crimefantasy

Crimefantasy is a literary genre that blends elements of crime fiction with fantasy or supernatural elements. In crimefantasy, investigators solve crimes or navigate criminal worlds, while magic, mythical beings, or alternate realities play a role in the plot, setting, or rules of the world. The blend can range from detective stories in magical cities to noir-adjacent thrillers where spells or prophecies affect evidence, motives, or alibis. Distinctive features include complex plots with clues and red herrings, world-building that places investigators in magical jurisdictions, and a tone that can be hardboiled, wry, or darkly atmospheric.

Subgenres and variations include urban fantasy crime, where detectives operate in contemporary cities with magic; dark fantasy noir where crime involves supernatural forces; and portal or alternate-world thrillers where legal systems differ across realms. The genre often explores themes such as power and secrecy, the limits of law, ethics of magic use, and the social implications of magical societies.

Notable works and authors include The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, which popularized the modern urban fantasy crime hybrid and centers on a wizard-detective in Chicago; The City & The City by China Miéville, which uses a crime investigation set in two overlapping, unknowingly separated cities; and the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch, which combines police procedure with urban magic in a contemporary London setting.

Reception varies; readers value inventive world-building and clever investigations, while some critics argue the blend can dilute or complicate traditional crime or fantasy elements.