The allure of a good mystery or crime fiction novel is often the puzzle that is set and then solved by the main investigator – usually a detective – who takes the praise and plaudits a hero deserves and wraps everything nicely up with a bow.
However, the way the genre has evolved and diverged over the years, the lines between good and evil, right and wrong, have become more blurred. This moral ambiguity has led to the rise of the noir sub-genre.
It’s no coincidence that ‘noir’ is a word meaning black or dark as this is very much at the heart of the inner-conflict of our so-called hero.
Often the central figure is a detective or other law enforcement figure who is brilliant yet flawed and walks a moral tightrope when he or she feels they are getting closer to cracking the case.
Readers are usually left with the impression that the ‘hero’ might be as likely to commit a crime as solve one.
Invariably, they are battling against some vice, whether it be drink, sex, gambling or a predilection for violence – which threatens to be their downfall at any point of the piece.
A good noir novel will combine deep, psychology examination of the main protagonist with suspenseful action.
A classic example of a modern noir protagonist is Harry Hole, the police inspector who features in many of the novels of Norwegian author Jo Nesbo.
Harry Hole is an alcoholic whose all-consuming methods often drag those around him into his self-destructive circle. He frequently compromises his own personal safety and bends the limits of the law to catch the criminal.
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