(Ü/PS) Murder, Mayhem, Mystery: A Critical Perspective on Crime Fiction

When The Cuckoo’s Calling was published in 2013 under the name Robert Galbraith, it received a decidedly lukewarm response. Reviews were scarce, and critics were divided on whether its protagonist – Cormoran Strike, a one-legged, down-on-his-luck, curmudgeonly private detective – was a refreshing take on the genre or merely an overly familiar trope. On the brink of being relegated to the bargain bin, the novel became an overnight bestseller when its true author was revealed to be J.K. Rowling who had – once again – resorted to using a pseudonym aiming to distance herself from her Harry Potter fame and to navigate a genre traditionally dominated by male authors.

In this seminar, we will critically examine British detective fiction, exploring excerpts from authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. We will analyse the genre’s conventions and consider how The Cuckoo’s Calling interacts with and challenges these traditions. We will also explore broader questions of authorship, the "Death of the Author", and transformative works as a form of "writing back." Additionally, we will analyse how the novel addresses themes of nationality, gender, age, class, ethnicity, and sexuality.

 Texts will be provided in the beginning of the semester.