FutureLearn

Classic Detective Fiction (FutureLearn)

Offered by The University of Newcastle, Australia,
Classic Detective Fiction (FutureLearn)

Develop detailed knowledge of one of the most popular and widely read literary sub-genres of crime 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.

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

What topics will you cover?

  • The early history of detective fiction
  • Detective fiction sub-genres
  • Reading detective fiction
  • Plots and narrative structures
  • Classic detective fiction devices

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Discuss the history of crime fiction and some of the key crime fiction subgenres.
  • Explore the key formal, thematic and contextual characteristic of individual crime fiction texts.
  • Investigate crime fiction texts in relation to their genre and the idea of genre evolution.
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