
Detectives in the Shadows
A Hard-Boiled History
Susanna Lee(Author)
Johns Hopkins University Press
Published on 29. September 2020
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-1-4214-3709-5 (ISBN)
Description
A century of American history reflected in the iconic private eye.
Steadfast in fighting crime, but operating outside the police force-and sometimes even the law-is the private detective. Driven by his own moral code, he is a shadowy figure in a trench coat standing on a street corner, his face most likely obscured by a tilted fedora, a lit cigarette dangling from his hand. The hard-boiled detective is known by his dark past, private pain, and powers of deduction. He only asks questions-never answers them. In his stories he is both the main character and the narrator.
America has had a love affair with the hard-boiled detective since the 1920s, when Prohibition called into question who really stood on the right and wrong side of the law. And nowhere did this hero shine more than in crime fiction. In Detectives in the Shadows, literary and cultural critic Susanna Lee tracks the evolution of this truly American character type-from Race Williams to Philip Marlowe and from Mike Hammer to Jessica Jones.
Lee explores how this character type morphs to fit an increasingly troubled world, offering compelling interpretations of The Wire, True Detective, and Jessica Jones. Suddenly, in the present day, the hard-boiled detective wears his-or her-fatigue outwardly, revealing more vulnerability than ever before. But the detective remains resolute in the face of sinister forces, ever the person of honor. For anyone interested in crime fiction and television, or for those wanting to understand America's idolization of the good guy with a gun, Detectives in the Shadows is essential reading.
Steadfast in fighting crime, but operating outside the police force-and sometimes even the law-is the private detective. Driven by his own moral code, he is a shadowy figure in a trench coat standing on a street corner, his face most likely obscured by a tilted fedora, a lit cigarette dangling from his hand. The hard-boiled detective is known by his dark past, private pain, and powers of deduction. He only asks questions-never answers them. In his stories he is both the main character and the narrator.
America has had a love affair with the hard-boiled detective since the 1920s, when Prohibition called into question who really stood on the right and wrong side of the law. And nowhere did this hero shine more than in crime fiction. In Detectives in the Shadows, literary and cultural critic Susanna Lee tracks the evolution of this truly American character type-from Race Williams to Philip Marlowe and from Mike Hammer to Jessica Jones.
Lee explores how this character type morphs to fit an increasingly troubled world, offering compelling interpretations of The Wire, True Detective, and Jessica Jones. Suddenly, in the present day, the hard-boiled detective wears his-or her-fatigue outwardly, revealing more vulnerability than ever before. But the detective remains resolute in the face of sinister forces, ever the person of honor. For anyone interested in crime fiction and television, or for those wanting to understand America's idolization of the good guy with a gun, Detectives in the Shadows is essential reading.
Reviews / Votes
One can say many things about crime fiction, and throughout this thoughtful, well-crafted piece of literary history, Lee succeeds in telling the story straight.-Library Journal For detective fiction fans, this will prove an entertaining and informative trip through American history alongside their favorite gumshoes.
-Publisher's Weekly A revealing critique of a pop culture icon and required reading for mystery buffs.
-Julie Hale, BookPage
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Baltimore, MD
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
9 s/w Abbildungen
9 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
444 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4214-3709-5 (9781421437095)
DOI
10.1353/book.99592
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2020
Johns Hopkins University Press
€20.49
Available for download
Person
Susanna Lee is a professor of French and comparative literature at Georgetown University. She is the author of Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction and the Decline of Moral Authority and A World Abandoned by God.
Content
Acknowledgments
Introduction. A Silhouette
Chapter One. Arriving on the Scene
Chapter Two. A Moral Compass
Chapter Three. A Rugged Individual
Chapter Four. A Lone Wolf
Chapter Five. A Person of Honor
Appendix: Selected Authors' Fictional Works
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Introduction. A Silhouette
Chapter One. Arriving on the Scene
Chapter Two. A Moral Compass
Chapter Three. A Rugged Individual
Chapter Four. A Lone Wolf
Chapter Five. A Person of Honor
Appendix: Selected Authors' Fictional Works
Notes
Bibliography
Index