The Crime Fiction Handbook presents a comprehensive introduction to the origins, development, and cultural significance of the crime fiction genre, focusing mainly on American British, and Scandinavian texts. * Provides an accessible and well-written introduction to the genre of crime fiction * Moves with ease between a general overview of the genre and useful theoretical approaches * Includes a close analysis of the key texts in the crime fiction tradition * Identifies what makes crime fiction of such cultural importance and illuminates the social and political anxieties at its heart. * Shows the similarities and differences between British, American, and Scandinavian crime fiction traditions