There are many different types of crime novels, but when it comes to series of crime novels there seems to be two overarching archetypes.
One is the series that involve a detective who actually has a reason to go around solving crimes. This person is a police officer, a sheriff, a DCI, a Kommisar... whatever the local law enforcement happens to be. He or she is paid to find murderers, so it makes sense that they would be asking awkward questions in pursuit of a killer.
This person is usually stationed at a particular place. Quite often this is a country town - no doubt because country towns offer a nice range of eccentric recurring characters for the author to draw on. However, this does mean that a lot of murders occur in that country down.
Quite a lot. An inordinate amount of murders. So many, that these little country towns seem to be vying for the role of "crime capital of the country".
It's a wonder the eccentric locals don't all leave to find some place less murdery. And those stay would be forgiven for getting a bit blase about it all:
"There's been a murder!"
"Oh? Well, I suppose it has been several weeks since the last one..."
The second main archetype for crime series involves the amateur detective. This is the person who has no good reason to go around solving crimes, they just happen to be particularly clever and always in the right place at the right time.
It doesn't seem to matter where this person goes, death is sure to follow. Thankfully, these people are usually quite interested in crime solving and enjoy the process of finding murderers, or they would surely find the amount of death rather disturbing.
"Thank you for inviting me to your birthday party - whoops, there's a murder."
"I'm just in town for a few days visiting my - whoops, there's a murder."
"I saw this place in a holiday brochure and thought it looked like a nice - whoops, there's a murder."
"I'm afraid I can't come to your wedding on that mysterious island, even though it sounds lovely, as I want everyone to make it out alive."
I can't help but wonder what would happen if one of these murder magnets found themselves visiting one of these crime capitals. If Miss Marple wetn to Midsomer to visit a friend, would there be a mass killing? Would multiple people die in multiple locations under multiple sets of mysterious circumstances which may or may not be connected?
If Agatha Raisin went to Lochdubh, would anyone make it out alive?
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