by Cole Salao | May 16, 2022 | Book Recommendations, Thriller Tropes
An eternally inebriated detective still wearing his clothes from the day before. A messy office full of cheap furniture and loose files. A mysterious client with a suspiciously easy case. These are the typical images of a hardboiled detective story. Hardboiled...
by Cole Salao | May 9, 2022 | Thriller Tropes
You know how it goes: you’ve been riveted by a movie or TV episode for the past hour, enjoying scene after action-packed scene. The hero and villain finally come face to face, weapons ready. But just as they leap toward each other’s throats, the screen...
by Cole Salao | Jan 29, 2022 | Film and TV, Thriller Tropes
It’s nearly impossible for a story not to be suggestive of its future scenes. It’s also inevitable that viewers will form an assumption based on the developments of the plot. Clever directors and writers take advantage of these expectations to shock their...
by Cole Salao | Jan 22, 2022 | Thriller Tropes
Also known as a phantom thief, the gentleman thief is a popular stock character in fiction. Characterized by impeccable manners and style, they often use guile and charm to commit crimes, unlike common criminals who go straight to violence. Imagine James Bond going...
by Cole Salao | Jan 2, 2022 | Thriller Tropes
In fiction, the femme fatale is a stock character—a beautiful, charismatic, and mysterious woman who turns you on and then turns on you. Her ability to enchant men and get what she wants borders on the supernatural. While not exactly a villain, they’re often...
by Cole Salao | Dec 30, 2021 | Thriller Tropes
You’ve seen it in literature and film a thousand times: A string is pulled and an arrow speeds its way to the hero. Someone steps on a pressure plate and the walls begin to close in. Or, perhaps an artifact is lifted from its place and a spherical boulder is...
by Cole Salao | Nov 29, 2021 | Thriller Tropes
The closed circle of suspects is a simple plot element in detective fiction, especially in whodunits. When a crime is committed, a limited amount of suspects are quickly identified, each with their own motives, means, and opportunities. It is then up to the detective...
by Cole Salao | Nov 18, 2021 | Thriller Tropes
While reading a book or watching a movie, you’ve probably come across some detail of the story that made you so sure what the outcome would be. But when you reached the end, your theory turned out to be wrong. The guy you thought guilty is actually innocent, and...
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