crime fiction
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Assorted References
- comic strips
- In comic strip: The origins of the comic strip
The crime strip eventually developed into the more or less exaggerated and romanticized life of the famous brigand, which is the precursor of the early 20th-century detective strip.
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- In comic strip: The origins of the comic strip
- femme fatales
- In femme fatale
crime fiction of this time almost always feature a hard-edged, amoral female character—whether an underground figure like a gangster’s moll or a more mundane character such as a dissatisfied housewife—who preys on the male hero’s weaknesses and leads him astray and into danger. Many of…
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- In femme fatale
- novels
- In novel: Detective, mystery, thriller
The terms detective story, mystery, and thriller tend to be employed interchangeably. The detective story thrills the reader with mysterious crimes, usually of a violent nature, and puzzles his reason until their motivation and their perpetrator are, through some triumph of logic, uncovered. The…
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- In novel: Detective, mystery, thriller
contribution by
- Fonseca
- In Rubem Fonseca
…known best for his gritty crime fiction that shed light on urban life in Brazil.
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- In Rubem Fonseca
- Grisham
- In John Grisham
…the fastest-selling writers of modern fiction.
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- In John Grisham
- Leonard
- In Elmore Leonard
…an American author of popular crime novels known for his clean prose style, uncanny ear for realistic dialogue, effective use of violence, unforced satiric wit, and colourful characters.
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- In Elmore Leonard
- Patterson
- In James Patterson
…author, principally known for his thriller and suspense novels. His prolific output and business savvy made him a ubiquitous presence on best-seller lists in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
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- In James Patterson
- Rankin
- In Ian Rankin
…Scotland) is a Scottish best-selling crime novelist, creator of the Inspector Rebus series. (For Rankin’s reflections on the Scottish capital, see Edinburgh: A City of Stories.)
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- In Ian Rankin
- Turow
- In Scott Turow
…and best-selling writer known for crime and suspense novels dealing with law and the legal profession.
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- In Scott Turow
- Wallace
- In Edgar Wallace
Wallace practically invented the modern “thriller”; his works in this genre have complex but clearly developed plots and are known for their exciting climaxes. His literary output—175 books, 15 plays, and countless articles and review sketches—was prodigious, and his rate of production so great as to be the subject of…
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- In Edgar Wallace