The Rise and Fall of the British Detective Novel
3 days ago
- #crime-novels
- #detective-fiction
- #british-literature
- The British detective novel flourished between 1910 and 1950, reflecting middle-class fascination with upper-class murder mysteries solved by amateur detectives.
- Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle, became the archetype of the brilliant private detective, influencing countless writers and shaping perceptions of Victorian England.
- The 'golden age' of detective fiction featured authors like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Freeman Wills Crofts, whose works were central to middle-class culture.
- Detective novels often depicted societal prejudices, including stereotypes of country folk, servants, and foreigners, though antisemitic portrayals diminished as Nazi atrocities became known.
- American 'hard-boiled' detective fiction, exemplified by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, introduced violence, left-wing critiques, and a rejection of authority, contrasting with British conservatism.
- By the 1960s, the classical British detective story declined, giving way to police procedurals, more explicit content, and the influence of Ian Fleming's James Bond series.
- The genre's evolution mirrored broader societal shifts, including declining faith in rationality, science, and the justice system, culminating in the abolition of capital punishment in 1964.