From “Sherlock Holmes” to “Criminal Minds,” mystery and detective stories have captivated audiences for decades. The feeling of being held in suspense before having your predictions come true is addicting for many, and it turns out the motivation is not just simple satisfaction but on the psychological level instead.
Though it may sound counter-intuitive, people are generally more drawn to the things they are unfamiliar with. Human curiosity and the natural desire to learn often encourage people to pursue the missing elements of a story and receive gratification when information is finally revealed. In the case of detective mystery plots, audiences are drawn in by the initial lack of context, but the process of cognitive and emotional engagement as well as the ending resolution ensure they come back for more. The mystery genre engages audiences in a way others do not – they force the reader to be active participants in the story, becoming a detective themselves to reach closure in the end.
Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. The age-old proverb sums up why mysteries are so alluring. People’s innate curiosity is part of what has inspired humanity to make discoveries, be innovative, and create new things. In the case of mystery novels, authors intentionally craft the story so that the reader lacks key pieces of information that they must uncover throughout the course of the book. Human desire to fill in the gaps of the story keeps audiences invested in the plot, as they are in anticipation of what will come next. This process can fall under the category of incentive salience. Though typically applied to the psychological desire to seek physical rewards, like food and water, it can also be applied to seeking intellectual or emotional rewards, which mystery novels provide.
“The mystery genre engages audiences in a way others do not – it forces the reader to actively participate in the story, becoming a detective themselves to reach closure in the end.”
Discovering the missing information comes with a considerable period of uncertainty. Though the reader may have an understanding of how the story is developing and further predictions, they cannot be sure of the outcome without reaching the end. Even though this uncertainty would seem to make the reader feel unease, it actually promotes positive moods while reading, especially when the reader is expecting a satisfying ending to the story. The pleasure provided by the uncertainty couples with the relaxing effects the “detective work” of mystery brings. Similar to other types of puzzles, mysteries can help lower anxiety and stress by giving the readers something else to focus on. The embedded puzzle solving in mysteries along with the captivating worldbuilding allow readers to escape from the mundanity of day-to-day life. By reading mystery novels, readers are constantly engaged in interpreting the events of the story, a character’s actions, or the clues provided by the setting. Readers essentially act alongside the protagonists and other characters of the story, going along step by step to reach the finale.
As most mysteries close, all the pieces begin to align, providing readers yet another reason to continue reading. Unlike other genres, by the end of the story, readers can interpret most aspects of the story and link them back to the main plot. Small nuances in a character’s actions, symbols used for foreshadowing, or certain syntax consistently used can all be traced back to how they contributed to the resolution of the story. The satisfaction readers achieve when they realize their analysis was accurate keeps them hooked to the genre, wanting to have the same experience again.
When examining mystery’s appeal, what really keeps readers coming back is their natural curiosity regarding the story in front of them. Though these psychological effects can directly be linked to the sensations experienced when reading mystery, they are what has allowed humans to advance in society. The innate desire to know more, investigate, and analyze information is what makes us human.