Mystery Mythology

Consider Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, where a boy discovers he’s the son of Poseidon and soon finds himself embroiled in a world of gods and monsters. Sure, it’s primarily an adventure series, but dig a bit deeper and what do you find? Mysteries. Who stole Zeus’s lightning bolt? Who’s trying to start a war among the gods? These are not simple questions and require a detective’s touch.

But Percy isn’t the only mythological figure playing detective. Let’s traverse the realm of TV and films for a moment. The TV series Lucifer became a sensation by merging Christian lore with crime-solving. Lucifer Morningstar, the Devil, grows bored of his infernal duties and relocates to Los Angeles to run a nightclub. However, soon he’s solving homicides with the LAPD. The mysteries he solves are not just murders but also pertain to his existence, his family, and his eternal fate. Merging the Biblical tales with detective drama creates a cocktail that’s hard to resist.

Then there’s Neil Gaiman’s celebrated novel, American Gods. In this story, the gods of old — Norse, Egyptian, and more — find themselves on the brink of irrelevance in the modern world. They’re literally and metaphorically lost, leading to mysteries that blend the ancient with the contemporary. What does a god do when lost in the modern world? Some choose to adapt, while others plot a comeback, leading to a shadowy conspiracy that takes detective work to unravel.

The arena of mystery fiction hasn’t been limited to just the gods either. Monsters, those often-misunderstood beings, have tried their hands — or claws — at solving mysteries too.

Remember Angel, the spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer? The vampire with a soul, Angel, moves to LA and becomes a detective to seek redemption. He takes on cases that often merge the supernatural with the everyday. The city’s dark underbelly isn’t just gangs and crimes; it’s also demons and ancient prophecies. The lore is vast and the mysteries deeper, with monsters becoming the seekers of truth.

Perhaps one of the most inventive mash-ups of mythological beings and mystery is the book The Last Wish, introducing the character Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as the Witcher. Andrzej Sapkowski masterfully intertwines Slavic mythology with detective elements. Geralt often finds himself in situations where the line between monsters and humans blurs. Instead of just hacking and slashing, he’s frequently compelled to investigate, understand, and often sympathize with the very creatures he’s been hired to destroy.

But what makes this blend of mystery fiction and mythology so riveting? Well, it’s the sheer unpredictability of it. Traditional detective stories have a structure — a crime, a list of suspects, red herrings, and a reveal. But throw in a god or a monster, and the rules change. The motivations aren’t just human desires of love, money, or revenge. It can be the whims of a god, the curse of a monster, or the complexities of ancient prophecies.

Moreover, the scales get grander. A mystery isn’t just about a stolen object or a murdered millionaire; it’s about the balance of the universe, the fate of the realms, and the very fabric of reality.

It’s a blending of worlds where Sherlock Holmes could have a round-table discussion with Odin, where Hercule Poirot might find clues in the labyrinth of the Minotaur. It’s where the dark alleys of cities meet the ethereal glow of Mount Olympus.

This intertwining of genres serves to remind that at the heart of every legend, myth, and epic, there’s a kernel of mystery. Who betrayed whom? What caused the fall of an empire or the anger of a god? These questions have haunted humanity for ages. Today’s authors and filmmakers simply recognize this age-old allure and amplify it by giving these legendary figures a detective’s magnifying glass.

It’s a ride, a thrill, an adventure, and most of all, it’s a quest for the truth — be it in the realm of gods or the streets of a bustling city. So, the next time a book or show presents a deity or monster as a detective, remember: it’s not just a tale. It’s a journey into the vast tapestry of mysteries that have fascinated mankind since the dawn of time.