: Re: Is it possible to write about failed detective novel? All detective novel ends with the killer caught, right? Is it possible to write a completely bad ending detective novel? Imagine the Titanic
I can think of a few detective stories where the protagonist is fooled by the real criminal, who ends up escaping at the end.
Having the protagonist be killed by the murderer is more unheard of, however. This is mostly because it leaves the story with no other option than being open ended; there is no closure or fulfillment at the end of the story.
Even in stories where the killer gets away, the majority of the time the investigator ends up realizing who the killer was a second too late, so the murderer gets away with it whilst the reader feels like the detective achieved the discovery. This provides fulfillment, whilst leaving the option open for a sequel so the protagonist can continue their hunt for the perpetrator.
There are also probably also detective novels where the lead investigator who isn't the protagonist gets killed, and then the main character will take up the role in order to get revenge.
There are also examples of the protagonist dying alongside the antagonist, usually by sacrificing themselves in order to trade their own life for justice, which would also provide a satisfying end for the reader.
The problem with having the killer kill the protagonist is that to continue the story, the writer needs to have a new, unfamiliar character continue the story. As detective novels go, they usually revolve around a strong protagonist figure who has a complex background, and just inventing another that is equally as popular to the reader would be unnecessarily difficult.
There may be examples of what you're looking for, however there is a reason they would be a rare occurrence in the genre. The only way that a story like that can end is with no closure for the reader, as the entire investigation would have been in vain if the killer gets away and some other Joe Stranger continues the investigation.
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