Sub-genres of crime fiction

Locked room mystery

Specialised kind of ‘whodunit’ in which the crime is committed under apparently impossible circumstances.

Whodunit

Most common form of detective fiction.

It features a complex, plot-driven story in which the reader is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator may be deduced before the situation is revealed at the end.

Inverted detective story

Also known as ‘howcatchem’.

The commission of the crime and the identity of the perpetrator is revealed to the reader first, then the rest of the story describes the detective’s attempt to solve the mystery.

American hardboiled school

Distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of sex and violence ; the sleuth usually also confronts danger and engages in violence.

Police procedural

The detective is a member of the police, and thus the activities of a police force are usually convincingly depicted.

Legal thriller

The major characters are lawyers and their employees, and they become involved in providing their cases.

Spy novel

The major characters are spies, usually working for an intelligence agency.

Caper story

The stories are told from the point of view of the criminals.

Psychological thriller

Specific sub-genre of the thriller gene, also incorporates elements from detective fiction as the protagonist must solve the mystery of the psychological conflict presented in these types of stories.

Heist film

Sub-genre to a crime film. It focuses on the planning, execution and aftermath of a theft.