Classic Detective Fiction

Are you the next Hercule Poirot? A budding Sherlock Holmes? Embrace your inner Dick Tracy and dive into the world of detective fiction!

Explore the back-stories of some of the earliest examples of crime fiction

This course delves deep into the evolution of the crime fiction genre from the early nineteenth century to the present day with a focus on detective novels. Many of these novels shaped the way we think about reading, and have engaged generations of readers from childhood through to our twilight years.

Did you know that over 2 billion copies of Agatha Christie’s detective novels are estimated to have been sold? [1]

On this course you will develop advanced skills in analysing and contextualising crime fiction texts from the UK, the US, Australia and beyond.

Join us and embark on the fascinating tale behind the twist.

This course is made for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of crime fiction.

Avid readers and true crime connoisseurs should find a lot to engage them here.

• Poe, The Murders in the Rue Morgue
• Background Check
• What is Crime Fiction?
• Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"
• Clues and Narrative Structure
• Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four (I)
• Arthur Conan Doyle
• Preliminary Analysis
• Todorov's Typology
• Story and Discourse in The Sign of Four
• Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four (II)
• Class, Race, Empire and the City
• Status Symbols
• Social Topography
• A Race to the Bottom