Catalog Search Results
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Great mystery and suspense writers have created some of the most unforgettable stories in all of literature and they continue to grow in popularity. How did the genre become so prevalent? Why is it a go-to for so many readers around the world? What makes the dark and sometimes grisly themes appealing? Professor David Schmid examines these questions and more in this illuminating course.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 29
Language
English
Description
Explore how many writers take the foundational elements of mystery and suspense and move them to earlier periods of history, often mixing true events and historical facts with fictional characters or situations. Professor Schmid introduces you to two types of historical mysteries and showcases a number of examples to understand why historical mysteries are so popular among their legions of fans.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 25
Language
English
Description
The last decade has seen Nordic noir enter the American mainstream, though they have been popular in their homeland for half a century. Professor Schmid takes you through this progressive form of mystery and suspense fiction, showing how many examples of Nordic noir provided a socially conscious look at powerful themes such as complicity with the Nazis, racism, misogyny, corruption, and class.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 3
Language
English
Description
On the other end of the spectrum from the detective, we find the criminal. Equally important to the success of the story, explore a fascinating cast of notorious characters who have survived through the annals of time. Spend this lecture looking at the cat-and-mouse games that law enforcement and criminals play as you learn just how vital getting this balance right is to the success of the story.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
Often a staple in mysteries, poetic justice is frequently used to help the reader feel a sense of satisfaction in the ending, especially in a genre where many mystery and suspense tales are simply uninterested in legal proceedings and aftermath. Professor Schmid defines poetic justice, discusses why there is so much of it in the genre, and outlines the many reasons why we find it satisfying.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
The clue is so imperative to the successful mystery story that there are few elements more subject to rules and regulations. Yet for all the requirements around how, when, and why to present clues, this narrative element is highly subjective. In this lecture, you'll learn how clues are used to help, hinder, mislead, and solve mysteries, for both the characters and the audience.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 33
Language
English
Description
A majority of mysteries conclude as soon as the crime is solved; once a criminal was apprehended, there was no motivation to read further. Professor Schmid discusses how the genre moved beyond this and court procedurals became not just a component of mysteries, but in some cases, the setting or secondary plot point of a story.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 6
Language
English
Description
Once you have perfected the components already reviewed - a detective, a criminal, clues, and potentially a sidekick - all that remains is solving the mystery. But as you'll learn in this lecture, it's never that simple. Learn what makes for the perfect "big reveal" and why you don't necessarily need one. See how open-ended mysteries walk the line between frustrating and compelling.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
Where would a Sherlock be without a Watson? The story of the sidekick isn't required in a successful mystery but they remain pivotal and entertaining characters who deserve their own deep dive. Follow the diverse cast that fulfilled the many roles sidekicks play, from the straight man in what could be a very long joke to the secret brilliant mind behind every solved case.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 36
Language
English
Description
Professor Schmid concludes the course by speculating on modern changes such as mash-ups with other literary genres, twist endings, and lack of resolution. You'll wrap up with a review of the evolution of the mystery and suspense books, and why this is a golden age for fans as the genre continues to grow in popularity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
The shift of the role of police from a passive, outside observer to an active participant and even protagonists, came about with the emergence of the police procedural. Journeying from Maigret to Dragnet, and exploring authors such as Georges Simenon and Chester Himes, you'll see how the police procedural started as an attempt to introduce realism and resulted in redefining the genre.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 23
Language
English
Description
Professor Schmid uncovers the understudied world of Native American writers and characters. He reveals how the context of Native American settings has changed many of the classic elements you find in a traditional whodunit. You'll learn why tribal police, jurisdictional limitations, and cultural conflicts all add new levels of complexity and suspense to the standard mystery story.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
The "dime novels" of the 19th century are often considered cheap, serialized pulp fiction, but proved to be a turning point in the history of suspense fiction. Take a new look at a variety of dime novel publications and delve into how an important characteristic of mystery and suspense fiction originated with these throw-away stories.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 21
Language
English
Description
Sometimes cast as helpful, sometimes as a hindrance, the police are typically prominent players in mysteries and suspense novels. Professor Schmid reviews stories where the police are at odds with the protagonist; stories where the detective is ambivalent; stories where the detective and police work together affably; and stories where the detective is (or was) on the actual police force.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 13
Language
English
Description
Professor Schmid challenges the stereotypical lack of diversity in most mystery and suspense fiction by presenting the contribution that writers from other races and ethnicities have made to the genre. By investigating both black writers and black characters, you'll see how black mystery fiction views crime not just in terms of challenges and solutions, but also in terms of justice.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
From complicated clients to lusty love interests, from sprightly sidekick to detail-oriented detectives, women have always played a role in mystery and suspense fiction. Professor Schmid introduces you to female detectives in literature through time and examines how even at the earliest stages, the figure of the female detective assumed a wide variety of types to appeal to different audiences.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 7
Language
English
Description
Having reviewed the essential components of a successful mystery, Professor Schmid moves to the various subgenres of mystery and suspense, starting with the locked-room stories popular during the Victorian age. Look at how these puzzle-like stories are often dismissed due to formulaic scenarios that have to abide by a certain set of conventions, but still remain popular today.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 14
Language
English
Description
One of the most iconic characters in mystery is that of the femme fatale. Uncover the many iterations of this definitive character and the different approaches writers have used to present the femme fatale, while always staying true to the basic essence of the character. Understand why this role is key and how it has become symbolic of noir and hard boiled classics.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 12
Language
English
Description
Often confused with "the detective," the private eye is different from the classical version of the detective in terms of motivation, methods, lifestyle, and beliefs, and is the major contribution of American hard-boiled fiction. Comparing a vast selection of stories across history, you'll isolate the differences between the two crime-solvers and understand the different impacts each had.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 30
Language
English
Description
Start this section by comparing and contrasting mystery and suspense genres through the lens of realism and how spy and conspiracy suspense novels often take realism one step further by incorporating real world geopolitical and global concerns to enhance verisimilitude. You'll explore the most famous spy and conspiracy novels, examining the real-life political circumstances of each period.
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