Mystery (genre)

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Synonyms:
See also: Case Story, Thriller
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Mystery is a genre of media and literature focusing on characters uncovering some hidden truth or secret. Many focus on criminal acts and finding the identity of a culprit or proving someone's guilt through logic and reasoning. Through narrative techniques, the reader/viewer is invited to attempt to figure out the solution before it is revealed.

Mystery media can involve supernatural elements which often means that the solution does not have to be logical. Sometimes, there isn't even a crime involved. This usage was popular in the pulp magazines fandom.

History

Mystery fiction began to be published in the early-mid 19th century, with authors like Edgar Allan Poe and E. T. A. Hoffmann. The Sherlock Holmes series was arguably the most well-known of such works, and cemented the genre's popularity. These were often serialized in magazines, due their format of one central puzzle and a recurring central character, usually a detective.

Since then, many sub-genres of mystery stories have been developed and marketed.

List of Mystery Fandoms

Archives & Resources