Netla, what do you mean by "inverted"?

Inverted detective stories are when the story begins with the crime (sometimes the planning of the crime) and the reader usually knows who the criminal is. The interest is in seeing how the detective solves the case.

Here is a link that might be useful: Inverted detective stories

Interesting. I'm not sure, but possibly Donna Tartt's "A Secret History" might qualify.

Netla, re caper stories, have you read Donald E. Westlake's Kahawa? It's a favorite of mine.

I'm sure I didnt' get what "caper" is supposed to mean, but have you ever tried Margaret Doody books? She is a university professor of "compared- literature", and his book are cozy and well historical detailed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Doody

grelobe

Here is a link that might be useful: Aristotle Detective

Frieda, I haven't read any Westlake, although I have seen a couple of movies based on his books. I do have a number of his books on my BookMooch wishlist. I will add Kahawa.

Grelobe, caper stories are stories about criminals and their crimes. I can't think of a book as an example, but a couple of movies that are perfect examples are Ocean's Eleven and The Italian Job.

probably you already know it
but I think "Great Train Robbery" by Michael Crichton should fit your quest

grelobe

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Train Robbery

Grelobe, I think The Great Train Robbery was the first ever caper story I read. Maybe it's time to revisit it - I remember it as being quite good.

Have you read "Penhallow" by Georgette Heyer? It will tell you who and why once the scene has been set. The outcome has an unusual twist for a murder story written in the early 1940s.
One of Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe books also tells you the name of the murderer at the beginning but in such a sneaky way! I'm not telling you which one, it would spoil the surprise. You will have to read the books until you find that one!

Ann, I have been trying to get my hands on Penhallow for a while now - I'm collecting Heyer. I'll probably break down and buy it if I can get it from BookMooch.

I have a version of an inverted mystery-extracts from a killer's diary- on bookmooch-Such is Death by Leo Bruce.

Netla, even after reading the definition of an 'inverted' detective story, I'm not positive I can identify one correctly. But I just finished a most peculiar crime-mystery novel that might qualify: The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor by Cameron Cabe. Have you read it?

It was originally published in 1937 (my copy is a later Penguin). Anyway, the narrative is that of the killer, but then something happens to him and the narrative is taken up by the policeman who had been shadowing this killer. All I can say is either this was way ahead of its time or it's a real oddball (but an interesting one).

Netla, I am not sure if these qualify, but have you tried Erik Larson? He writes non-fiction. His Devil in the White City mixes the history/planning of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with a mass murderer living mere blocks away. We know "whodunnit" from the beginning, but Larson takes us on the investigation to capture the man.

The same goes for Thunderstruck. This one takes place in London and combines Marconi's invention of the wireless with Dr. Crippen who murdered his wife. The bits about the wireless got me bogged down for a bit, but then I found the book irresistible.

PAM

Thanks for the suggestions. I will check out the titles mentioned and see if the library has them (or BookMooch).

Frieda,
You reminded me about "The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor" and my consternation while reading it, and thereafter. I did page through the book again to see if I had missed something critical, but no joy. Yes, it was a very strange story.
Regards,
Bob