Murder from an Academic Angle: An Introduction to the Study of the Detective Narrative

Abstract

Dr Pyrhonen's innovative study is the first comprehensive overview and analysis of the academic reception of the eternally popular detective story; the discussion, using both a chronological and thematic approach, considers the changing views, and methods of analysis, of this fascinating genre. The author begins by tracing the development of detective fiction criticism from its beginnings, often written by its best authors, such as Dorothy L. Sayers; goes on to examine the structuralists' and narratologists' interest in the genre as a test case for various theories of reading; and finally outlines the current debates about the ideological underpinnings of detective fiction and its relationship to 'serious' literature. This book will be of interest not only to students and scholars of literature, but also to the countless devotees of the detective story. Dr Pyrhonen teaches literature at the University of Helsinki in the Department of Comparative Literature and Theatre Research.