What Crime Fiction Stereotype Would You Make Disappear?

[Benjamin Sobieck]

If you read enough crime fiction, you'll eventually notice a few recurring tropes. The tortured PI who drinks too much, for example.

If a genie popped out and said you could eliminate one of these stereotypes forever, which one would you choose? (This genie is picky about the wishes it grants.)

[Beth Groundwater]

The victim that everybody in town hates and no one misses, making for a very large pool of suspects. It's much more emotionally realistic and satisfying if someone actually grieves for the victim.

[Jonathan Francesco]

I agree. If nobody is grieving for the death, and the death is not going to be viewed as justice, why am I doing it?

[minervaK]

That question would make an interesting book.

[Jonathan Francesco]

Yeah, it probably would. But alas, I doubt the question is probed much in books where deaths aren't given much meaning.

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I think that gets done.  The investigator working on a case that doesn't matter to anybody.  Can't think of any titles, though.  So maybe not.  :-)

[Jonathan Francesco]

Soap operas seem to be the most famous cases of detectives trying to solve murders of people everybody hated. lol

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

:-)  That field could stand a few more murders, for my money.  It's like "Who Killed Donald Trump."   And the sequel,  "Who Cares?"

[minervaK]

But wouldn't it be interesting to have a character explore why she's trying to find out who killed Donald Trump? Yeah, on the surface, who cares, so why does she? Some larger ethical ground there, which always makes for fun writing. For me, anyway.

[Susan]

Why would she want to find out who killed Donald Trump? Why not give the killer a Bronx cheer and move on to something more important? :)

[Dana King]

Not just larger ethical ground, but there could be a reason the person was killed aside from being an insufferable prick. To cover up something else, maybe, and the killer figured no one would care enough to look any deeper than they had to, figuring he had it coming.

[Ku Okamoto]

The female FBI agent going after a serial killer.

[I. J. Parker]

This might work if the serial killer is also female and the m.o. fits a female perspective.  In other words the agent is more qualified in this case than a male would be.  Actually, this sounds interesting to me.  Anyone interested in trying?