurb for the latest RBPD mystery, Murder in the Worst Degree: The body that washes up on the beach leads Detectives Milligan and Zachary on a murder investigation that includes the victim’s family members, his housekeeper, three long-time friends, and a mystery woman.
Bio: F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith is the author of over 35 published books. She enjoys writing about police officers and their families and how what happens on the job affects the family and vice versa. Having several members of her own family involved in law enforcement, as well as many friends, she’s witnessed some of this first-hand.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Contest:
Once again I am offering the opportunity to have your name used for a character in a book if you comment on the most blogs during this tour for Murder in the Worst Degree.
Tomorrow you can find me visiting at http://thebookconnection.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much for hosting me today, Jackie. I hope I get some great comments.
ReplyDeleteThat seems to pose a dilemma. But, I think a lot of writers today are using mixed genres, and that's okay. My series is considered cozy, but the next one will be a mystery/adventure. I'm stretching the genre a little. Why can't we be pioneers?
ReplyDeleteYes, pioneers sounds good to me, Helen.
DeleteMy favorite books don't fit exactly into any one genre. To me "genre codes" are a marketing tool that backfires a lot. Maybe your genre should be "modern professional."
ReplyDeleteJL Greger, author of medical thrillers/mysteries - Ignore the Pain, Coming Flu, & Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight
Ah ha, Janet, modern professional, that's a new one.
DeleteI agree with Janet. I wouldn't try to label your terrific work. According to my latest release, it's categorized as a contemporary gay paranormal romance. What a mouthful. Great post as usual, Marilyn. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Paul. Yes, your category is a mouthful, I probably couldn't remember it all.
DeleteYour question puzzles me as much as it does you, Marilyn, so I am little (actually no) help on this question. But they all fall into the category that I call good and I love to read them.
ReplyDeleteJackie, you are so sweet--thank you even if you didn't have an answer to the question. (I don't think there is one.)
DeleteIf I limited myself to reading various catagories, I would have missed a lot of great books, including yours, Marilyn! I look over a few pages to see if I like the writing, and that's all the vetting I need to do. You bring up a great point about how limiting or misleading labels can be.
ReplyDeleteAnd it makes it really hard when you are doing promotion on places like Amazon that want a particular genre, Jackie V.
DeleteYour books have so any different elements in them that this is a tough question. You'd almost have to say Police Procedural/Romance/Suspense/General Mystery. LOL I don't know, Marilyn, but they're sure fun to read.
ReplyDeleteMarja McGraw
Thanks, Marja, that's a great answer.
DeleteTwo of my favorite authors--host and guest! How about "The Good Mystery Genre." Who needs more? (smile)
ReplyDeleteMadeline
I like "traditional mystery", and I leave subcatagories to those that fall outside of the realm with very specific attributes that take over the story, like a paranormal mysteries.
DeleteLike yours very much, Madeline!
ReplyDeleteI can't thank Marilyn enough for sharing her time on my blog. She is an inspiration to all mystery writers. Thank you, Marilyn!
ReplyDeleteI had a great time, Jacqueline. Thanks for having me.
ReplyDeleteA fun book, easy to read and fall in love with the characters - they're like family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jackie H.
ReplyDelete