World Mysteries and Thrillers discussion

MC who is not a narcissist, anthropophobic, or completely flat and just a writing tool?

Thanks,

Hallo Adray

You're asking for a recommendation for books with this type of protagonist? I'm not clear on exactly what you're requesting.

Also: what does 'anthropophobic' mean, precisely? What do you mean by 'just a writing tool'?

Can you cite any examples of the types of Hero you do not want?

Are you seeking mysteries, or thrillers?

Thanks,

Yes, a protagonist who feels like a real character. In much of the classic literary fiction and older mysteries I have read, the plot or overarching ideas/morals/satire takes president over a character-driven story.

Some characters hate or are afraid of people (anthropophobic), detectives can be full of themselves and mean for no apparent reason, etc.

I am new to mysteries, coming from mostly fantasy, so I'm not sure if I care much about thrillers vs mysteries?? Nothing too dark though.

H'mmm. Very intriguing! I can't explain why any vintage-era mystery gave you such an ill reaction.

Older series (such as the Sherlock Holmes adventures) are regarded as classics for good reason. Generations of audiences enjoyed them.

There are certainly some oddball detectives --Holmes and Poirot are two of the quirkiest --but if any of them behaved as poorly as you just described, they would never have gained any fame.

I do agree both of these characters are far from humble. They are each highly vain.

Oh well. I would have to take a look at your personal bookshelf to draw any conclusions. Is your Goodreads shelf up-to-date with your reading history?

In the meantime I can only invite you to browse through our group bookshelves to the right --> side of this page.

Every book there, is clearly arranged and sorted by global regions.

What's more: older mysteries are segregated from newer mysteries.

So if you've become disenchanted with English detectives you can switch to sleuths from a completely different culture.

And I will think more about what you've hypothesized here in your remarks. It certainly is a puzzler.

I myself have never encountered a fictional detective who was as repulsive and unappealing to the degree you've experienced.

Mystery is a very old, and very rich genre with hundreds of writing styles.

Thank you for seeing it as a nice puzzler. My books are public, yet most of my "Read" are actually "DNF"s (Did Not Finish) and only go back a couple years so they do not show much variety. I do have a "mystery" shelf but they are pretty random recommendations.

In British books I've found many awkward or anxious types, like Natasha Pulley which gets old after awhile. In American stories, it is somewhat the norm to have an autistic genius protagonist. In some Japanese and Korean stuff the protagonists can be quite full of themselves.

I think the last true mystery I tried was "A Study in Scarlet", which I gave up on pretty early in because, as I recall (years ago), he enjoyed being mean almost or even moreso than inspecting the scene. I did like the psychological aspect and unreliable narrator of Jeff Noon's "A Man of Shadows". "Leviathan Wakes" Detective Miller was also crazy. "The Map of Time" by Félix J Palma really played with perspective and each character gave the reader a whole different story based on the same events, to the extreme. "House of Leaves" is also on my list.

I've honestly never heard of anyone disliking Sherlock Holmes.

But people will always surprise one.

Tentatively I recommend to you instead, Wilkie Collins. Try either 'The Moonstone' or 'The Woman in White'.

This is richly-written Victorian literature, so if you are too much a 'modern reader' with overly modern taste you may not be up to it.

But there is no detective at all in either of these. Just ordinary people struggling with unsolvable crimes. Perhaps that is what will suit you. The story is told via letters; they are epistolary in structure

See also this discussion where I rattle off a quick history of various types of early English detectives:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thank you for such an extensive list!

I may return to Sherlock eventually as I do like him on screen. I think part of the problem is I used to give up on books very soon. It can be hard to tell just how self-aware white male writers are within the first chapter. Or if the protagonist will remain one-noted throughout the story.

I do favor the "richly written" and have enjoyed many 1800s works before. So I have added a few of the suggested influential novels now. I guess my own shelf looks pretty girly or gay, as they were suggested by contemporary lit friends, if anyone cares to peruse it.

I see, I see. Well. You might also try Nicholas Meyer's Holmes pastiche:
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

I mention this because Meyer is a more modern author than Conan Doyle and would be more sensitive to his audience. He makes Holmes more warm and more human.

Other more 'cozy/cuddly' detectives? Is that what's wanted? I can surely recite dozens ...but it's still hit-or-miss as to whether they will appeal to you.

Moses Wine for instance. 'The Big Fix' was made into a fine Richard Dreyfus film.

Or Walter Walker's charming SoCo series: A Dime to Dance By, The Two Dude Defense

SoCo mysteries are laid-back and copacetic.

The Eighth Circle by Stanley Ellin.