British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia

This two-volume encyclopedia presents the most comprehensive view of British crime-writing (both fiction and true crime) yet to appear. Written by a distinguished cast of authors, including many of the top British crime-writers themselves, such as Andrew Taylor, Laura Wilson, Jessica Mann and Natasha Cooper, it examines every aspect of the subject, from its origins in the mid-nineteenth century, via the classic stories of Sherlock Holmes and the Golden Age of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers et al, to outstanding contemporary British writers such as P. D. James, Ruth Rendell and Ian Rankin. Every key writer is covered here, along with all the important one-shot and fringe authors. Additionally, there are articles on film scripts, TV series, topics and a variety of sub-genres. Longer discursive essays on key themes ('Social comment in crime fiction', 'Crime fiction and sexuality' and many others) add stimulating and lively debate. At a time when classic British crime fiction is enjoying greater popularity than ever (and television incarnations of such Brit classics as Sherlock Holmes and Jane Marple proliferate, along with more recent coppers such as the tough Inspector Rebus), innovative forms and styles are taking crime fiction in new directions. Writers of science fiction tailoring their cloth to a more profitable discipline have powered a growth in high-tech crime thrillers; women writers have tackled issues of violence and sexuality in breathtakingly direct ways. The encyclopedia covers all new developments, as well as examining traditional genres, such as espionage, historical crime, clerical crime, crime in academe, noir (and tart noir), literary crime and true crime. The result isa synthesis of the scholarly and the lively - making this the perfect guide for those wanting reliable information or looking for stimulating analysis or interested in tips for great novels to put on their reading lists. Barry Forshaw is one of Britain's leading critics of crime fiction. He is the editor of Crime Time magazine, and has reviewed for the UK's Independent, Express and Times newspapers; he is the author of The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction.