I was told my books are trashy - here's why

 Picture the scene. I’m meeting someone for the first time and they ask what I do for a living. I shyly tell them I write books and they ask what genre. Crime fiction, I say. And their reply? Oh, I’ll tell my daughter. She loves trashy novels.

True story. In that case I smiled politely and extracted myself from the conversation.

But it got me thinking. Is crime fiction still viewed as ‘trashy’ by most people? And as for the readers who toss it in that box, what specific element of crime fiction do they find the most offensive? Or is it just plain old snobbery?

I’m proud to be an ambassador for National Crime Reading Month and as it draws to a close, I’ve been pondering these questions and more; pondering what crime fiction means to me, and asking other crime writers for their view.

I’ve met many people over the years who tell me they ‘don’t read crime fiction’ and I always ask why. Inevitably they don’t like blood and guts and violence. At which point I gently tell them there’s way more to crime fiction that they think. It’s a reflection of society, I say. A chance to explore pressing social issues. It’s a way to help us understand why some humans do such awful things. It’s a way of exploring fear, from a safe distance. And you know what? For me, every great crime novel is actually a great love story. Behind all of our actions, whether viewed by society as good or as bad, there’s love, or the lack of it. Do you agree? And what does crime fiction mean to you?

Allan Martin, author of the acclaimed Angus Blue series, says crime fiction ‘explores powerful themes basic to the human condition’, a view shared by fellow writer Andrew James Greig. He says: ‘Crime fiction, to me, is more than entertainment. It’s a mirror held up to society, reflecting the issues we wrestle with every day: corruption, inequality, power, and redemption.’ Greig has written two successful crime series with Scottish detectives at the fore. ‘Writing crime stories allows me to explore themes of justice, morality, and consequence in a way that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.’

As for me, I never meant to write crime fiction and didn’t really read much of it either, until after I got published. In fact it was my agent who told me I had to read it, and it was also my agent who told me that’s what I‘d written! Confession: back then, the book snob in me was disappointed to be classed as a crime writer. But as the years have gone on I’ve come to understand that it’s a hugely diverse genre that I’m proud to be part of.

So far the four books I’ve written have been classed as psychological thrillers but that’s just one of many sub-genres within the crime writing world.

Award-winning author Deborah Masson started her career with a detective series but her latest book, I’ll Be Watching You, is a standalone novel about a CCTV operator in Aberdeen. I asked her why people want to read crime stories. She says: ‘Whether it’s being wrapped up in the mystery of a situation or exploring what makes the mind of a criminal tick, you read it safe in the knowledge that a resolution of some kind will be found - a promise not always kept in real life.’

Award-winning Scottish writer Jonathan Whitelaw writes cosy crime set in northern England. He describes crime fiction as ‘escapism and the human condition all rolled into one’ and says he’s ‘incredibly proud’  to be called a crime writer. ‘It’s a genre of fiction with such a rich melting pot of backgrounds, experiences and brilliant people, all working in a creative medium that stretches from the inane and absurd to the powerfully emotional and personal.’

Another crime writer who breaks the mould is Edinburgh writer Olga Wojtas author of acclaimed author of the ‘original and very funny’ Miss Blaine’s Prefect series. She says: ‘I think the biggest misconception is that crime fiction is one particular type of writing, either gritty noir or golden age. I'm proud to be classed as a crime writer.’

This sentiment is echoed by Marion Todd, author of the bestselling D.I. Clare Mackay series. ‘For me it’s very simple. I like solving mysteries and seeing wrongdoing punished. Being a crime writer lets me indulge my passion for both while being part of the most supportive and exciting group of writers. It’s the best job in the world.'

I’d agree with that. I’ve gone from feeling mildly disappointed about being classed as a crime writer to being a great defender of the genre, in all its diversity. But at the end of the day, the key thing for me is the story itself. If I fall in love with characters, if I’m captivated by a plot, if I’m moved to tears or terrified by words on a page – then the author has done a good job. Humans love putting things into labelled boxes but there’s really no need with stories. Leave that to the publishers and the marketing teams.

Next time you visit a bookshop I suggest you leave your preconceptions at the door, and head for the crime section. You might just find the greatest love stories ever told.

So what about you - why do you read crime fiction? And what would you say those who brand it as trash? Would love to know your feelings on the subject. Comments below!