Red Dragon again features an omniscient narration which travels easily between scenes and the thoughts and emotions of characters. Will Graham's skill at reconstructing murder scenes allows us to experience the crimes almost firsthand, a feeling which must be almost as disconcerting to us as to Graham, while the lunar cycle provides a time element which lends great suspense to the pursuit of the Red Dragon.

As in Black Sunday (1975), Harris provides authentic details to ground his story in seeming reality. The use of psychological terms and police procedure are particularly valuable in giving a sense of reality to the novel.