Notable Mystery & Detective Fiction Writers

This new, two-volume title features the best crime writers—both classic and contemporary.

An incredibly popular genre, crime fiction encompasses both mystery (whodunit) stories that keep readers in suspense and detective fiction which is usually marked by a struggle between good (the law) and evil (the criminal). Each of the more than 300 essays includes a comprehensive overview of the lives of the featured author as well as a detailed look at his or her significant works.

Coverage includes the following classic and more recent crime writers:

• Raymond Chandler
• Edgar Allen Poe
• Agatha Christie
• Dashiell Hammett
• Megan Abbott
• Mary Higgins Clark
• Gillian Flynn
• Shirley Jackson
• Asa Larsson
• Steig Larsson
• Anne Perry
• Attica Locke
• J. K. Rowling and more

In addition to essays on individual writers, Notable Crime Fiction Writers includes a number of essays that survey groups of writers who are not treated at length in their own essays. Survey essays cover crime writers whose detectives fall into various groups, including LGBTQ detectives, African American detectives, Asian detectives, Scandinavian detectives, and detectives with disabilities.

All individual writer essays are clearly separated into three parts: Contribution indicates the author’s unique place in crime fiction; Biography summarizes the author’s life, specifically events that led or contributed to their writing; and Analysis provides an overview of the author’s work, detailing themes, motifs, and style. Additional features include birth/death dates, pseudonyms, type of plots, lists of significant works, and annotated bibliography. Back matter includes Terms & Techniques, Crime Fiction Jargon, Timeline of Crime Fiction, and several indexes.