March 22nd, 2014
VILLAINS
Do you need them? When do you use them, and what is the most
diabolical type of villain to you?
Every mystery/thriller needs a villain or a perp as they are
called in ‘police speak’.
The perpetrator is as necessary to the plot of a mystery or
a thriller as sunshine to a plant.
In the romance genre too, the TV show Dynasty is a great
example of how necessary villains are… Krystle Carrington seemed all the nicer
when she was constantly battling Alexis’ ploys.
His or her wickedness throws the hero and heroine into sharp
relief, draws the reader into the story and has him or her cheering for the
main protagonist, the hero or heroine and hoping they will win.
In the young adult mystery series I’m writing: The Green and Gold Mystery Series, the first
three books, January, February (out now) and March (upcoming) have villains that are introduced
early in the story.
They are used throughout the story and add richness to the mysteries.
In ‘The Green and Gold Mystery Series: February’ (now available on Amazon.com), there
is a unique twist on the perps.
Instead of being the usual dastardly criminal minds, they
were people one can’t help liking. They
were funny, endearing and have troubles of their own.
Was I channeling Arsenic and Old Lace, a favorite movie of
mine when I wrote this book? I think
so. Though there are no murders involved
in this mystery, the sisters do challenge the readers’ imaginations and the
story has an unusual ending.
The most diabolic type of villains to me are the ones in the
following psych thrillers,
A Perfect Murder
and
Along Came a Spider.
I love psych thrillers in which villains are disguised as
good guys/gals and keep us guessing till the very end ‘whodunit’.
Please visit the next blog in the Round Rhobin for more:
Please visit the next blog in the Round Rhobin for more:
