What are the differences between medical mysteries and medical thrillers? Do they both have elements of solving a puzzle and restoring order, and is a medical thriller more of a thrill than an intellectual exercise? Some medical mystery novel blurbs have elements of a thriller, and both seem to be clumped together in online articles. I can't find anything that clearly explains the difference between the two. For example, they are both frequently listed as a mystery subgenre under "Medical Mystery/Thriller", hence the question.
Well, the way I look at it, it would be the same as the difference between a mystery and a thriller, but set in the medical world. If you've ever seen House (I think the original title was Dr. House MD or something) that's a medical mystery show. Greg House is essentially Sherlock Holmes in the modern world, but he's put his brilliant (but misanthropic) mind specifically to work on medical puzzles no-one else can solve. I guess sometimes there are somewhat thriller-esque things going on—the need to solve the mysterious symptoms before the patient dies (like a countdown) etc. But it isnt presented in the exciting manner of a thriller. It's much more down-to-earth, built on subtleties rather than excitement and last -second escapes.
Off topic, but when I say this phrase out loud I always seem to end up putting in an extra syllable: "I editeded it." Ok, back to your regularly programmed scheduling.
