Bloody Murder: From the Detective Story to the Crime Novel: A History

by Julian Symons

Book Overview

In celebration of distinguished author/critic Julian Symons' 80th year, here is the third and final revised edition of his classic history of mystery fiction. The views expressed here are as candid as ever. One bestselling writer is called unreadable, another compared to writers of strip cartoon stories. But the general tone is warmly appreciative of every sort of book within the genre.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140072632
• ISBN13: 9780140072631
• Release Date: July 1986
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A must-have guide for fans of the genre and it's sub-genres

A history of the genre which is very good. But the greater value of this publication is that it gives a long time crime novel reviewer's brutally honest opinion of what he has read. And boy oh boy has he read a lot in eighty years! It will be a great time saver for those who want to spend their precious time reading only the best, what qualifies to be called literature. Interesting to see the criticisms he had about many raved about writers such as Thomas Harris, James Ellroy, Andrew Vachss and others who managed to sell so much. Unfortunately this guide was finished around 1990 so there is nothing about writers making their first appearance in the last 20 years. But still a valuable reference.