Crime Fiction Beginnings From Non-Crime Novels

[Daniel Hatadi]

I stumbled across Neil Gaiman's book AMERICAN GODS, which I have a physical copy of and still haven't read, but the full eBook is available at Harper Collins, so I couldn't help sneaking a peek at the beginning.

And it reads like a crime novel:

Shadow had done three years in prison. He was big enough and looked don't-fuck-with-me enough that his biggest problem was killing time. So he kept himself in shape, and taught himself coin tricks, and thought a lot about how much he loved his wife.

The best thing--in Shadow's opinion, perhaps the only good thing--about being in prison was a feeling of relief. The feeling that he'd plunged as low as he could plunge and he'd hit bottom. He didn't worry that the man was going to get him, because the man had got him. He was no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, because yesterday had already brought it.

Anyone else think of similar examples outside the world of crime fiction?

[Grant McKenzie]

There actually is a wonderful murder mystery subplot that runs through American Gods. Gaiman does a great job with it.
Another author who took the crime genre in a nifty sci-fi direction was Isaac Asimov with his Robot-Buddy crime stories, and let's not forget the fairy tales - Little Red Riding Hood sent out as bait to trap Big Bad Wolf. You know there was more than sandwiches in that picnic basket.

My favourite crime novel that is never listed as crime fiction, however, is Robert McCammon's Boy's Life.

[Angie]

I can't believe you own American Gods and still haven't read it... Now THAT'S a crime!

[Daniel Hatadi]

Well, I'm definitely a criminal on many counts then. You should see the great stuff on Mt. TBR Hatadi. I should take a photo of it.