Crossing the genre lines.

[I. J. Parker]

I've see a lot of so-called mysteries lately that really meant to be something else. Only about an hour ago, I discarded a book by a writer who came very highly recommended. It was a historical mystery set in ancient Egypt. This isn't really my field and I have no interest in Egypt, besides I rarely read historical mysteries (though I write them), but I did get this one because of the great praise for the author that I read on another site.

Here is what I found: First person narrative by a young female of royal blood who strays among the common folks during a Nile flood, gets swept away along with a crocodile, and saved at the last moment by a handsome and virile young courtier. At this point, I was disgusted and checked the end of the book. (Checking the end of a mystery for me always means death to the book.) Sure enough, there is a happy end: she is in love and marries. As it turns out, she marries another man, but apparently after a romantic relationship with her savior. This makes this book a romance, as far as I'm concerned. The fact that there might have been a mystery somewhere in the middle doesn't change the fact.

So here's my topic: given the fact that many authors seem to write in more than one genre at the same time to reach the largest possible readership, do you find this a good thing, or are you as disappointed as I was? Crossing between romance and mystery may be the most common example, but we also have mysteries linking to horror, secret agents, vampires, SF, fantasy, and other subgenres. 

[Dan L. Coleman]

No mystery in the real world can be solved except in the real world, by real means. Seems anything else makes it fantasy. Very confusing, disappointing, unless you happen to like it like that. I think there might be a presumption out there that everybody who reads fiction likes or accepts fantasy in it because it's so prevalent.

[Kerry J Donovan]

Fantasy and sifi are completely different genres from general fiction and should be kept that way - separate. 

[Jeanie Clemmens]

Maybe children could be introduced to mystery using fantasy characters, but adults - not so much. Classic mystery belongs in the real world. I agree, Dan.