Crime Fiction Vocabulary

noun a frivolous escapade or prank

verb to skip or dance in a lively or playful way

• The chef prepared a delicious dish using capers as a key ingredient.
• Let's add some capers to the salad for extra flavor.
• I'm not a fan of capers, they taste weird to me.
• The spy's latest caper involved stealing classified documents from the enemy's headquarters.

noun a slang term for a detective or investigator

• The gumshoe detective carefully examined the crime scene for any clues.
• I heard that gumshoe is on the case to find out who stole the cookies from the break room.
• The gumshoe managed to crack the case and bring the culprit to justice.
• She had a reputation for being a gumshoe when it came to uncovering gossip in the office.

noun a person who engages in crime and violence; a thug or gangster

• The police arrested a suspected hoodlum in connection with the robbery.
• I heard that some hoodlum broke into the old warehouse last night.
• That hoodlum is always causing trouble in the neighborhood.
• The darkness of the night seemed to cloak the city in a shroud of hoodlums.

noun a member of the Mafia or a similar criminal organization, typically a man who is ruthless and willing to use violence to achieve his goals

• The Mafioso was known for his organized crime operations in the city.
• I heard that Joey is hanging out with some Mafioso guys now.
• Watch out for that Mafioso, he's trouble.
• She's like a Mafioso when it comes to protecting her family.

noun a member of a criminal gang, especially a mafia

• The mobster was arrested for his involvement in illegal activities.
• I heard that mobster got busted for running a gambling ring.
• That mobster is one shady character, watch your back around him.
• The ruthless businessman was like a mobster in a suit, always looking for ways to make a profit at any cost.

verb to steal, especially in a sneaky or dishonest way

• The thief attempted to purloin the valuable painting from the museum.
• I heard someone tried to purloin some money from the cash register at the store.
• She managed to purloin some snacks from the vending machine without anyone noticing.
• He tried to purloin her heart with his charming words.

noun A female assassin hired to kill someone

• The hitwoman was hired to eliminate the target discreetly.
• I heard the hitwoman is in town to take care of some business.
• That hitwoman is one tough cookie, you don't want to mess with her.
• She was like a hitwoman, swiftly taking down any obstacles in her way.

noun a South African slang term for a dishonest or untrustworthy person

• The police were able to apprehend the skelm who had been evading capture for months.
• I heard that guy is a real skelm, always up to no good.
• Don't trust that skelm, he's known for being sneaky and deceitful.
• In the world of politics, there are often skelms who manipulate situations for their own benefit.

noun a genre of fiction that combines elements of suspense and thriller with gripping storytelling

adjective describing a type of literature that is suspenseful and thrilling

• The success of grip-lit novels has led to an increase in demand for this genre among readers.
• I love getting lost in a good grip-lit book on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
• Grip-lit is my go-to genre when I need a break from reality.
• The author's writing style in grip-lit novels really has a strong grip on the reader's emotions.

noun a government agent, especially a FBI agent

• The G-man was a key witness in the federal investigation.
• I heard the G-man is testifying in court next week.
• The G-man busted the criminal ring wide open.
• He's like a G-man, always watching and gathering information.