Mystery fiction is a popular genre centered around a crime, often murder. It has evolved from classic locked room and hard-boiled mysteries to more realistic police procedural and forensic-based stories. Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle were early pioneers, while Agatha Christie and Dashiell Hammett were popular in the early 20th century. The genre has inspired films, TV shows, and serial fiction featuring enduring characters. Modern mystery fiction often features law enforcement and forensic science, with popular examples including the CSI franchise and Patricia Cornwell’s Dr. Kay Scarpetta series.
Mystery fiction is a popular literary genre set around a crime, usually a murder or a series of murders. Classic types of this genre include locked room, parlor, and hard-boiled mysteries. More realistic mysteries have emerged in recent years that reflect the police’s investigative and forensic methods of solving crimes. A pioneer in novels and short fiction in the 1800s, the genre has inspired films, television and radio series, and serial fiction featuring enduring and well-known characters. These characters, usually professional or amateur detectives, outwit criminals and solve crimes. The writer of the story often plants clues to the mystery, challenging readers or viewers to guess the outcome first. This puzzle element contributes to the enduring popularity of mystery novels of various genres.
Although crime and murder had been elements in stories for hundreds of years, mystery fiction did not exist as a genre until Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Murders in the Rue Morgue debuted in 1841. This was a stanza-based mystery closed, in which the method of committing the crime was as much a mystery as the identity of the criminal. This has remained a popular type of fiction ever since. The first true master of the mystery story was the British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, whose story A Study in Scarlet appeared in 1887. He introduced Sherlock Holmes, who quickly became the classic detective character and who remains wildly popular more than a century later.
In the early 20th century, British fans of mystery fiction preferred to read about sophisticated and educated detectives, suspects and victims. The master of these so-called salons or intimate mysteries was Agatha Christie, who eventually became one of the best-selling authors in the world. Meanwhile, the American public was thrilled by the hard-boiled mysteries found in pulp detective magazines. Heroes like Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade and Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe sometimes worked outside the law to find justice. Juvenile mysteries featuring the likes of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys also thrived during this time.
By the late 20th century, elements of mystery fiction had become formulaic and easy to fake. This has led to many mystery comedies in film and television, while some writers have opted for a more realistic approach. Police procedural portrayed crime and detection the way it takes place in the real world, with modern police techniques. Ed McBain’s 20th Precinct novels were the classic literary examples, while the show Hill Street Blues brought the concept to television. Meanwhile, writers like Ross Macdonald, Rex Stout, and Robert B. Parker have kept the classic mystery novel alive.
As the new century dawned, the popularity of law enforcement combined with the growing public interest in forensic science. This led to another form of mystery fiction, with detectives who were coroners or coroners. Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the hero of Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling mystery series, was the main literary character. A wave of similar TV series dominated the television ratings, including the CSI franchise and Bones. Even Sherlock Holmes was brought back to life for TV in 2010 as a tech-savvy detective in modern-day London.
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