Talking about Detective Fiction

To judge by the worldwide success of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie's Poirot, it is not only the Anglo-Saxons who have an appetite for mystery and mayhem. Talking about the craft of detective writing and sharing her personal thoughts and observations on one of the most popular and enduring forms of literature, P. D. James examines the challenges, achievements, and potential of a genre which has fascinated her for nearly fifty years as a novelist. P. D. James explores the metamorphosis of a genre which has gripped and entertained the popular imagination like no other type of novel. Written by the author widely regarded as the queen of the detective novel, this book is sure to appeal to all aficionados of crime fiction. Winner of the 2010 Anthony Award for Best Critical Nonfiction Work. Winner of the 2010 Macavity Award for Best Mystery Nonfiction. A 2009 Agatha Award Finalist for Best Nonfiction. A 2010 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominee for Best Critical/Biographical Work.