Do you prefer big city or small town murder? I should probably clarify that a bit further. If you enjoy reading mysteries, do you prefer reading stories set in big cities or small towns? Maybe you’re not picky and both work for you. I personally like both, and they each bring their own options and challenges to the writer, as well as the reader.
For example, if you’re writing a story set in a small town, does this lead you down the path of writing something cozy, whereas you might opt for a thriller or noir in the big city? You don’t see too many (if any) cozies set in New York, Chicago, or L.A., for example. On the other hand, you may not see too many dark mysteries, for example, serial killer stories, set in small towns. Although that’s not to say that a calm and peaceful setting can’t have evil at its core.
Which leads to the question, does a small town mystery require a happy ending, while a big city mystery requires a more somber ending? Not necessarily. Although my Li’l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau books are set in the city of San Francisco, they are lighthearted and generally have happy endings - at least if you’re the good guys. On the other hand, a detective in the big city might have seen so much pain, suffering, and the depraved side of humanity, that a happy, light ending is not realistic.
Dark and mysterious city street.
Peaceful country settings, complete with picket fence.
Setting a story in a big city might give the writer lots of options for different types of crimes - the deviance of criminals who can hide and lurk in the big city knows no bounds - as well as more motives and suspects. A small town setting might limit the types of crimes that occur, along with the suspect pool and their motivation. However, you can find the three biggest motives, money, love, and hate anywhere you go.
In a small town, the writer might find him or herself with only a few people on whom to focus suspicion. I enjoy watching the BBC series Death in Paradise on Netflix. It’s set on a tiny island in the Caribbean, where each murder is limited to only four or five suspects. The small setting in Death in Paradise is assisted by the fact that many tourists visit the island so murderers can be imported from outside the community. That way, the local resident pool is not quickly depleted.
In a small town, the writer might find him or herself with only a few people on whom to focus suspicion. I enjoy watching the BBC series Death in Paradise on Netflix. It’s set on a tiny island in the Caribbean, where each murder is limited to only four or five suspects. The small setting in Death in Paradise is assisted by the fact that many tourists visit the island so murderers can be imported from outside the community. That way, the local resident pool is not quickly depleted.
Which brings to mind “Cabot Cove Syndrome" where the number of murders on the tiny island or in the small town is severely disproportionate to the number of residents (likely only a problem in a series). In small town settings, the reader is required to suspend disbelief a bit more than he or she might when reading about crime in the big city, especially when the crime-solvers focus solely on a few individuals. The reader must be comfortable with the thought that more murders per capita occur in the small town than in the real-life murder capital of the world.
Finally there is often a different feel and atmosphere in a bucolic setting as opposed to the big city. The climate might feel more relaxed and slow in the small town, as opposed to fast-paced and gritty in the big city. Although don't be fooled by the denizens of a small town - it might throw us for a loop to find that the nice elderly woman next door who makes cookies for the neighborhood has a few bodies in the freezer next to the homemade ice cream, but that's one of the perks of the small town mystery.
So, pick your poison (pun intended) - do you like your stories set in a small, rural setting, or in the bright lights of the big city? I find that a mix of the two never gets boring and always keeps me guessing. Which is the point of reading mysteries, right?
Finally there is often a different feel and atmosphere in a bucolic setting as opposed to the big city. The climate might feel more relaxed and slow in the small town, as opposed to fast-paced and gritty in the big city. Although don't be fooled by the denizens of a small town - it might throw us for a loop to find that the nice elderly woman next door who makes cookies for the neighborhood has a few bodies in the freezer next to the homemade ice cream, but that's one of the perks of the small town mystery.
So, pick your poison (pun intended) - do you like your stories set in a small, rural setting, or in the bright lights of the big city? I find that a mix of the two never gets boring and always keeps me guessing. Which is the point of reading mysteries, right?
Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill. Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available. To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.
I like a bit of diversity. There's a world of difference between Sheriff Dan Rhodes in rural Texas and V I Warshawski in Chicago, but both are great reads. Li'l Tom is less set in a big city, to me, than it is in a bit of a fantasy world, but that's true for any series that is told from the viewpoint of non-humans....and definitely in Tom's case, where all the players are animals. (A hoot, nonetheless.) You are right in that you don't see many urban cozies, although I think it's probably doable, if you focus on a particular neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI love them all, as long as you know what you're talking about. The fastest turnoff for me, in any mystery, is having the author get it wrong when they're being specific about a place or a profession. Not the odd tiny difference, but significantly wrong. As long as they know what they're talking about, I'm all in!
I agree! A mix of both is always nice. And you're right - Li'l Tom feels like he's set in his own little world - almost beneath the fray of the big city, but still able to take advantage of the beautiful and mysterious setting of San Francisco. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading about him!
DeleteI like both. I would say, in general and yes there are many exceptions, that the big city books tend more towards the noir angle and small town ones tend more towards the cozy stle of things.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the elderly woman often does not have bodies in the freezer. Not since the big power outage of 92 when the body parts all thawed out and made a huge mess. That was the same year she got serious about gardening and dug up the yard all over the place. These days, she usually has wonderful rose bushes and a handyman or son who uses the wood chipper. A lot.
And Jessica Fletcher killed them all.
Ha! So there are many different options for crafty murderers in the country!
DeleteInteresting question. I hadn't really thought about it before. I don't like my murders too violent or explicit, so I suppose I tend to small town. I don't mind urban or a bit gritty as long a we don't dwell on the horror side too much.
ReplyDeleteI am moving away more and more from reading violent or dark tales, but still enjoy it somewhat if it's not too explicit. I don't think I would enjoy writing something really dark, so will stick to Li'l Tom or maybe a cozy next!
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