Romance Mystery Books Suggestions

Long ago, the gothic novel was wildly popular. In a gothic, a meek naive young woman comes to stay at a lonely isolated mansion. The mansion is ruled by an autocratic, arrogant, brooding handsome man. At some point in the story, the heroine, in the middle of a violent storm, hears screaming from the attic. She takes a candle and goes alone up the stairs to investigate. Meanwhile the reader is screaming DON'T GO. The hero rescues the sweet young girl from the evil in the attic and pledges his undying devotion.

This type of story fell flat on its face with the rise of women's liberation. After a decent interval, it was replaced by the modern gothic. In this, the young woman is not so naive. She's spunky, resourceful, and never goes up dark staircases alone with a candle unless it is absolutely the only option open to her. If she must go, she takes a flashlight, her cell phone and her knowledge of karate.

From the popularity of gothics rose the novel of romantic suspense, in which love and mystery are hopelessly entwined. Beginning in 1943, Phyllis Whitney wrote modern Gothic mysteries aimed at a female audience. From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Mary Stewart created suspense novels with a pronounced romantic element. Mary Higgins Clark put a new spin on romantic suspense, and created the woman-in-jeopardy novel in the 1970s. The success of the romantic mystery encouraged Harlequin to produce Harlequin Intrigue, a monthly line of romances featuring a mystery story.