Any writer or reader of crime fiction will tell you that location is important. It has a huge impact on story, on character, and on the overall tone of a novel. It helps to shape the crimes and the subsequent investigation that takes place, and it can also help authors to create their own niche or writing identity.

For example, when we think of Ian Rankin’s detective Rebus, we think of Edinburgh. When we think of Morse, we think of Oxford. Places become caught up in crime fiction, and they end up becoming characters in their own right, adding another layer of depth and intrigue to proceedings.

Location also acts as an interesting backdrop to crime novels. Scandinavian crime thrillers are a good example of this, with writers such as Camilla Lackberg making use of the landscape to add to the story (interestingly, since Camilla Lackberg started writing her crime series set in the small Swedish town of Fjallbacka, it has apparently become something of a tourist attraction, showing the power that decisions on location can have).

Where an author chooses to set a novel, and how they describe that setting, also has a big impact on how a reader relates to the novel. Even if a reader has never been to a place described in a book, they need to be able to believe in it. They need to be able to picture it and imagine the action taking place there. A mis-step on the part of the author, either in selecting the location in the first place or in selling it through their prose, could lead to a novel falling flat and failing to chime with readers.

Setting is also a great chance to create some atmosphere and tension, such as Agatha Christie’s train in Murder on the Orient Express. It doesn’t just have a bearing on where the story takes place, but also how it unfolds and how the characters interact with one another as a result – and how they react.

Overall, the choice of location is a vital one in crime fiction, and it has an impact on every other element of the story. Get it wrong and the novel won’t work. Get it right and it can help the novel come to life.

What are your favourite settings or locations used in crime fiction?