The Crime Fiction Handbook presents a comprehensive introduction to the origins, development, and cultural significance of the crime fiction genre, focusing mainly on American British, and Scandinavian texts.
Provides an accessible and well-written introduction to the genre of crime fiction
Moves with ease between a general overview of the genre and useful theoretical approaches
Includes a close analysis of the key texts in the crime fiction tradition
Identifies what makes crime fiction of such cultural importance and illuminates the social and political anxieties at its heart.
Shows the similarities and differences between British, American, and Scandinavian crime fiction traditions
About the Author
Peter Messent is Emeritus Professor of Modern American Literature at the University of Nottingham. A specialist on Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and crime fiction, he has published numerous books and articles on a variety of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American writers. His most recent publication is the prize-winning book Mark Twain and Male Friendship (2009).
