Mysteries are best in the first or third omniscient voice?

[Benoit AKoa]

In my reading group, there has developed a school of thought that claims that the best ever mysteries are in the first voice, private PI type thingy. Personally, I go with PD James, Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie,  Their Third voice omniscient has produce far more intriguing plots than any other. I also think the best Thrillers and suspense novels are in the third voice, Silence of the Lambs, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Frankenstein, and the like. This may be a matter or preference, but I am sensing there is something to it. What do you think?

[Bob]

Up until my current WIP, I wrote third person limited. This WIP is 1st person, a PI story that has been fun and has received the best comments from beta readers by far.

As to head hopping - I haven't found many authors who can do it well.

Smiles
Bob

[Jon Loomis]

Benoit--right--if you have to pay a fee, they're proprietary. And those aren't anywhere near the all-time numbers for High Season. It sold out its first and second print runs in HC (6000 copies), earned out its advance in four months and covered the reserve in about eight months.

[I. J. Parker]

Wow!

[Jon Loomis]

Well, don't be too impressed--the print run numbers are all pretty small (first run of 5,000 or maybe 5,500--at least 1,500 of which were library sales--two additional print runs of 1,000 each) and the advance was modest. The MM paperback didn't do well at all relative to the size of the print run, but I'm confident it's sold way more than 710 copies in three years.

[I. J. Parker]

Still very good! The small advances are painful, but getting royalties earlier should make up for that.

[Jon Loomis]

It's been a nice little bonus, for sure. But frankly, I'd rather have it up front.

[I. J. Parker]

And I learned how that backfires, especially when there's no promotion/marketing. But in a way I agree. Why should we take all of the risk?

[Jon Loomis]

Right. And if you get the money up front, returns aren't your problem--they're the publisher's. I like that system a whole lot better. Unfortunately, my publisher isn't very worried about what I like.

I'm still surprised when I hear of books that receive generous advances but then no concrete backing from the publisher once they're done. You'd think they'd want to do what they can to make the book succeed--especially when they go back to the same author for additional books. Crazy business we're in, IJ.

[I. J. Parker]

Yes. I hate it. That's why I'm very, very motivated to do some self-publishing.

[JackBludis]

Haven't we changed the subject from point of view to sales?

[Benoit AKoa]

If you self publish I recommend creating your own publishing entity and going streight to Lightning Source, It is cheaper and your books will be available to everyone just like the big houses. Just do not create a publishing compnay with your own name

[Benoit AKoa]

Dude, Jon, relax. Those are Baker & Taylor's numbers. Thats just what they are, numbers. I am not bashing you and dont feel you have to show big numbers either. I pay the fee and I can do what I want with the information I paid for. The numbers are reflective from any order ever placed through Baker & Taylor, Public libraries etc, they may be lagging from the last quarter but I've been using them for my own books for a while now and seen that they are very accurate. Not sure if your agent or publisher is feeding you wrong info.