The thriller as a literary novel.

I felt confused when I first began considering the genre, specifically the niche my novel might best fit. I mean, sure, it’s a thriller. However, the thriller genre didn’t fully define what I had written. There’s a lot more going on in my novel. From the crime investigation aspect to the serial killer versus a profiler, a romance, and the psychological trauma of the main character, this makes for a complex dish.

Elements of mystery and suspense abound as the protagonist does her best not to succumb to her psychological issues while trying to capture a killer who is hunting LGBTQ+ people and has her as his ultimate victim. For a debut novel, it appears I thought I needed to be as inclusive as possible.

Here’s the thing though, I wrote this novel with the express intention of speaking about PTSD, social anxiety and about how a queer transgender woman navigates life. This is where I blur the line between the thriller genre and literary fiction. My impulse was to explore these complex themes of gender identity and sexual orientation, of romance between a transgender and cis woman. It became clear early on that my main character had to be strong but not without flaws and trauma. Mary’s (main character) existence is guided by her intellect and instincts that are at odds with PTSD, which curtails her flourishing career as a profiler.

The theme of a serial killer murdering LGBTQ+ people was about showing, if in a bloody manner, how easy it can be to discard those lives we consider not mainstream. Literary thriller, there we go! Defining the sub-genre of my thriller has been a constant struggle to understand myself as a writer. Ultimately, none of this matters other than if it’s a well-told story. It's possible that my novel is a blend of all the above—a complex mix of psychological suspense, horror, and social commentary. And let us not forget all that yummy LGBTQ+, feminist, anti-bigotry, standing up to the man flavour that permeates the story.

Joelle