There are many reasons we might pick up a detective novel. One is obvious and very simple: We know we enjoyed the last one.
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Familiarity
The Texte de Désir
In 1948, poet W. H. Auden confessed to a passion: "The reading of detective stories is an addiction."
Defining Detective Fiction
The detective novel has developed into a highly codified form of literature with a widely recognised series of conventions.
Finding Out
The delight of finding the hidden thread that pulls together an array of confusing facts, of solving a puzzle, of revealing the hidden significance of things.
Miss Marple Walks Into a Library
One of the great thrills of detective fiction — the thrill of not knowing.
What is a Murder Mystery For?
Our reasons for loving detective fiction are complex and hard to describe.
You Are Not Alone
The world is saturated with murder mysteries.
