I know this is probably a common topic. For me, I’m not sure if it’s a “trope” or just totally misinformed writing, but it’s how many authors approach alcoholism. Some examples are Girl on the Train and The House Across the Lake, among HUNDREDS. If anyone else here has struggled with alcoholism, you know it’s not just "i woke up after downing an entire bottle of whiskey but was able to shower, down a cup of coffee, and solve a murder. "
The main character/victim/estranged spouse (who was never physically present) was the culprit! Essentially when the culprit is anyone outside the range of the newly introduced cast of characters. I didnt mind them the first time, but I got tired of suspects being introduced to us, only for every single one to be red herrings. Tiresome.
One of the worst books I have ever read was The New Neighbor, by Karen Cleveland.
The world’s stupidest FBI agent meets the world’s dumbest CIA agent. Together, they accuse literally every named character in the book of being a terrorist. One at a time. It is as tedious as you think it is. “Let’s see, we’re 2/3 of the way through the book and the main moron is on her fifth accusation. I’m sure this is the one!”
It’s okay, though. Because apparently if a CIA agent accuses you of being an international terrorist with a body count a mile long, you can just say “nuh-uh” and the CIA agent has to go away. Legally.
Not gonna lie, that sounds like a good comedy. I‘d totally read a book where the blurb would go „What happens when the most stupidest FBI agent meets the dumbest CIA agent?!“ Sounds like fun times.
If they made a TV series of that, i’d watch it.
Why would you finish that book? Haha. Have you ever just gave up and put the book down? I’m trying to think of one, but I even finished The Awakening by Kate Chopin for a school project. I never finished Book 7 of a Song of Fire and Ice but that was only because I left the book on an airplane. I only had like 20 pages left anyway
It worked well with the book >!The Murder of Roger Ackroyd!< since at that point, it was a firmly established rule of the mystery genre that the narrator couldn’t be the killer of the story. In fact, >!Agatha Christie!< was a member of the Detection Club which practiced the Knox Decalogue of mystery rules, one of which was “The Narrator can’t be the killer”.
Also, there was an episode of the TV series McDonald & Dodds that does this rather well and makes perfect sense in context. >!The “Victim” was a social media influencer who wanted to quit but was being stalked by an obsessive fan so made use of an upcoming plastic surgery procedure to switch places with the fan to make her think she could get a procedure for free, instead using it as a means of murdering the fan and faking her own death as she fled the country.!<
That book did it so well. I was convinced up until the end that the murderer was >!Dr Sheppard’s sister!<