Aug. 6, 2015

Detective tricks

Heard a brilliant BBC radio 4 programme in the car, about detective stories.

 
 Learnings:
 
1. Most detectives have a dumb sidekick, who the reader can identify with to be amazed by the brilliance of the lead character. Watson, Siobohm Clark, etc etc. A dull and stupid boss, preferably with class pretensions, enhances the genius
 
2. People of class, wealth and glamour score with those living hum drum lives.
Dalgliesh, Lord Peter Whimsy, etc
 
3. Some novelists break the mould by adding a smart no 2. This allows focus on the criminals and their characters and feelings. This also flatters the reader as intelligent. Unfortunately, I missed that authors name.