Mystery fiction  

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[[Image:Paget holmes.png|thumb|right|200px|[[Sherlock Holmes]] (right) and Dr. Watson, by [[Sidney Paget]]]] [[Image:Paget holmes.png|thumb|right|200px|[[Sherlock Holmes]] (right) and Dr. Watson, by [[Sidney Paget]]]]
{{Template}} {{Template}}
-:''[[Twenty rules for writing detective stories]]'' 
-{{Template}} 
-'''Mystery fiction''' is a loosely-defined term that is often used as a synonym of [[detective fiction]] — in other words a novel or short story in which a detective (either professional or amateur) solves a crime. The term "mystery fiction" may sometimes be limited to the subset of detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle element and its logical solution (cf. [[whodunit]]), as a contrast to [[hardboiled]] detective stories which focus on action and gritty realism. However, in more general usage "mystery" may be used to describe any form of [[crime fiction]], even if there is no mystery to be solved. 
-Although normally associated with the crime [[Literary genre|genre]], the term "mystery fiction" may in certain situations refer to a completely different genre, where the focus is on ''[[supernatural]]'' mystery (even if no crime is involved). This usage was common in the [[pulp magazine]]s of the 1930s and 1940s, where titles such as ''Dime Mystery'', ''Thrilling Mystery'' and ''Spicy Mystery'' offered what at the time were described as "[[weird menace]]" stories – [[supernatural horror]] in the vein of ''[[Grand Guignol]]''. This contrasted with parallel titles such as ''Dime Detective'', ''Thrilling Detective'' and ''Spicy Detective'', which contained conventional hardboiled crime fiction. The first use of "mystery" in this sense was by ''Dime Mystery'', which started out as an ordinary crime fiction magazine but switched to "weird menace" during the latter part of 1933.+'''Mystery fiction''' is a [[genre fiction|genre of fiction]] usually involving a [[mysterious]] [[death]] or a [[crime]] to be solved. In a closed circle of suspects, each suspect must have a credible motive and a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime. The central character must be a detective who eventually solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts fairly presented to the reader. Sometimes mystery books are [[non-fiction|nonfictional]]. "Mystery fiction" can be detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle or suspense element and its logical solution such as a [[whodunit]]. Mystery fiction can be contrasted with [[hardboiled]] detective stories, which focus on action and gritty realism.
-== See also ==+Mystery fiction may involve a ''[[supernatural]]'' or ''[[Thriller (genre)|thriller]]'' mystery where the solution does not have to be logical, and even no crime involved. This usage was common in the [[pulp magazine]]s of the 1930s and 1940s, where titles such as ''Dime Mystery'', ''Thrilling Mystery'' and ''Spicy Mystery'' offered what at the time were described as "[[weird menace]]" stories—supernatural horror in the vein of ''[[Grand Guignol]]''. This contrasted with parallel titles of the same names which contained conventional hardboiled crime fiction. The first use of "mystery" in this sense was by ''Dime Mystery'', which started out as an ordinary crime fiction magazine but switched to "weird menace" during the latter part of 1933.
-*[[Mystery]]+ 
-*''[[The Mysteries of Paris]]''+==Beginnings==
-*''[[W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism]]''+ 
-*[[Edgar Wallace Mysteries]]+The genre of mystery novels is a young form of literature that has developed over the past 200 years. The rise of literacy began in the years of the [[English Renaissance]] and, as people began to read over time, they became more individualistic in their thinking. As people became more individualistic in their thinking, they developed a respect for human reason and the ability to solve problems.
 + 
 +Perhaps a reason that mystery fiction was unheard of before the 1800s was due in part to the lack of true police forces. Before the Industrial Revolution, many of the towns would have constables and a night watchman at best. Naturally, the constable would be aware of every individual in the town, and crimes were either solved quickly or left unsolved entirely. As people began to crowd into cities, police forces became institutionalized and the need for detectives was realized – thus the mystery novel arose.
 + 
 +An early work of modern mystery fiction, ''[[Mademoiselle de Scuderi|Das Fräulein von Scuderi]]'' by [[E. T. A. Hoffmann]] (1819), was an influence on ''[[The Murders in the Rue Morgue]]'' by [[Edgar Allan Poe]] (1841) as may have been [[Voltaire]]'s [[Zadig]]. [[Wilkie Collins]]' epistolary novel ''[[The Woman in White (novel)|The Woman in White]]'' was published in 1860, while ''[[The Moonstone]]'' (1868), is often thought to be his masterpiece. In 1887 [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] introduced [[Sherlock Holmes]], whose mysteries are said to have been singularly responsible for the huge popularity in this genre. The genre began to expand near the turn of century with the development of [[dime novel]]s and [[pulp magazine]]s. Books were especially helpful to the genre, with many authors writing in the genre in the 1920s. An important contribution to mystery fiction in the 1920s was the development of the juvenile mystery by [[Edward Stratemeyer]]. Stratemeyer originally developed and wrote the [[Hardy Boys]] and [[Nancy Drew]] mysteries written under the [[Franklin W. Dixon]] and [[Carolyn Keene]] pseudonyms respectively (and were later written by his daughter, [[Harriet Adams]], and other authors). The 1920s also gave rise to one of the most popular mystery authors of all time, [[Agatha Christie]], whose works include ''[[Murder on the Orient Express]]'' (1934), ''[[Death on the Nile]]'' (1937), and the world's best-selling mystery ''[[And Then There Were None]]'' (1939).
 + 
 +The massive popularity of [[pulp magazine]]s in the 1930s and 1940s increased interest in mystery fiction. Pulp magazines decreased in popularity in the 1950s with the rise of [[television]] so much that the numerous titles available then are reduced to two today: ''[[Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine]]'' and ''[[Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine]]''. The [[detective fiction]] [[author]] [[Ellery Queen]] ([[pseudonym]] of [[Frederic Dannay]] and [[Manfred B. Lee]]) is also credited with continuing interest in mystery fiction.
 + 
 +Interest in mystery fiction continues to this day because of various television shows which have used mystery themes and the many juvenile and adult novels which continue to be published. There is some overlap with "thriller" or "suspense" novels and authors in those genres may consider themselves mystery novelists. [[Comic book]]s and like [[graphic novel]]s have carried on the tradition, and [[film adaptation]]s or the even more recent web-based detective series like [http://www.mehulkairav.com/ The Adventures of Mehul and Kairav], have helped to re-popularize the genre in recent times.
 + 
 +==Classifications==
 +Mystery fiction can be divided into numerous categories, including "[[traditional mystery]]", "[[legal thriller]]", "[[medical thriller]]", "[[cozy mystery]]", "[[police procedural]]", and "[[hardboiled]]".
 + 
 +==See also==
 +* [[Detective fiction]]
 +* [[Giallo]]
 +* [[List of crime writers]]
 +* [[Famous fictional detectives]]
 +* [[List of fictional detective teams]]
 +* [[List of mystery writers]]
 +* [[List of thriller authors]]
 +* [[Mystery]]
 +* [[Mystery film]]
 +* [[The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time]]
 +* [[Zadig]]
 +* [[Thriller (genre)]]
 +* ''[[The Mysteries of Paris]]''
 +* [[Edgar Wallace Mysteries]]
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}

Revision as of 11:21, 6 October 2015

Sherlock Holmes (right) and Dr. Watson, by Sidney Paget
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Sherlock Holmes (right) and Dr. Watson, by Sidney Paget

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Mystery fiction is a genre of fiction usually involving a mysterious death or a crime to be solved. In a closed circle of suspects, each suspect must have a credible motive and a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime. The central character must be a detective who eventually solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts fairly presented to the reader. Sometimes mystery books are nonfictional. "Mystery fiction" can be detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle or suspense element and its logical solution such as a whodunit. Mystery fiction can be contrasted with hardboiled detective stories, which focus on action and gritty realism.

Mystery fiction may involve a supernatural or thriller mystery where the solution does not have to be logical, and even no crime involved. This usage was common in the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s, where titles such as Dime Mystery, Thrilling Mystery and Spicy Mystery offered what at the time were described as "weird menace" stories—supernatural horror in the vein of Grand Guignol. This contrasted with parallel titles of the same names which contained conventional hardboiled crime fiction. The first use of "mystery" in this sense was by Dime Mystery, which started out as an ordinary crime fiction magazine but switched to "weird menace" during the latter part of 1933.

Beginnings

The genre of mystery novels is a young form of literature that has developed over the past 200 years. The rise of literacy began in the years of the English Renaissance and, as people began to read over time, they became more individualistic in their thinking. As people became more individualistic in their thinking, they developed a respect for human reason and the ability to solve problems.

Perhaps a reason that mystery fiction was unheard of before the 1800s was due in part to the lack of true police forces. Before the Industrial Revolution, many of the towns would have constables and a night watchman at best. Naturally, the constable would be aware of every individual in the town, and crimes were either solved quickly or left unsolved entirely. As people began to crowd into cities, police forces became institutionalized and the need for detectives was realized – thus the mystery novel arose.

An early work of modern mystery fiction, Das Fräulein von Scuderi by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1819), was an influence on The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (1841) as may have been Voltaire's Zadig. Wilkie Collins' epistolary novel The Woman in White was published in 1860, while The Moonstone (1868), is often thought to be his masterpiece. In 1887 Arthur Conan Doyle introduced Sherlock Holmes, whose mysteries are said to have been singularly responsible for the huge popularity in this genre. The genre began to expand near the turn of century with the development of dime novels and pulp magazines. Books were especially helpful to the genre, with many authors writing in the genre in the 1920s. An important contribution to mystery fiction in the 1920s was the development of the juvenile mystery by Edward Stratemeyer. Stratemeyer originally developed and wrote the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries written under the Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene pseudonyms respectively (and were later written by his daughter, Harriet Adams, and other authors). The 1920s also gave rise to one of the most popular mystery authors of all time, Agatha Christie, whose works include Murder on the Orient Express (1934), Death on the Nile (1937), and the world's best-selling mystery And Then There Were None (1939).

The massive popularity of pulp magazines in the 1930s and 1940s increased interest in mystery fiction. Pulp magazines decreased in popularity in the 1950s with the rise of television so much that the numerous titles available then are reduced to two today: Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. The detective fiction author Ellery Queen (pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee) is also credited with continuing interest in mystery fiction.

Interest in mystery fiction continues to this day because of various television shows which have used mystery themes and the many juvenile and adult novels which continue to be published. There is some overlap with "thriller" or "suspense" novels and authors in those genres may consider themselves mystery novelists. Comic books and like graphic novels have carried on the tradition, and film adaptations or the even more recent web-based detective series like The Adventures of Mehul and Kairav, have helped to re-popularize the genre in recent times.

Classifications

Mystery fiction can be divided into numerous categories, including "traditional mystery", "legal thriller", "medical thriller", "cozy mystery", "police procedural", and "hardboiled".

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Mystery fiction" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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