Why Crime Fiction?
There’s a question I get asked fairly regularly as both a reader and a writer:
Why crime fiction?
With so many genres out there, why spend so much time in the darker corners of human behaviour?
The honest answer is probably the simplest one.
I love a good story.
Crime fiction, at its best, grabs hold of you from the first page and refuses to let go. There’s something deeply compelling about tension, mystery and the slow peeling back of layers. A good crime novel makes you lean forward. It keeps you awake later than intended – just one more chapter!
But for me, crime fiction has always gone beyond plot.
First and foremost, it’s the people.
I’ve always loved psychologically rich characters – the ones who feel vulnerable, layered and real. Characters who carry scars, contradictions and humanity with them. Amelia Sachs from Jeffery Deaver’s novels and Clarice Starling from Thomas Harris’ work are just two examples.
I also love beautifully-nuanced villains, where gradually their psychology unfolds and we eventually understand what has led them to commit their crimes. Francis Dolarhyde, another Harris masterpiece, springs to mind.
Then, it’s the places.
I’ve always been drawn to the grit and desolation that sits at the heart of great crime noir. Some books leave a lingering atmosphere behind them long after you’ve finished reading, almost like a memory of a place you’ve physically visited.
I still remember reading Ian Rankin for the first time and feeling genuinely haunted by his depiction of Scotland – the rain-soaked streets, the moral greyness, the weight of history crashing against modernity. Likewise, A.A. Dhand’s portrayal of Bradford makes the city spring from the page. Noir, when done well, doesn’t just show violence or mystery. It captures atmosphere. It explores the ecosystems people live within.
Crime fiction also gives us a lens through which to understand the world around us.
Crime changes as society changes. Technology changes crime. Social pressures change crime. Politics, inequality, loneliness, addiction, social media – all of these things shape the stories emerging in both real investigations and fiction.
I’m so passionate about writing crime fiction because I’ve spent years working around these issues professionally, both in social work and policing. That experience showed me very quickly that crime is rarely simple. Real life doesn’t divide neatly into heroes and villains. I think crime fiction has a real opportunity to explore those complexities honestly.
For me, writing isn’t about sensationalism or shock value. It’s about making sense of behaviour. Why do people do what they do? How do systems respond? Where do those systems succeed, and where do they fail? I want to take my readers on a journey through crime’s shades of grey: not just those of the criminals but also of those who investigate.
It’s about people under pressure.
It’s about morality in difficult circumstances.
It’s about fear, trauma, resilience and human behaviour.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s about trying to understand ourselves a little better – even in the darkest situations.
That’s what keeps me coming back to crime fiction, both as a reader and as a writer.
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