9 Examples Of Sub-Genres In Crime Fiction

Crime is one of the most popular literary genres. We have put together 9 examples of sub-genres in crime fiction to help you with your writing.

All crime fiction is based on the fact that there is a mystery to be solved. Usually, a crime has been committed and a murderer, a spy, or a thief must be caught by the protagonist. (Mystery/Detective fiction) Or  a crime is about to be committed and the protagonist must stop it from happening. (Thriller)

The genre will always be popular and it has developed many sub-genres over the years. Here are some of them.

9 Examples Of Sub-Genres In Crime Fiction

1. In the cozy mystery genre, the detective is usually an amateur, the violence is never described in detail, there are a limited number of suspects, and the setting is often a small town. The detective uses their powers of observation and deduction, as well as an excellent general knowledge to solve the crime. Example: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marples.
2. In the hardboiled genre, the PI or detective-character works in a large city, and the violence is explicit. The detective follows clues in the dark underbelly of the city. Example: Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.
3. The legal thriller requires research into the rules and procedures of a legal world. Readers want to know what happens after a crime is committed and an arrest is made. You can use crises of legal conscience to make your characters more rounded. Examples: John Grisham and Richard North Patterson write in this genre.
4. Modern PIs are often former policemen, and mostly wisecracking loners who usually carry a weapon. (They can also be bounty hunters.) Some of them can also be described as hardboiled.  They are usually hired by private individuals to solve mysteries or crimes, and to find people. Examples: Lawrence Block’s Matt Scudder, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, and Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone.
5. The police procedural is realistic and should be as accurate as the author can make it. The reader is taken to squad rooms, morgues, and crime scenes. This genre is complicated and the detective is often under a lot of pressure. For example, they could be dealing with many cases, they generally have personal problems with relationships, and their superiors want the case solved yesterday. There are secondary characters, including suspects, police officers, lawyers, and criminals. Examples: Ian Rankin’s John Rebus, Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, and James Patterson’s Alex Cross.
6. The medical thriller is a suspense novel that takes place in a hospital. The protagonists are usually doctors or nurses. The plot is based on situations unique to medicine and medical research. Examples: Robin Cooke, Michael Crichton, and Tess Gerritsen write in this genre.
7. The forensic thriller is a popular genre. The lead character is usually a woman who is a scientist or pathologist. Research is needed. Accuracy is essential. Most of the action takes place in crime scenes and morgues, and in the lead character’s home. Examples: Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme, Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta, and Kathy Reichs’s Temperance Brennan.
8. The general thriller features a protagonist who is generally thrown into the action because a crime is about to be committed. This hero is often an ordinary person who is called on to solve a problem. Sometimes, this person must prove their innocence, often to the police and other characters in the novel. Examples: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher; Gillian Flynn and Dennis Lehane also write in this genre.
9. The military thriller has a protagonist who is often a member of the military, MI5 or MI6, the CIA, or the FBI, or a consultant to a military agency. Readers of this genre love the details and a lot of research is necessary. The agent often has to catch member of a crooked military hierarchy, politicians, or terrorists. The action often spans continents. Example: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.

Happy writing.