British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia

by Barry Forshaw (Editor)

Written by a distinguished cast of authors include many high profile British crime-writers including Andrew Taylor, Laura Wilson, Jessica Mann and Natasha Cooper. This encyclopedia presents the most comprehensive view of British crime writing (both fiction and true crime) ever every key writer is here, along with all the important one-shot and fringe authors. There are essays on all key writers, lively analyses of important topics and sub-genres, from serial killer novels to the contemporary breed of tough women writers. There are longer discursive essays on key themes including social comment in crime fiction and crime fiction and sexuality. 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 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 is a 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.

750 pages, Hardcover

First published December 30, 2008

About the author

Barry Forshaw is a writer, broadcaster and journalist whose books include British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia, The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction, Brit Noir, British Gothic Cinema, Nordic Noir, Sex and Film, Euro Noir, Death in a Cold Climate: Scandinavian Crime Fiction and BFI Classics: War of the Worlds along with books on Italian cinema, film noir and the first UK biography of Stieg Larsson, The Man Who Left Too Soon. He has written on books and films for many newspapers and magazines; he also edits Crime Time, and is one of the talking heads for the ITV Crime Thriller author profiles. He records documentaries on crime fiction and film for a variety of BBC producers for both TV and radio, along with much work for foreign broadcasters. He has been Vice Chair of the Crime Writers' Association. As well as his specialist area of books (in most genres), he writes on film (booklets for special edition DVDs) and all aspects of the arts (popular and serious). He is winner of the Keating Award for Non-Fiction for British Crime Writing: An Encyclopedia (Greenwood)
In a previous career he was an illustrator, working for both The Natural History Museum and Jackie.