With plenty of people confined to their homes these days, it’s not a huge surprise to hear that the demand for gripping reads has increased. So it comes as little surprise to hear that serialized fiction is making a high-profile return. In bygone times, serialized fiction was how some pre-eminent writers made their mark on culture, Charles Dickens being one of the most famous examples.
There have been a few other high-profile serial novels released in more recent years: Stephen King’s The Green Mile is probably the most famous example. And the format has its proponents through the present day — an op-ed in The Washington Post from 2015 called for a return to the heyday of serialized fiction. And in 2018, an essay in The Guardian suggested that the growing audience for podcasts suggested that the time was right for a serial fiction revival.
Turns out that day might be upon us. At Nieman Lab, Joshua Benton reports the Boston Globe is publishing a crime novella by Ben Mezrich in serial format. Mezrich, a Boston local, has written both fiction and nonfiction to great acclaim; he’s also the author of books adapted for films like The Social Network and 21.
Mezrich’s novella, The Mechanic, abounds with gamblers, stolen art and a centuries-old mystery — the sort of ingredients for a heady and eminently readable story. It’s also not the only high-profile work of serial fiction out there right now — Lena Dunham is also working on a serial novel to be published online at Vogue‘s website.
At its best, serialized fiction offers a blend of gripping storytelling and a hook to keep the reader coming back for the next installment. It’s not hard to see why plenty of readers would have an appetite for both right about now.
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