Mystery Series - Keeping it Fresh by Tony Perona
Why just show an author photo when you can show him on the cover of a magazine? Tony Perona has two Nick Bertetto mysteries out, with a third, SAINTLY REMAINS, forthcoming. In the series, Nick is a stay-at-home dad and former investigative reporter who finds himself involved in events that may or may not have supernatural involvement. At the end of the story, the reader is challenged to decide for him or herself what the truth really is. His latest book is the above co-edited anthology RACING CAN BE MURDER.
Mystery Series by Tony Perona
Mystery fans love to get hooked on series. Once they fall in love with characters, they want to read more about them. Starting a new book with familiar characters feels like sitting down with interesting friends to hear what's been going on in their lives.
But even good relationships wear thin. And so it is with mystery series. Just like friends work hard to keep up their friendships, so mystery authors must work to keep their series fresh and fun for their readers. Some reviewers (and some authors, for that matter) have said that seven books is the maximum number that should ever be in a series. But my reaction is, it doesn’t have to be that way. Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series, which has had very few misses in 20 books, is an example.
So what are some ways to keep a series fresh? After having read a lot of series that make it and some that don’t, here are my observations on keeping your readers engaged throughout a series:
1. Grow your main character. All of us grow with new experiences, and so should your character. Have he/she work on a new hobby, or discover a new love interest, or deal with a child who’s getting older. This can be a tiny part of the book that only tangentially relates to the mystery, but it makes the main character a more interesting person as we see them tackle something new.
2. Put your character at odds with one of your ancillary characters. Conflict is at the heart of any story. So let your main character have differences with his/her love interest. The Spenser novels were really fun until Spenser settled down with Susan. Now they’re hit-and-miss (my opinion). Even though I’d love to see Elvis Cole and Lucy Chenier be a love match, I think it’s better for the series that Robert Crais keeps them apart.. For the same reason, Stephanie Plum should never settle down with Morelli. (The conflict doesn’t have to be the love interest, either. It could be with your character’s sidekick, or parents, or those pesky in-laws.) Conflicts, especially when readers see/understand your main character’s point of view, can make your main character more sympathetic.
3. Introduce new side characters. No one does this better than Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum has a whole collection of colorful characters that get introduced in one book but stick around for the next. The latest, in FEARLESS FOURTEEN, is country singer/reality TV star/reporter Brenda. Can’t wait to see her show up in another book.
4. Move the series around. Some series, like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, never stay in one place. Though it’s Reacher’s nature to be on the move, it wouldn’t be a stretch for your main character to get a phone call from an old friend in a different city or state or country who needs a favor. If it’s a character readers loved in a past book, that’s even better (see #3). Or have your character take a vacation where he/she gets in trouble. The fish-out-of-water aspect tests your character and probably helps them grow (see #1).
What else have you seen or done that works to keep things fresh?
Tune in tomorrow for Sarah A. Hoyt/Sarah D'Almeida's "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a detective!"
In other news:
-The fabulous Marjorie M. Liu is chatting tonight over at The Knight Agency site.
-There's a wonderful interview up here with paranormal romance writer Karen Whiddon.
-Doranna Durgin's romantic suspense novel HIDDEN STEEL was chosen by readers to be today's Fresh Pick at Fresh Fiction. Check it out!
-Donn Cortez's dark and twisted thriller THE CLOSER (published here by Pocket) just hit #25 on the extended Spiegel Mass Market Bestseller list for it's German edition!