Characteristics of a Detective Story A good detective story generally follows six “unwritten rules: 1. The crime must be significant, worthy of the attention it receives. Most stories involve murder, though Conan Doyle tied the majority of his crimes to greed and theft. 2. The detective must be in some way a memorable character. He or she must be very intelligent, of course, unusually clever and observant, but also quirky, possessing perhaps some off idiosyncrasies that distinguish him or her. 3. Along with an exceptional detective, there must be an outstanding opponent, a criminal clever enough to be a match for the hero. Solving the crime can’t be too easy. 4. Because a large part of the attraction of a detective story is the opportunity for the reader to try to figure out the solution along with the detective, all suspects of the crime must be introduced early in the story… 5. And all clues the detective discovers must be made available to the reader also. 6. At the end of the story, the solution must seem obvious, logical, possible. The crime must not have resulted from accident or supernatural intervention, and the detective must be able to explain all aspects of the case in a reasonable way.

Formula of the Classic Detective Story Based on the works of Poe

Situation Criminal unknown: find identity and motive Criminal known: determine means or locate enough evidence to establish guilt Crime: Poe established TWO main types Grotesque murder (often with sexual overtones) Political intrigue Victim: very little character development! Keeps humanity out of the mix. This would cloud the detective’s view and hinder his ability

Pattern of Action Introduction to the detective Crime and clues Investigation Announcement of the solution (*this is NOT the apprehension) Explanation of the solution Denouement (apprehension)

Intro to the Detective An example of his/her skill (i.e.: “Murders at the Rue Morgue”) This helps the reader’s confidence in the detective’s ability to solve the crime Break in the calm of detective’s retreat (i.e.: library, sitting room, etc.) Symbolically portrays the crime as an intrusion to the norm Helps emphasize the personal and moral detachment of the detective from the crime

The Crime This MUST have clues that point to someone or something Do not need to be linear MUST appear insolvable

Investigation While formulating a conclusion, the witnesses, suspects should further confuse the reader – this is where the detective emerges (i.e.: the red herrings) The investigation usually threatens 1 or more characters the reader has been made to sympathize with Therefore, the solution will solve the crime AND rescue the characters the reader wants freed

Announcement of Solution This is the FIRST climax of the story The reader can finally see through the detective’s eyes This DOES NOT necessarily include the apprehension of the criminal! This allows for TWO possible climaxes

The Explanation New angle of vision The answer has always been there, but the reader must look at the clues in a different way The detective reveals his true intellect Clues are initially set out of order, the explanation realigns them Criminal is usually the least likely person who has NO character relationship with the audience This allows the criminal to represent the personification of guilt without involving the reader’s feelings

The Apprehension Sometimes this occurs following the solution Sometimes a trap is set up to answer the mystery AND capture the criminal This is brief so as not to upstage the detective The classic detective story is more concerned with identifying the guilty, not the punishment

Characters and Relationships Four main roles: The detective: Extreme intelligence, far beyond a regular citizen The criminal: Complex motives/interesting actions. Always defined as BAD to remove question of guilt The victim: Must hold little sympathy, but much attention Obscure and ordinary but meet an extraordinary demise. Those threatened by the crime, but cannot solve it. (ie: the police, the narrator/sidekick, the red herrings) This represents the middle class disrupted by the crime

The Setting Usually split between and isolated place and a big city Symbolic relationship between chaos and order By separating crime from society the writer can remove additional complexities The classic detective story requires a clear distinction between guilty and innocent – the controlled setting helps to support this