Why Do We Read Murder Mystery Books?

By Andrea Davidson


Reading is a pastime shared by many. Settling down with a good book is relaxing and therapeutic. Fiction is a very popular choice among readers especially murder mystery books.

There are many television shows on these days that center around crime and forensics, and this interest translates directly to stories about crime including murder. In stories, solving crime is exciting and often within the reach of the average person. Lots of people like to solve puzzles, and that is just what these books entail. Guessing the identity of whodunit is half the fun.

People also love mysteries because they are thrilling and full of action and suspense. The characters are engaging and have personality quirks that endear them to readers. The villains are tricky, mysterious, and often evil behind a convincingly normal persona.

Murder mysteries dig deeper than what we might see on the news or in the paper. These books show us the story behind a crime-what happens that the general public does not see. The main characters are able to get out of trouble every time, which is not often the case in reality. These stories can make us feel that if our lives end tragically that someone will indeed care and murderers will be brought to justice.

It can also help people face their fear of death in a nonconfrontational manner. We often do not view death up close-it is taken care of by police, hospital workers, and undertakers. This allows us a glimpse into that world without the accompanying sights or smells that occur in reality.

In contrast to the real world, where criminals are often not apprehended or could go free, in mysteries justice is always served. These books tie up the loose ends that normally we may not be able to find a solution to. In this genre, the bad guys are found and there is often a happy ending.

It is also interesting to delve into the personalities of the victims, the criminals, and the protagonists. Most people are not psychologists so seeing the motivation behind why people might possibly do what they do is fascinating. What drives people to commit these types of crimes that most people cannot imagine doing?

Murder mysteries are one genre that is realistic and plausible. Science fiction and other related fields may ask the reader to immerse themselves in a different culture with an odd language or social structure. A mystery is set in the real world, past or present, so there is little thought required to become involved in the story.

Humans just seem to like to be spectators at tragic events. Everyone stops and slows down to look at the car or train wreck; the top news stories are often calamitous. We seem drawn to the bizarre, unusual, and spectacular. This genre of fiction allows us to experience these types of occurrences without fear of harm. Murder mystery books are entertaining, often educational, and most importantly, they make us think.




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