Allbright 1

Meghan Allbright
Jennifer Enoch
ENC 1145
4 March 2015
Detective Fiction and Crime
When looking at detective fiction, scholars everywhere have different views on
what the definition of detective fiction is and what constitutes a piece of work as detective
fiction. While most writers disagree about at least one thing, it is widely agreed that crime is one
aspect that must be present for a piece to be considered a part of the detective fiction genre. Even
though crime is a consistently accepted requirement for detective fiction, there is room for
variance as to what this crime needs to be what needs to have occurred. This paper will explore
what type of crime is suitable for the genre of detective fiction in the eyes of Charles Brownson,
P.D. James, John Samuel Harpham, Phillip Howell, and Carl D. Malmgren.
In order to have a sold understanding of the works, I have summarized all of them and
included their main ideas. In The Figure of the Detective, Brownson makes the claim that
detective fiction is a rationalist enterprise. He says that a detective fiction story must include a
crime, a criminal, a detective, innocent bystanders, and a chronicler. The crime must be intended
to be committed, the criminal must be a single person, the detective must also be single person,
and the chronicler must be someone who serves as the readers surrogate. James, in Talking
About Detective Fiction, focuses on how detective fiction began and how it has changed
throughout time. She also makes the point that detective fiction is different from most genres
because it follows a specific pattern and although some people say this pattern is restricting,
there is room for creativity. This pattern includes having a crime, a criminal, and a detective.
More specifically, she claims that crime is usually murder. (9) In Detective Fiction and the
Aesthetic of Crime, Harpham discusses the idea that the development of an aesthetic of crime
shaped the early history of detective fiction. Harpham states that the description of aesthetic

Allbright 2
came before it was applied to different crimes and some crimes go against aesthetic judgment.
The elements for an aesthetic of crime are the detached judgment of a critical observer, the
suspension of moral considerations, the preoccupation with the criminal rather than the victim,
the replacement of any interest in the effects of a crime by an appreciation of its form, and the
delight in the titanic criminal. Harpham also argues that crimes tend to become detached from
everyday motives. Taking a different approach, Howell, in Crime and the City Solution: Crime
Fiction, Urban Knowledge, and Radical Geography, talks about crime and how it relates to a city
or place. The author says that a crime always occurs in a place that is specifically picked based
on the tradition the author is using. Crime in detective fiction is something that is dependent on
the idea that detective fiction can be successfully monitored and mastered. Finally, Malmgren
defines three forms of murder fiction, mystery, detective, and crime and talks about how they are
related and what their differences are. These three fictions all have crime and detection of that
crime in common. Malmgren says that the crime is less important than the investigation and the
crime has specific motives that initiate mystery.
Type of Crime
According to both Brownson and James, the crime in detective fiction is generally a
serious kind of crime. James says, What we can expect is a central mysterious crime, usually
murder (9) While James doesnt say that the crime must me murder, she is implying that in most
detective fiction the crime is in fact murder. She claims that murder or a crime similar will give
the reader feelings of repugnance, fascination and fear. In addition, James makes the argument
that this type of crime is more likely to keep the readers interest, as opposed to a crime such as
theft. (9) Brownson further elaborates on this idea saying, Crimes most apt for genre use are
murder and political intrigue [because] murder threatens the social fabric in a local, personal
way that gives it a special frisson and adds urgency to the demand that the detective put matters

Allbright 3
to right. (13) According to Brownson, the crime should have an urgency to be solved. Like
James, Brownson implies that a crime such as theft or running a red light, for example, will not
meet the purpose (13) and would not be sufficient because there is no urgency for it to be
solved. Both authors agree on the importance of the crime being murder in order for the novel in
which the crime is in to be considered detective fiction.
Rational and Logical Explanation
Another aspect of detective fiction that Brownson and James agree needs to be present is
that the crime be rationally explainable (Brownson 13) Brownsons reasoning for this being
a requirement is to reassure the reader that, despite the existence of crimes and criminals, the
world is in fact rational, intelligible, and controllable. (13) This is an important characteristic of
detective fiction because if the crime did not do this, the reader could have a warped view of the
world. While Brownson only mentions this concept slightly, James goes into more detail and
specifics saying the crime should by the end of the book, [have] a solution which the reader
should be able to arrive at by logical deduction from clues inserted in the novel with deceptive
cunning but essential fairness. (9) Furthering this claim, James goes as far as to say that if the
crime does not include this aspect, than the novel cannot be considered detective fiction because
all the crimes in detective fiction novels need to be able to be solved logically based upon the
details given (10). Both Brownson make it a point to mention the need for a logical solution to
the crime in order for the work to be classified as detective fiction.
Howell also discusses the need for a logical aspect of crime, however he focuses more on
the crime itself being logical rather than the solution to the crime. Howell states that Crime
remain[s] peculiarly dependent upon[the] convention [of] continuing in their very structure to
insist that their created fictional worlds can be apprehended through signs, science, and
detection. (359) In saying this, he is portraying the idea that the crime needs to be able to be
solved by using the signs (clues and evidence) and science, which is similar to Brownson and

Allbright 4
James claims. All three authors agree that there needs to be some sort of logical and rational
aspect to the crime in order for the novel to fit into the detective fiction genre.
Motive
The argument that a crime needs to have motive is one that is one that four of the five
authors make it a point to discuss. This is important because it shows that this idea is a widely
accepted one. James says, What we can expect is a closed circle of suspects, each with
motive (9) If the criminal does not have a motive when committing the crime, the crime
would not be a valid one to discuss in detective fiction. Malmgren elaborates on this idea by
saying [t]he worlds of mystery are fully motivated. [emphasis mine] By this, we of course mean
that the crimes that initiate mystery stories are transparently motivated, the product of a limited
number of self-evident motives. (119) [emphasis mine] Not only does he make it clear that the
crime having motive behind it is important but Malmgren also specifies that the motive must be
self- evident, meaning that the motive needs to be obvious. Harpham, in his article, also narrows
down what the motive should include. He states that crimes more detached than ever from
mundane motives. (Harpham 131) Harpham is claiming that the motive needs to be different
than normal, everyday motives; there has to be something that stands out. Brownson also talked
about the need for motive in saying that the criminal must have common human motivations
(13) Although motive is mentioned, Brownson claims that while motive is important, intent to
commit the crime is more important. While motive, a reason for doing something, and intent, the
goal to do something, can be seen as almost the same thing, Brownson does not consider them
the same, and discusses the necessity of intent, which is something the other authors do not take
into account. James, Malmgren, Harpham, and Brownson all agree with the idea that there must
be motive for the crime if the novel is to be classified as detective fiction.
Mystery
These authors all discuss at least one aspect of crime that another author agrees with, yet

Allbright 5
some claims about the required aspects of crime are not discussed by more than one of these
authors. James, in her article, makes the claim that crime in detective fiction needs to include
mystery. She explicitly states for a book to be described as detective fiction there must be a
central mystery (10). According to James, mystery is essential because without mystery in the
crime, there is no need for a detective and no clues (7). Without a detective, the novel can no
longer be classified as detective fiction. Malmgren disagrees with James on this idea saying that
he thinks more preoccupied with the character of its hero, the society he investigates, and the
adventures he encounters, than with the central mystery (126). Malmgren is making the claim
that mystery is not important at all in detective fiction. While these authors disagree about the
necessity of mystery, it is an aspect that is present in a lot of detective fiction novels.
Physical Location vs. Society
Another aspect of crime that is not discussed by multiple authors is the importance of
location. Howell says Geographical description plays a central role in most detective novels.
(359) Due to the fact that location plays a central role, the location of the crime is usually chosen
with precision and for a specific reason (Howell 359) The importance of the location of a crime
is an important aspect to consider because it can allow further insight to the crime. While Howell
makes it a point to discuss location, Brownson, James, Harpham, and Malmgren do not give the
idea of physical location much thought. The extent of their discussion of location is to say there
has to be a society that is affected, rather than an actual location, much less the importance and
significance of it. All of the other authors talk about the need for a society that is affected by the
crime, in order for the book to be considered detective fiction.
Conclusion
Finally, the idea that crime is less important than the actual investigation is one that is not
held by all of the authors that have been discussed in this paper. Malmgren claims
Detective fiction thus retains vestiges of the story of the crime, but subordinates them to the

Allbright 6
story of the investigation. (126) This claim means that the adventures that come about during
the investigation are more important than the crime, which is something that the other authors I
have discussed did not talk about. James, Brownson, Harpham, Malmgren, and Howell do not
talk about this idea and in turn, focus more on the crime itself. These authors talk about the crime
as the more important aspect of a detective fiction novel because, while the investigation is
important, without the crime there would be no need for a detective fiction novel in the first
place. This idea is the exact opposite of the claim Malmgren makes in his argument.
When discussing different aspects of crime in detective fiction, different authors have
different ideas of what is important. It is important to look at what different authors think about
this because it helps show how the aspects of the genre of detective fiction can vary yet different
works can still fit into the genre. Looking at this also highlights the similarities that a lot of
authors agree need to be included in the detective fiction genre.
Works Cited
Brownson, Charles. The Figure of the Detective: A Literary History and Analysis. Jefferson:
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2014. Print.
Harpham, John Samuel. "Detective Fiction and the Aesthetic of Crime." Raritan 34.1 (2014): 12141. Print.
Howell, Philip. "Crime and the City Solution: Crime Fiction, Urban Knowledge, and Radical
Geography." Antipode 30.4 (1998): 357. Print.
James, P. D. Talking About Detective Fiction. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Print
Malmgren, Carl D. "Anatomy of Murder: Mystery, Detective, and Crime Fiction." Journal of
Popular Culture 30.4 (1997): 115-35. Print.

Allbright 7