Hybrid fiction

[jasmine12]

One of the things I like to read is what I call "hybrid fiction." I'm not talking about historical novels that are both fictional and nonfictional. What I mean is novels that cross two different genres.

It could be a private eye story (mystery) that takes place in the future or on another planet (sci-fi or fantasy). Or it could be a romance novel that also dips into the horror genre. A good example of that is the Dark Hunter books of Sherrilyn Kenyon such as "Dark Side of the Moon" and "Devil May Cry." Another example is Stephen King's Dark Tower series which melds the western with fantasy and horror.

I find this kind of literary cross-breeding fascinating and I think it invigorates all of the genres represented.

Recently, I read a cool book by Dennie Kuhn called "The Alibi," which is essentially a cross between a legal thriller and science fiction. In it, a hot-shot lawyer has to defend a man accused of murdering his wife, but instead of copping an insanity plea, the defendant maintains that when the murder occurred, he was millions of miles away -- abducted by aliens. Everyone thinks he's wacko until it appears he can prove it.

Can anyone else recommend some interesting "hybrid" novels that mix genres?