Hi all I've just finished my first novel at the grand old age of 53 (better late than never!) but I'm not sure which genre (if any) it belong in. At the beginning of the book a serious assault sets off a train of events that eventually pits my hero against the villain in a bloody and violent last-man-standing finale. From the very first scene every main character knows who committed the assault, and why he did it, so my book isn't a mystery novel or a whodunnit. It's not a police procedural or a cosy Miss Marple type of story. It's not a horror story. I don't think it's sufficiently gory or shocking to be considered a thriller, though I hope there's plenty of tension. The setting it quite gritty and modern. There's plenty of tension (I hope), which hinges around what will happen to the villain, what lengths he will go to in order to escape justice, and if he will get his comeuppance. In genre terms, would this be categorised as a suspense crime novel? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
It sounds like it will probably fit into the world of "Thrillers" somewhere, even if it's not action-packed. You may want to browse some titles and find ones that you think are reasonably similar and see how they're being classified.
Thanks for your input, Carly and BayView. I'm not seeking publication (either traditional or self-publication) but I'm curious where it would 'fit'. Friends ask me what type of novel it is and I'm not sure what to tell them...
Congratulations! For me it also sounds like a thriller. I've never expected thrillers to be gory or shocking, just suspenseful and dark and, well, thrilling. But I'm not a genre expert. ^ ^
