"A mystery can be defined as a work of fiction in which the character is asked to solve a puzzle. Mysteries combine crime and detection, in a story in which a fictional detective tries to solve the puzzle before the reader does."
"The goal of thrillers...is to produce the sudden rush of emotions: the excitement, suspense, apprehension, and exhilaration that drive the narrative."
- from Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests, 7th Ed.
Most mystery and suspense books are given 'subject headings' that identify them as belonging to that genre. Subject headings are like tags that can help you find related books in the library's catalog. The following genre subject headings are often used for mystery/suspense novels - click any term to be taken to a list of related books in the WIU catalog.
These authors write books that are popular with fans of mystery and suspense. Click on any name to be take to a list of their works in the WIU catalog. If you're interested in a particular author not listed here, you can also search for that author directly from the WIU catalog home page.
Is a book by your favorite author not available at Western?
You might be able to borrow it through I-Share. By creating an I-Share account using your WIU Library ID, you can borrow books from 80 different Illinois college libraries.
The I-Share catalog lets you search the collections of all I-Share libraries simultaneously. You can also request books from other libraries through the 'Request 1st Available' feature.
This guide has information to help you create a new I-Share account and place requests for books.