Mystery Match Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cozy

Cozy mysteries cover the large amount of mystery novels that are generally lighter in tone. Much of the focus of these novels involves around the life of a non-professional detective, usually female, protagonist who happens to come across a murder while going about her day. The murder is not graphically described and the motive for the killing is usually over money, love or jealousy. There are no scenes with violence, drugs, sex or the likes. Passing references to those topics may be discussed casually in conversation (such as a dialogue between two characters mentioning someone got into a fight).

Many literary commentators are critical of cozy mysteries and generally state they lack a compelling mystery, cerebral conversation and consider them "lesser" mysteries. Indeed, the protagonist usually solves the mystery by catching the criminal in some act or by accident rather than solving a set of clues indicating one person that must be worked out mentally. In addition, many cozy series are themed around a particular topic with cats, libraries and baking popular themes.

Examples of cozy mysteries include Donald Bain's "Murder, She Wrote" novels based on the television series and the "Her Royal Spyness" series by Rhys Bowen.

Answer: Historical

Historical mysteries are mystery novels that are set in the past and not in the present date of publication. In the twenty-first century, this genre has seen an increase in use because of the advent of new technology making popular plots nonsensical today. For instance, DNA testing, security cameras and cell phones make solving murders easier, faster and less entertaining to read about in fiction. Popular settings for historical fiction include colonial United States and the Victorian era England.

Because of the nature of the genre, historical mysteries are sometimes riddled with anachronisms. They also may feature real-life people who are long dead and have them get caught up in the murder. Examples of historical mysteries are the "Detective Murdoch" series by Maureen Jennings, set in the early 20th century Canada, and the "Cadfael Chronicles" by Ellis Peters, set in the 12th century.

Answer: Hardboiled

Hardboiled or gritty mysteries typically have a male protagonist who is a rough and tough private investigator. The P.I. is typically a paragon of an alpha male in whatever time period the novel is set. Hardboiled mysteries are set in urban areas, usually in the poorest neighborhood of the city. Crime is rampant in the area and there is usually at least one murder in a novel that is part of a much larger criminal organization. Another common feature of this mystery type is the damsel in distress, an attractive woman who needs assistance from the P.I. At the end of the novel, the P.I. either winds up with the damsel, reunites her with her true love, or arrests her for being the criminal.

Examples of hardboiled mysteries are those written by Dashiell Hammett including those featuring Nick and Nora Charles and Sam Spade.

Answer: Had I But Known

The Had I But Known mystery genre is one that was formerly popular in the early 20th century, before writers such as Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen came on the scene. One of the main features of this genre was that the first person narrator would blatantly refer to certain events that would be important later in the novel. The classic example of this genre is "The Circular Staircase" by Mary Roberts Rinehart. In the novel, the protagonist Rachel Innes very clearly alludes to certain events in the future. For instance, she mentions her fondness for her new butler Thomas and then mentions she misses him because he is dead, long before his death occurs in the narrative she is telling.

Another main feature is the "had I but known moment" where the narrator specifically reveals the decision he or she made that they regret because such decision led them to be caught up in the events of the novel. The narrator will say something like "had I but known X would happen, I never would have Y".

Answer: Locked room

The locked room is a very popular form of the mystery novel, with many of the most popular series having at least one locked room murder. Also called the impossible crime, locked room mysteries revolve around a murder that was committed under extraordinary circumstances that appear to be impossible to pull off. Typically speaking, a body would be found in a locked room that was never unlocked and has no means of entry or escape from the inside. The detective would be baffled and characters would turn to supernatural explanations like magic or witchcraft. The detective would continue to find a logical solution that usually turned out to be quite simple once certain facts were uncovered.

Examples of the locked room mystery are "The Chinese Orange Mystery" by Ellery Queen and "The Canary Murder Case" by S.S. Van Dine starring Philo Vance.

Answer: Closed circle

The closed circle mystery is generally considered one of the most suspenseful subgenres. The routine is basically that a murder occurs in an isolated area and there are only a limited number of people who could have committed the crime. Given the nature of mystery novels, the reader knows there are only a certain amount of people who could realistically committed the crime, but the detective must figure it out for himself. In addition, the possibility of an outsider committing the crime has been eliminated due to the evidence that is available immediately.

Usually, but not always, the murder takes place in some isolated area as in Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express", which takes place in a snowbound train. Frequently, a sense of desperation begins affecting the characters as the innocent fear for their lives or worry they may be judged guilty by the court of public opinion if the real murderer is not caught. Another common aspect of closed circles is the passing of time. Typically, the detective only has a short span of time to solve the case before the suspects leave the area for good.

Answer: Inverted

An inverted mystery novel is one where the focus is not on solving the murder to determine who the culprit is, but rather on solving how and why he or she committed the crime. Sometimes the focus is equally given to catching the criminal. The culprit is revealed to the reader very early in the novel. Whether or not the murderer is revealed to the characters in the novel in addition to the reader varies. This genre is sometimes called a howdunit or a howcatchem.

Examples of the inverted mystery are "The 12:30 from Croydon" by Freeman Willis Croft and "Malice Aforethought" by Anthony Berkeley Cox.

Answer: Police procedural

The police procedural is a type of mystery novel that focuses heavily on the work of police officers using forensic technology to solve crimes. Instead of having one main detective, police procedurals will usually have a small group of detectives who act collectively as the protagonist. In these novels, the detectives will frequently make errors of judgment, something not typically seen in other mysteries where the detective is always right. Serial killings, crimes against children and animals and sexual crimes (which are almost never utilized in other genres) are common crimes in these kinds of mysteries.

Examples of police procedurals are the "87th Precinct" series by Ed McBain and "The New Centurions" by Joseph Wambaugh, who was himself once a police officer.

Answer: Legal

Legal mysteries are primarily set in the courtroom. Much of the focus is usually on the defendant (if the defendant is innocent) or on the detective or prosecutor (if the defendant is guilty). The crime for which the defendant stands on trial is gradually revealed over time, along with any details and evidence. Many of the events leading up to the trial are told in flashbacks or by the attorneys as each new piece of evidence is presented or as a new witness testifies. Legal mysteries tend to be more relaxed in tone, as much of the action is told to the reader rather than the reader witnessing the events as they happened.

Examples of legal mysteries are the "Perry Mason" series by Erle Stanley Gardner and "Sad Cypress" by Agatha Christie.

Answer: Whodunnit

The whodunnit is generally what people think of when they hear the phrase "mystery novel". Whodunnits were the specialty of many writers from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction like Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ellery Queen, Ngaio Marsh and many others.

The typical format of a whodunnit began with the detective (either professional or amateur) coming across a group of people central to the story. The murder would then occur and each person would fall under suspicion until each was ruled out. However, the murderer must be one of them and the detective would have to go back over everything he or she learned, and usually wound up solving the case through thinking, creativity and by talking to the suspects rather than by some means of physical evidence. The endings of these books are famous for their long, detailed explanations that cover every single mystery presented in the novel. In the end, the murderer is revealed and everything is explained and no other possibility exists.