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I had noticed earlier that three of the four book club selections so far this year have been mysteries; what I just realized is that all three were written by authors of a different race/ethnicity than their protagonist/hero.
I'm toying with this idea now, wondering why an author chooses to get outside his own skin, so to speak. I don't have an issue with the concept on political grounds. Why not? Imagination and empathy should be part of the artist's arsenal. Does the writer bring some new insight from the perspective of the outsider? Is it the lure of the exotic that appeals?
It's not a decision without risk, though. I found The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency stereotyped and patronizing. On the other hand, I think Aaronovitch and Stabenow pull it off.
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