Crime+and+Legal+Fiction

=Crime/Legal Fiction =

Kayla Keane, Stefanie Dueweke, and Mariel Dryden

The genre of Legal/Crime novels focuses largely on the detection of crimes and the criminals who commit them. They are stories of chilling investigations and unsolved mysteries, some of which center more on the legal system (interrogation, trial, etc) and others that allow the reader to pick up pieces of the crime throughout the story. One who enjoys such television programs as “Law & Order,” or “C.S.I.” might be interested in a book within this genre.

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A list of about 100 popular crime novels is available [|here.] ======

= Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult= Jodi Picoult present the story of Jack St Bride in her book [|Salem Falls]. Once a teacher and soccer coach at a prestigious New England prep school, Jack’s life took a surprising turn when a student’s crush left him with an 8 month jail sentence and no job. He found himself in Salem Falls, where he hired at a diner under the ownership of Addie Peabody. While picking of the pieces of his life, forming new relationship, and healing from his painful past, Jack is once again at the center of a major scandal involving a group of teenage girls. Placing him at the center of the crime, Jack is left to defend himself against the judgmental and accusatory harassment of the townspeople throughout his trial. More info and reviews about this book can be found [|here].

== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold= Alice Sebold present a grim tale by opening up her novel with the violent rape and murder of 14-year-old Suzie Salmon by her next-door neighbor. As her family is thrown into grief, Suzie is left in her "own personal heaven" to come to terms with her death as she watches over her family and friends through the their lives events. Her father, obsessed with finding her murderer, eventually erodes her family in the search for justice, which is ultimately served. To read more reviews or get more info click [|here]

= The Silent Witness by Rebecca Forster= Josie Bates is pulled back into the world of high-stakes law when her ex-cop lover, Archer, is accused of murdering his disable stepson - a son Josie never knew he had. Racing against time, she must prove Archer has been framed. Her faith is shaken as she battles to save Archer, almost despairing until she uncovers the most dangerous evidence of all - the testimony of the silent witness. Read more about this book and find reviews [|here.]

== = = = = = = = = = = =Look Again by Lisa Scottoline= When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a "Have You Seen This Child?" flyer in the mail, she almost throws it away. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops—the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Her every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she’s a journalist and won’t be able to stop thinking about the photo until she figures out the truth. And she can’t shake the question: if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks losing her own life—and that of the son she loves. Read more about this book and find reviews [|here.]

= In the Woods by Tana French=

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An established detective, Rob Ryan, works for the “Dublin Murder Squad” in a nearby suburb. He is made aware of a new case in which a young girl is found dead in the same woods in which he experienced a quite similar traumatic event in his past, one that he has kept secret for most of his life. Ryan and his partner, Det. Cassie Maddox, are part of this investigation and find that Ryan’s distant, horrifying memories from his childhood might be key in solving this mysterious case. To read reviews and learn a little more about the plot, click [|here] or [|here]======

**What we learned:** //Our group learned that Crime/Legal fiction written by females is often centered around strong heroines and highlights women as the intelligent, yet emotional side of the legal system. The stories are written towards women and usually has some form of romantic twist on top of the crime/legal aspect of the plot.//

// **Feedback From Historical Fiction Group:** Your sub-genre seems very interesting and engaging. You all did a great job of researching popular books. Each description and synopsis is well written and grabs the reader in. It seems like the stories being told could be one's we don't always hear often and are hidden from the media. However, crime/legal fiction is something that goes on in womens// lives everyday that at times they need to "hide" to protect themselves.

Response from Queer/Lesbian Lit Group: We like how your group included “The Lovely Bones.” This book is a very popular book and tells a sad story, but the story of rape is so common that makes it even sadder. We liked the variety of topics, including the story of the teacher who had a relationship with a student –we also liked that this was the story of a male teacher. The focus in the media seems to normally be pointed at female teachers. This genre is interesting and this page is very well researched and informative. P.S. – What about “Nancy Drew,” ?

Feedback from Chick Lit Group: When we first saw this genre we thought it was going to entail some boring legal jargon, or some intense graphic crime scene murders. These books definitely proved our stereotype wrong. The Jodi Picoult "Salem Falls" sounds extremely different, and very intriguing- starting a fresh new life after tough obstacles in the past is never easy, and we are interested to see how it plays out. In fact, all these books bring a whole new meaning to our original understanding of Criminal/Legal Fiction. Your group did an excellent job with the set-up of the page, and if any of us choose the genre, we have good backgrounds on what these novels entail.