Module Content and Indicative Topics

Since its 'invention' in the nineteenth century, detective fiction (or more broadly, crime fiction) has grown to be one of the best-selling fictional genres worldwide. In this module, you will explore how the detective novel has been appropriated by crime writers from different European countries as an instrument of social critique, philosophical reflection or even as a form of alternative historiography.

You will be provided with an overview of the evolution of the genre from the foundational stories of Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle to postmodern crime writing, passing through important sub-genres such as the clue-puzzle and the hard-boiled, or noir, novel. You will study the historical and cultural contexts that have contributed to shape form and ideology in crime literature. You will also learn about the narratology of detective fiction (i.e. a technical understanding of how “plot” is constructed) that will stand in good stead for your other literary studies.

The module will cover the following topics, which may be subject to variation depending on developments in academic research and the interests of the class:


 Inception and evolution of the detective novel;
 
 
 Critical approaches to crime fiction;
 

 Notions of genre;
 
 
 Representation of history and memory;
 
 
 Representation of cultural, social and political issues;
 
 
 Postmodernism;
 
 
 Gender;
 

 General study of narrative (‘narratology’).
 
Teaching Delivery

The module will be taught with a combination of lectures and small class seminars. Lectures will elaborate some of the broad themes of crime fiction and provide background to the set texts that you will be studying during the seminars. In the seminars, you will be reading, analysing and assessing novels from different European traditions.

By the end of the module, you should:


 Acquire a broad knowledge of the development of detective fiction;
 
 
 Be able to recognise detective fiction generic conventions and contextualize their evolution;
 
 
 Understand the cultural, social and political content of crime literature;
 
 
 Develop the ability to approach, analyse and compare texts;
 
 
 Develop the ability to discuss study material in a written and oral manner through commentaries, presentations, in-class seminars;
 

 Develop understanding of key critical concepts, laying the foundation for further literary studies.
 
Recommended Reading

There is a vast scholarly literature on the themes covered by this module. A number of readings will be made available online and introduce you to the most important scholarly contributions to the topics. We will also make use of high-quality online resources. A comprehensive reading list for your classes and your coursework will be posted on Moodle but, in preparation for the module, we advise reading the following texts:


 Richard Bradford, Crime Fiction: A Very Short Introduction, (OUP, 2005);
 

 Steven Knight, Crime Fiction Since 1800: Detection, Death, Diversity, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010);
 
 
 John Scaggs, Crime Fiction, (Routledge, 2005);
 
 
 Heather Worthington, Key Concepts in Crime Fiction, (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011).
 
Trigger Warnings:

Please note that some texts contain graphic descriptions of violence.

Please note: This module description is accurate at the time of publication. Amendments may be made prior to the start of the academic year.