(Sorry for the long set-up.)
I’m working on writing a book about an investigation into an incident that happened recently, and I need some recommendations for similar books so I can see how other authors write an entertaining investigation story.
What I’m working on is a psychological suspense story, hopefully around 80k words, with a readership aimed at women in their 30s and 40s.
I have learned after many years that I cannot write mysteries. I could spend hours talking about why: I can’t do red herrings; my reveals are soooo cheesy; it’s immediately apparent who the bad guy is; I can’t make an investigation interesting or unique; I struggle with motives for murder — and the list goes on.
But! I have this idea for a story that is eating away at me, that I really want to write. It isn’t a mystery, but there is this investigation aspect to it. The story focuses on someone investigating a possibly traumatic incident that lead to supposedly fantastical things occurring, and they want to find out what really happened.
I heard about Ian McEwan’s newest book What We Can Know, which is about an investigation into an incident that happened 100 years earlier surrounding climate change, but I have issues with Ian McEwan and his support of a certain author who hates trans people. I’m guessing there are other, better books that do this type of story, and I was wondering if people have knowledge and recommendations of such books.
Please let me know if I need to be more specific on anything.
by scarecrow2shout4