Exploring Literary Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Biography, and Autobiography

Narration provided by Wondervox.

By Mark McNease

I’ve written in several genres, formats and mediums over the years. Each has its own requirements, expectations and parameters: short stories, novellas (generally under 40,000 words), novels, poetry, screenplays, television scripts, and stage plays. For now let’s focus on some working definitions for genre fiction, nonfiction, and biography/autobiography.

For that past 15 years I’ve written primarily mysteries, thrillers, and some horror/supernatural fiction. I’ve also written countless blog posts, columns and articles, but that’s for another day and would require more words than most people want to read on this, so let’s narrow it down. Note that a lot of these apply to the genres in any form: movies, stories, TV shows, books and more.

Horror

Horror is designed to evoke fear, dread, and a sense of the uncanny. Horror as a literary and cinematic form explores the boundaries between safety and danger, reality and the supernatural. There are also degrees of horror, from the everyday to the gruesome, from blood splatter to something simple but startling. We can be horrified without being repulsed.

Characteristics of Horror

Atmosphere: In both old-fashioned and modern horror, the setting is often dark, isolated, or decaying. This is common in “ghost stories” featuring haunted houses, abandoned asylums, gloomy forests, and cursed towns. One of my own books and its sequel take place in a small New Jersey town very similar to one nearby, with a name change to protect the guilty.
Supernatural elements: Horror frequently features entities beyond the natural world—ghosts, demons, vampires, and other monsters. Sometimes, psychological horror focuses on the terror within the human mind, exploring madness or existential dread. This can be a distinction that’s not always easy to define: a book described as supernatural may not have any horror in it, and a horror story may not have anything supernatural in it. Or they may!
Emotional Response: Horror’s primary goal is to unsettle, frighten, or disturb. Suspense is used to build anxiety, while sudden shocks or revelations unleash fear. When a character goes downstairs to investigate a scratching sound coming from a brick wall, approaches the wall as the source of the scratching becomes clear, then pulls out a loose brick to reveal someone staring back at her, the reader often jumps and turns the lights back on.
Themes: Death, evil, isolation, and the unknown are central. Horror often examines our primal fears and taboos, but does it in ways that may be explicit or implicit. Many times, today’s monsters are yesterday’s neighbors.

Subgenres of Horror

Gothic Horror: Atmospheric, romantic, and often set in old castles or estates. Classic examples include Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” And a great deal of Poe, my earliest influence as a boy who loved to be scared. “The Fall of the House of Usher” comes immediately to mind.
Psychological Horror: Focuses on the mind, mental instability, and the subjective experience of fear. Poe again, but many others. It’s also common to combine them: the character who knows something evil is going on, but questions her own sanity—is she imagining it? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really someone bricked up behind that wall?
Body Horror: Revolves around grotesque transformations, mutations, or violations of the body. A lot of people don’t enjoy this, especially in movies. They hide their eyes, or they head to the concession stand while the character’s face melts onscreen.
Slasher: Centers on violent killers targeting a group of people, often with graphic depictions of murder. I loved these when I was younger, and maybe even now. Dexter is supposedly a good guy, but when the cleaver comes down … I’m not so sure.

Mystery

I know a little about this one, having written two mystery series and one thriller series. What’s the difference? Keep reading!

Mysteries are built around the concept of solving a puzzle, often in the context of a crime or inexplicable event. Its narrative structure is typically driven by a central question: “Whodunit?” or “What happened?” The genre invites readers to join the detective, sifting through clues alongside the protagonist. While this sounds innocent enough, people do get killed, and not always in a bloodless way.

Characteristics of Mystery

Central Puzzle/Challenge: At the heart of every mystery is something unknown—a crime, disappearance, or secret that needs unraveling. For me there must be a victim(s), a killer, and a protagonist whose overriding need is to solve the crime/bring the killer to justice.
Red Herrings: False clues and misleading information are used to divert both the detective and the reader from the real solution. Misdirection is an important device that also helps sustain suspense. Was it really the affable store owner who kept his victims caged in a basement? Or was it the odd man in the ramshackle house who everyone assumes has dark secrets? How often do we hear neighbors describe the just-arrested cannibal as “a nice guy, a family man”? Good villains are sometimes the ones you least suspect.
Detective Figure: Mysteries often feature a sleuth, whether professional (police, private investigator) or amateur, who leads the investigation. I write amateur sleuths (Kyle Callahan, Maggie Dahl), who sometimes coordinate with real detectives in a seemingly hapless intrusion into their professional lives.
Resolution: The genre is defined by its conclusion, where the puzzle is solved and order is restored. (Knowing the conclusion/ending is very important to me—it gives me a destination, and I can work my way there, however difficult it can be to map out.)

Subgenres of Mystery

Cozy Mystery: Set in small, intimate communities; violence is minimized and emphasis is on character and setting. I’d say I write quasi-cozy mysteries, especially the ones set in Lambertville, New Jersey. The difference is that my victims usually meet pretty brutal endings, and in one case there really is an affable store owner who keeps his victim in a cage; these are not traditional elements of a cozy mystery and I could be accused of heresy for calling them that.
Hard-Boiled Mystery: Features tough, cynical detectives operating in gritty, urban environments. This style is one of the most mimicked, and the most badly mimicked. If you’re going to write a hard-boiled character, be sure they sound original and not like a poor imitation of Sam (or Samantha) Spade (Dashiell Hammett). I’d advise really getting to know a character if this is your goal.
Police Procedural: Focuses on the methods and challenges of law enforcement in solving crimes. This isn’t something I’ve ever attempted or wanted to, but a good police procedural is a treat.
Historical Mystery: Set in the past, blending mystery with historical detail and atmosphere. I love these! I especially like ones set in time periods that interest me. Umberto Echo’s ‘The Name of the Rose’ comes to mind, or local author Nev March’s ‘Captain Jim and Lady Diana Mysteries.’ Also anything Elizabethan, or set in ancient Rome, or Jack the Ripper-ish. Do you have a favorite?

Thriller

Thriller is a genre characterized by excitement, suspense, and tension. While it shares similarities with mystery and horror, the thriller is distinguished by its pace and the intensity of its stakes.

One of my series is described as a thriller because there’s no great mystery, except the mystery of who the “real” killer is. What distinguishes it from a mystery is that the protagonist quickly finds himself in peril. He must accomplish two tasks: finding the killer, or real killer, and staying alive himself, as well as staying out of jail for a crime he didn’t commit.

Characteristics of Thrillers

High Stakes: The protagonists are often faced with threats to life, freedom, or stability—political intrigue, terrorism, or personal survival.
Fast Pace: The narrative moves quickly, with frequent twists, turns, and cliffhangers designed to keep readers on edge. The five best words I can ever hear: “I couldn’t put it down.” This is much more the case with a thriller than a mystery. For me, mysteries can be slower paced, and the protagonist may not find herself in any physical danger at all. In a thriller, the stakes are often life or death, however literally.
Conflict and Danger: Peril is ever-present. The protagonist races against time or a powerful antagonist.
Moral Ambiguity: Thrillers often explore complex ethical dilemmas and blurred lines between right and wrong. When your life is a stake, you don’t always have the option of “doing the right thing.”

Subgenres of Thriller

Psychological Thriller: Focuses on the unstable emotional states of characters, delving into manipulation and mind games. This can also apply to supernatural thrillers and psychological thrillers (a personal favorite).
Crime Thriller: Blends elements of mystery with action-oriented storytelling.
Political Thriller: Deals with power struggles, espionage, and conspiracies in government or organizations.
Legal Thriller: Centers on legal battles and courtroom drama.

Biography

Biography is a nonfiction genre devoted to telling the life story of a real person. Biography is rooted in the subject’s real-life experiences and aims for insight rather than entertainment or suspense. However—people whose lives have been entertaining and/or suspenseful can make for wonderful biographies!

Characteristics of Biography

Factual Account: Biographies are based on real events, drawing from documents, interviews, and other sources.
Third-Person Perspective: The biographer writes about the subject from an external point of view (as opposed to autobiography).
Chronological Narrative: Most biographies trace the subject’s life from birth to death, highlighting key events and influences. They may encompass an entire life, or a significant portion or event in that life.
Interpretation: Depending on the subject, the author offers insight into the person’s motivations, character, and impact on history or society.

Subgenres of Biography

Historical Biography: Focuses on figures from the distant past, placing their lives in historical context.
Literary Biography: Deals with writers, artists, and their creative processes.
Political Biography: Chronicles the careers and influences of politicians and leaders.
Popular Biography: Written for a general audience, often focusing on celebrities, athletes, or influential public figures.

Autobiography

Autobiography is the counterpart to biography, with the key distinction that the author and the subject are the same person. It is an act of self-reflection, confession, and personal storytelling. Note: autobiographies can, and often are, ghostwritten, something I’ve done for hire. They can also be “as told told to” or “with Name of Ghostwriter.”

Characteristics of Autobiography

First-Person Perspective: The narrative voice is personal, offering direct access to the author’s thoughts, feelings, and memories.
Subjectivity: Autobiographies are inherently subjective, colored by the author’s own perceptions and interpretations.
Selective Storytelling: The author chooses which events to highlight, shaping the narrative to convey a message, lesson, or theme.
Introspection: The genre often delves into emotional struggles, inner growth, and the development of identity.

Subgenres of Autobiography

Memoir: Focuses on a particular aspect or period of the author’s life, rather than a complete life story.
Confessional Autobiography: Reveals personal flaws, mistakes, or moral struggles.
Travel Autobiography: Centers on journeys and experiences in different places.