when the killer gets away

CWatts · Feb 20, 2015

So, one of the killers I have chosen for my historical mystery is going to have to get away with it, due to being a real person. I have my characters prevent the Big Crime at the end, and some co-conspirators are caught. I worry that may not satisfy readers. This person is politically connected and so may be shielded due to corruption in that era (Gilded Age U.S.). Thoughts?

PorterStarrByrd · Feb 20, 2015

People get away with things in real life. Always have always will. It is what you do with your characters that makes them acceptable to your readers, or not. There may be some who insist criminals always fail, but they don't always do so.

ironmikezero · Feb 20, 2015

If you'd rather not offend the moral ethos of most readers, you could always arrange for an ironic yet karmic comeuppance for your seemingly untouchable evil mastermind... like real-world vice-lord Al Capone succumbing to syphilis while incarcerated for tax evasion.

Usher · Feb 20, 2015

I don't remember the books but the TV series of Father Brown often lets the criminal get away at the end.

CWatts · Feb 20, 2015

ironmikezero said:
If you'd rather not offend the moral ethos of most readers, you could always arrange for an ironic yet karmic comeuppance for your seemingly untouchable evil mastermind... like real-world vice-lord Al Capone succumbing to syphilis while incarcerated for tax evasion.

The person does eventually leave the country after the family falls into disgrace and loses their wealth and power (which is already happening during the novel and is part of the motive), so there's that.

My characters have no law enforcement power but do earn some goodwill and favors for their trouble.

Coconut · Feb 20, 2015

There's a precedent for this technique. Fredrick Forsythe's "The Day of the Jackal" is about a man trying to kill Charles De Gaulle, who was a real historical figure and survives for historical reasons.

Forsythe said he had trouble selling the book because De Gaulle survives and anyone reading the book knew from pg 1 that he would, but once he did sell it, the book became a bestseller. So it's a valid technique. As far as the bad guy getting away, there's tons of those types of books/movies. 12 Monkeys comes to mind.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 22, 2015

It depends on the story, and on why and how he gets away. You must satisfy readers, or teh book simply isn't going to sell, but you can satisfy readers, and still have the killer get away.

But the readers, I think have to expect the killer to get away, and some part of them needs to want the killer to get away. A big part of this depends on who is killed, and why.

Jamesaritchie · Feb 22, 2015

PorterStarrByrd said:
People get away with things in real life. Always have always will. It is what you do with your characters that makes them acceptable to your readers, or not. There may be some who insist criminals always fail, but they don't always do so.

I don't know anyone who insists that criminals always fail in real life, but writing a satisfying novel is seldom the same thing as copying real life.

People get away with all sorts of things in real life that you can't let happen in a novel, if you want anyone to enjoy it.

CWatts · Feb 22, 2015

Jamesaritchie said:
It depends on the story, and on why and how he gets away. You must satisfy readers, or teh book simply isn't going to sell, but you can satisfy readers, and still have the killer get away.

But the readers, I think have to expect the killer to get away, and some part of them needs to want the killer to get away. A big part of this depends on who is killed, and why.

The victim was a co-conspirator who was trying to back out, and was kind of a jerk, if that helps.

Dave Williams · Feb 22, 2015

Hannibal Lecter got away in multiple books...

when the killer gets away

CWatts

down the rabbit hole of research...

PorterStarrByrd

nutruring tomorrows criminals today

ironmikezero

practical experience, FTW

Usher

CWatts

down the rabbit hole of research...

Coconut

Jamesaritchie

Jamesaritchie

CWatts

down the rabbit hole of research...

Dave Williams

Zappa isn't frank!