Evaluating

As I was writing this post, I kept coming back to one question: what makes a good mystery novel? I came up with a few things on my own, but I decided to google this question to see what other people thought about this. I came upon several different answers, but there was one blogger that I completely agree with. The bookdiva has this to say about what makes a good mystery novel:

1. Believable, sympathetic protagonists. For example: Robert Parker's Spenser is the perfect hard-boiled private eye, a gourmet cook, and an appreciator of classy women and loyal dogs. His often monosyllabic relationship with his sidekick Hawk is one of the most enjoyable partnerships in fiction. On the other hand, Robert Parker's Sunny Randall, female dick, is a product of male wishful thinking who doesn't speak, think, or act in a way any woman would recognize.

2. Smart bad guys who still get caught. In reality, most criminals are stupid, but that wouldn't make for very long or enjoyable novels. So it's OK for the crook to lead the detectives a merry chase... as long as he gets caught in the end.

3. Enough clues so that an observant, reasonably intelligent reader can at least hazard a guess at who did it, and have a chance at being right.

4. A wealth of correct and interesting, well-researched period or location detail and authenticity. The best mystery plot is worthless when details like an 18th-century character saying "No kidding?" throw you for a loop.

5. Sequels. Discovering a good mystery novel is enhanced by the knowledge that many more await.
(I debated adding sequels to my list of what makes a good mystery novel, but in the end I chose to include it because it really does make a story that much more interesting knowing that there is more to the story)

I would add one more quality to what makes a good mystery novel. It has to have red herrings; it has to keep you guessing until the very end. If you can solve a mystery in the very beginning, it is far less interesting than a story that could go many different ways.

Because of these qualifications, things I feel makes a great mystery novel, I think that the best story we read this term was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Silver Blaze. I chose this story as the best because I think it excels in each of these categories. The protagonist(s), Sherlock Holmes (as well as Watson) are very believeable, likeable, and realistic. Yes, Sherlock is a little out of the ordinary, but he is still incredibly likeable and a great hero. I also think that this story does have a "smart bad guy who gets caught." The killer, was smart enough that he almost got away with it, but he still got caught; something that makes the story much more enjoyable. Silver Blaze also gives you plenty of clues; it allows you to make your own conclusions, conclusions that could very well be right, but often are wrong. Silver Blaze, is also believable in that it there aren't any issues that stand out and make you say, "No way that happened then." Silver Blaze also keeps you guessing the whole time; it gives you countless red herrings (gypsies, the other horse owner, the stable boy, ect.) and keeps you guessing the whole time.

I feel that Skin also fills all of these categories; meaning that it is a good mystery novel. Don't get me wrong, Skin is is no way your average mystery book; it is an interesting melding of the sci-fi, thriller, and mystery genres.

1. Believable, sympathetic protagonists.
-Yes. The protagonists is Skin are all very believable. They seem like everyday people; people that you could know in your life. It could be said that their stories are just a little too far fetched, and I might agree with that, but I think that, in this case, it adds to the story. I don't think it takes anything away from the story at all; it makes it better. The characters also fill the sympathetic category; they all have their issues. You feel somewhat sorry for all of them.

2. Smart bad guys who still get caught.
-Sterling Red is as smart as they get. No one can seem to catch him, or even figure out who he is. Everyone is after him; the FBI, the local police, and his five captives. In the end, like any good mystery novel, he gets discovered. He was smart, but just not smart enough.

3. Enough clues so that an observant, reasonably intelligent reader can at least hazard a guess at who did it, and have a chance at being right.
-This story has so many clues. At the end, you realize that the clues were there all along. This story, like any good mystery, gives you enough clues that you can draw your own conclusions yet leaves enough out that you're probably wrong.

4. A wealth of correct and interesting, well-researched period or location detail and authenticity.
-While this is a good judge of a mystery, it really isn't relevant to this novel. Skin takes place in modern day, and nothing stands out as "that shouldn't be there."

5. Sequels.
While not technically sequels, Skin is one part of a very interesting series within a series. There are many other books that are connected to Skin, even if they don't really deal with the same characters.

6. Red Herrings.
Skin has so many red herrings. At one point in the story you think one person is Red, but a few pages later you have another option about who it might be. (I would say more, but I don't want to spoil it)