Welcome to our series on how to review books based on their genre. Here we’re looking at mysteries and thrillers and sharing specific tips you can keep in mind when reviewing them.
If you’re in need of some general review writing tips, check out our archive here for everything from advice on critical reviews, audiobook reviews, reviewer writer’s block, and more!
Know the book’s genre
This may seem obvious but there are an incredible amount of subgenres under the mystery and thriller umbrella, and each brings with it different reader expectations. It’s helpful to have an understanding of the subgenre you’re reviewing when offering praise and critique.
Here are a few examples:
- Mysteries are all about puzzles and solutions
- Thrillers are fast-paced and can sometimes be more violent
- Suspense books focus on atmosphere and tension
- Cozy mysteries contain no graphic violence and follow an amateur sleuth solving a crime in a small community
- Whodunits involve a large pool of suspects with their own motives
- Psychological thrillers focus on the mind and generally feature an unreliable narrator
If you see a subgenre mentioned in a book’s description that you’re not familiar with or want to better understand, give it a quick search or ask your favorite librarian or bookseller!
Examine the tone
As you can see from above, a book’s subgenre is going to impact its tone. A cozy mystery with a cute animal sidekick set at a Palm Springs wedding is going to be tonally different from a hard-boiled mystery (a subgenre that focuses on corrupt systems and organized crime). Look at everything from the prose to the way characters speak and interact. Does the tone of the book feel consistent? What is the tone: funny, sinister, dramatic, or something else? Does it match the genre and reader expectations?
Discuss setting
When it comes to a book’s setting, some mysteries and thrillers will lean into a spooky locale, such as a haunted house, but plenty of cozy mysteries are set in vibrant beach towns. There isn’t a right or wrong location for a book in these subgenres, so you’re looking to see how effectively the setting is used in the story since wherever it is, it helps set the stage for the events that will unfold. Ask yourself what role the setting plays in the book, how well you think the author is utilizing it in the story, and how it works as the backdrop of a mystery/thriller.
Talk about pacing
In a mystery or thriller, authors are typically building to a dramatic climax where a villain is revealed or confronted. As a reviewer, discuss if you felt the book’s pacing was too fast or slow. Did the pacing keep you engaged in the story? Did it lag in the middle and then pick back up? Did it match the book’s plot and genre (ex. Did it feel too slow for a thriller? Too fast for a cozy?)?
Keep the book’s intended audience in mind
As we discussed above, though often lumped together, mysteries and thrillers have different characteristics and create different expectations for readers. For example, a reader picking up a cozy mystery would be understandably disappointed if the book read more like a psychological thriller. Look at how the book is marketed (including the cover and summary) and the contents of the book itself when deciding if you feel it’s a good fit for the genre/subgenre it’s designated as and a good match for readers interested in that genre/subgenre.
In your review, you can specifically reference the intended audience. For example: “a perfect read for armchair detectives who love a cozy case,” “thriller readers will be sleeping with the lights on after this one,” or “a must for noir fans.”
Share content warnings
This tip is useful no matter what genre you’re writing about, but it can be especially useful in a genre that often features violent crimes. If the content warnings are provided in the book, encourage readers to check out that excerpt before beginning.
Avoid spoilers
This is a crucial part of all book reviews, but it’s especially important when talking about a genre that typically relies on a twist or reveal as part of the plot.
Talk about how effective the ending was
There are a lot of ways to talk about a book’s ending without spoiling what exactly happens. Was it predictable or surprising? Did it make you want to go back and reread for clues you missed or did you think the plot didn’t add up to the conclusion? Will it stick with you or was it forgettable? Instead of sharing specific details, think about sharing your reading experience and all of the emotions and thoughts that were happening as you read.
Share comps
Comps are an industry term for books or authors that are similar in genre, content, or audience. These are especially valuable for professionals such as librarians, booksellers, and educators because they can offer a lot of information about a book based on something familiar.
For example, you might say the book you’re reviewing is perfect for fans of These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall. This indicates that the reading audience is adults and that it would be a good fit for readers who like thrillers featuring serial killers and plots revolving around family secrets.
It’s also worth noting if the book you’re reviewing is part of a series—especially if it’s a later book in that series!
Remember, this is just a starting point and you don’t need to use all of these tips in every review. Here’s an example review that includes many of the tips shared above:
Nalini Singh’s A Madness of Sunshine is a suspenseful thriller set in New Zealand that follows the case of a missing local girl, whose disappearance may be linked to a string of cold cases from years ago.
There’s a strong sense of unease throughout, knowing that at least one member of this tight-knit community is keeping a dark secret. The pacing had some slow moments at the beginning, but I loved the way it amped up to be even more tension-filled through the ending (which felt appropriately dangerous and dramatic).
One standout for me was that the setting was atmospheric and felt refreshing since I’ve never read another thriller set in New Zealand.
Readers who enjoy books set around small communities with a sinister undercurrent will likely find a lot to enjoy here.
This is the first book I’ve read from Singh, and I loved her writing style. It’s made me even more excited to dive into her other books. I’d give this book four stars.
Content warnings include: murder, domestic abuse, and sexual assault
What tips do you have for writing mystery and thriller book reviews?
