Can you successfully mix procedural with action in a British crime novel?

[Paul Grzegorzek]

Is the question i'm asking myself at the moment.  I've been writing crime novels since i left the police a few years ago, and despite a firm grasp of all the procedural bits and bobs necessary to make the plot seem real, i have to confess that i get a little bored if there isn't some adrenaline pumping action going on.

 

The issue is that police generally aren't armed over here.  We have armed units, sure, but in the main you trudge around with a stick and some pepper spray and end up brawling with people, which is all well and good but it doesn't have the nail biting tension invoked when firearms come out to play.

 

So my latest novel has gone from a standard murder investigation and turned into a high octane car chase/firefight/take down the bad guys scenario, and i'm wondering if it works with British crime.  Maybe i should start writing crime novels based in the states where things like that are a tad more likely to happen, or stick to writing action thrillers and leave the crime.

 

What do you think?

[Richard Krauss]

Good point. For US TV, I like series like Breaking Bad or Dexter; shows with continuing story arcs and fast paced plots, but allow for the time required for great character development.

Specifically, I meant allowing more space for the procedural investigation details but I also agree with you that character depth is very important.

[I. J. Parker]

Blackadder?  I didn't notice that.  Law & Order is one of those simplified and predictable programs.

 

I notice, though, that my interest tends to be engaged during the "order" part, but begins to flag with the law part. That may just be me.  I don't like legal thrillers that much. Clearly the show set out to combine two popular subgenres of the crime novel for maximum audience impact. Connelly is starting to do the same. Give me the police procedural pure and simple.