Older Features
An archive of past features in mystery, thriller, crime, horror, and other suspense-related genres.
Horror Through the Ages
A Journey Through Time and Terror
Denouement in Mystery
How to Create a Satisfying Denouement in Your Mystery Story
The Darkest Secrets
Cryptography and Secret Codes in Horror Fiction
Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy Theories in Conspiracy Thriller Fiction
1980s Mysteries
The timeless mysteries of the 1980s
Haunted Objects
The Most Unusual Haunted Objects in Horror Fiction
The Dark Side of the Mind
The darkest corners of the mind are not just settings but essential characters
Locked Room Mysteries
Unraveling the Enigma of Impossibility
Mystery Board Games
The connection between mystery fiction and board games is multifaceted
Hard Case Crime
Celebrating its 20th anniversary
Southern Unsolved Mysteries
Three of the South’s Most Terrifying Unsolved Mysteries
Crime Thriller Setting
Why Is Setting Important in a Crime Thriller?
Social Justice in Crime Fiction
Is crime fiction the perfect vehicle to address social justice?
Demonic Forces in Horror
The Role of Religion in Horror Fiction
Steamy Crime Novels
An escape that’s as thrilling as it is thought-provoking
Where to Get Ideas for Fiction
Turning Real Life News Into Fiction
Mystery Twists
How to Create a Convincing Mystery Plot Twist
Classic Whodunits
The Golden Age of Mystery Fiction
Unreliable Narrators in Suspense
The most enthralling mysteries are those that lie within us
Crime and Science Fiction
At the heart of every crime lies the unchanging nature of humanity
What I learned from Harlan Coben
Break the rules!
Gardening Cozy Mysteries
A world where the stakes are always deeply human
American Roulette
The authors of American Roulette on long distance collaboration and more
Mystery Short Stories
How to Write an Engaging Mystery Short Story
Nightmares in Horror
The Role of Dreams and Nightmares in Horror Fiction
Pulp Thrillers
The complexities of crime and morality
Crime-Solving Musicians
Striking a Chord with Crime
Authentic Mystery Dialogue
How to Write Authentic Dialogue in a Mystery Story
How to Hide your Culprit
Hiding your culprit in plain sight
Horror Fiction for Kids
Introducing Young Readers to the World of Fright
What is a Sleuth?
A Tapestry of Traits: What Makes a Sleuth
Eight Mystery Bookstores
8 Bookstores the Specialize in Mystery Books
Sherlock Holmes Characteristics
What makes this famous detective unique?
1920s Horror
A decade of transformation and innovation in horror
Villains of Action Thrillers
Crafting the Face of Evil
New York Mysteries
Mysteries in the Big Apple
The Science of Mystery
A Whodunit of Forensic Techniques in Crime Fiction
The Suspense of Time
Ticking Clocks and Racing Against Time
Disguises in Thrillers
Disguises in Thrillers That Keep Us Guessing
Underrated Crime Films
The most underrated crime movies of all time
Cozy Christmas Mysteries
Amidst the festivities, there’s always room for a little sleuthing
Memorable Characters
How to write memorable characters
Ghostly Christmas Eve Tales
Tales of phantoms, hauntings, and the spirit of Christmas
Literary Suspense
Shades of Suspense in Literary Fiction
Digital Dangers
Unveiling the Role of Technology in Crafting Suspense
Mysteries Set in the 1990s
Echoes of the not-so-distant past
Crafting Cozy Mysteries
The Warmth of Whodunit
Supernatural in Horror
Why do horror stories often include supernatural elements?
Sci-Fi Crime
Blurring the Line Between Crime Fiction and Sci-Fi
Astrology and Mystery
The Influence of Astrology on Mystery Fiction
Steamy Thriller Books
The Intriguing World of Sexy Thrillers
Suspense Themes
What are some of the common themes of suspense?
Myth and Thrillers
Ancient Legends and Modern Plots
Technology in Horror
When gadgets become nightmares
Female Criminals in Fiction
From Femme Fatales to Masterminds
Pulp Crime
What is Pulp Crime?
Secrets in Thrillers
Classified information in fiction
How to Write a Detective
How to write a convincing detective for your mystery story
Horrormance
What is Horrormance?
Approachable Horror Icons
The characters of horror you’d have a beer with… or not
Delta Force
Delta Force in Thrillers
Scottish Cozy Mysteries
The unmistakable allure of the Highlands
Secret Networks
The Irresistible Suspense of Secret Networks
Settings as Character
Five Settings with the Energy of a Main Character
Unlikely Villains
The most dangerous foes might be hiding in plain sight
Culinary Cozy Mysteries
This subgenre reaffirms its place in the hearts of mystery and food lovers alike
Sleuth Detectives
Sleuth detectives hold a special place in literature and screen adaptations
Real-Life Mysteries
Real-Life Mysteries That Inspire Fiction
Weather in Thrillers
Storms, Heatwaves, and Natural Disasters
Vehicles of Suspense
High-Speed Chases and Narrow Escapes
Female Characters in Horror
From Victims to Heroes
Thanksgiving Mysteries
Gobble, gobble, mystery buffs
Whodunnit Mysteries
The spine-tingling genre that keeps readers on the edge of their seats
Mystery Websites
Eight websites to find your next mystery
Crime Stories
Why are crime stories so popular?
Detectives, PIs and Sleuths
The difference between private eyes, detectives, and sleuths
Cold Cases
Why are cold cases so hard to solve?
The Global Appeal of Noir
Nordic Noir, Southern Noir, and other Noir
Planting Clues
How to Plant Clues Without Giving Away the Ending
Horror Movie Popularity
The popularity of horror movies
Hostage Situations
Memorable Hostage Situations in Suspense Fiction
Criminal Professions
Bizarre Criminal Professions in Crime Fiction
Crime-Solving Animals
The Furry and Feathered Detectives of Mystery Fiction
Priest Detectives
These holy detectives are not content with the mysteries of faith
The Morality of Shapeshifters
Are Shapeshifters Evil?
Suspense and Pacing
How to Balance Suspense and Pacing in Mystery Writing
Getaway Drivers
The greatest heist drivers
Archetypes
Turning archetypes on their head
Underrated Horror
The Underrated Horrors Lurking in Cinema’s Shadows
Tropes of Psychological Horror
When Your Mind Plays Tricks on You
Occult Horror
The Unseen Shadows of Fiction
Nordic Film Noir
The boundless allure of Nordic Film Noir
Time-Traveling Detectives
Sci-fi mystery sleuths in action
YA Horror Movies
A reflection, a journey, a confrontation, and a celebration of the human spirit
Crime Scenes
How to Create a Chilling Crime Scene in Your Mystery Novel
Mysteries Set in the 1940s
This tumultuous decade served as a fertile ground for mysteries
MacGuffin Examples
The Heartbeat of Narrative Intrigue
Crime and the Domestic Thriller
The melding of crime with domestic narratives
Monster Horror Adaptations
The best monster horror film and television adaptations
Halloween Horror
A Dance with Halloween Horrors
Mysteries of the 1970s
A Golden Era for Mysteries
California Crime
From Bosch to Mulholland Drive
Suspense Weapons
Unconventional Weapons in Suspense Fiction
Unnerving Psychological Horror
A Journey into the Dark Corners of the Mind
Kidnappings in Thrillers
Abductions, Ransoms, and Desperate Rescues
Crime and Board Games
The Connection Between Crime Fiction and Board Games
Mystery Mythology
When Gods and Monsters Turn Detective
What is Psychological Suspense?
The Intricate Weave of Psychological Suspense
Shapeshifting Creatures
Monsters of Horror from Page to Screen
The Characteristics of Hercule Poirot
Peculiar habits and unmatched deductive abilities
Terrorism Thrillers
Nail-biting novels and heart-racing film adaptations
Social Commentary in Horror
When Scary Stories Get Political
Getaway Cars
The Most Memorable Getaway Cars in Crime Fiction
Killers for Hire
The best killers for hire in fiction
Urban Legends of Suspense
The Curious Connection Between Suspense Fiction and Urban Legends
What is the Suspense Genre?
The unique qualities of the suspense genre
Detective Novels
The pinnacle of sleuthing
Survival Thrillers
The Eternal Dance with Death
Florida Crime Thrillers
Crime thrillers find an exotic yet seemingly incongruous home
Sci-Fi Movie Mysteries
From Blade Runner to 2001: A Space Odyssey
Magical Thrillers
Where thriller and magic collide
Splatterpunk Horror
What is Splatterpunk Horror? And why do you need to know about it?
From Faulkner to Flynn
Tracing the Evolution of Southern Noir
Amateur Sleuth Short Stories
The mysterious world of amateur sleuth short stories
Iconic Characters of True Crime
True crime characters that stand out more starkly than the rest
Gothic Mystery Settings
The power of place in gothic mysteries
Underrated Thrillers
The most underrated thriller movies of all time
Historical Legal Thrillers
A testament to history and the relentless pursuit of justice
Psychological Suspense
Stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves
Lore in Mysteries
Mystery stories and the lore we love
Villains and Setting
The importance of setting on crafting a villain
Hiding Bodies
The sinister act of hiding bodies in thrillers
Baldacci at Bouchercon
Conversations with David Baldacci at Bouchercon 2023
LA Crime
Los Angeles Unveiled Through Iconic Crime Novels
Twists, Hooks, and Reveals
The difference between a twist, a hook, and a reveal.
Mind Games
Mind Games in Psychological Thrillers
High Concept Fiction
What does “High Concept” mean in fiction?
Poison in Murder Mysteries
Poison as a tool of murder in beloved fiction
The Psychology of Fear
Why We Love Horror Fiction
Twisted Enchantments
The Macabre Marriage of Fairy Tales and Horror
Campus Crime Thrillers
The Secret History, Brick, and Other Campus Crime Thrillers
Victorian Gothic
Victorian gothic in suspense and horror
Deadly Heroic Acts
The Thrill of Sacrifice in Mystery's Mightiest Moments
Wilderness Survival Thrillers
A Walk on the Wild Side
Criminology
The Appeal of Criminology in Crime Thrillers
Morally Compromised Thrillers
Right, Wrong, and Everything in Between
On The Run Thrillers
A Sprint Through Mystery’s Finest
International Mysteries
A Globe-trotting Adventure in Crime
The Mob in Mystery
The Charm of Gangsters in the Mystery Genre
Horror Short Stories
FeatureIn a dim, flickering room, with a storm brewing outside and shadows dancing on the walls, the allure of a horror short story is undeniable. It’s a tantalizing venture into a world of spookiness, where within the span of a few pages, the ordinary turns eerie and...