Oxford, home of the oldest englishspeaking university in the world, is filled with a certain magic and has inspired writers and artists for centuries. Oxford book of victorian ghost stories paperback by cox michael edt. His previous books include a dictionary of writers and their works, victorian ghost stories with r. The genre began as a highbrow form of entertainment, a puzzle to be solved by a rational sifting of clues. In this entertaining anthology, michael cox has assembled a wideranging selection of 31 stories from authors such as j. Lewis works including the chronicles of narnia series of seven books and j. Edgar allan poe, charles dickens, wilkie collins, arthur conan doyle, j. Val mcdermids top 10 oxford novels books the guardian. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. The oxford book of victorian detective stories selected and introduced by michael cox. Watson, but the sherlock holmes stories only scratch the surface of the early detective.
Jun 27, 2005 the victorian reading public guided this genre, they wanted the location to be clearly identifiable making the stories familiar and enjoyable. Jul 23, 20 detectives have had a special niche in popular culture for many years. I enjoy each creepy tale and find the mix of authors to be effectively selected and simply organized. In this new oxford anthology, cox provides a sampling of 31 of the finest detective stories written from the 1840s to the early 20th century. The detective story celebrated the human ability to explain and comprehend. James mccreets top 10 victorian detective stories the debut crime novelist offers some alternatives to the fanciful solutions and foggy london of sherlock holmes wed. You will find more information about the author and her books at her web site. Chesterton, agatha christie, dorothy sayers, margery allingham, p. Hoch, editor of the years best mystery and suspense stories the oxford book of american detective stories is indispensable to anyone interested in the form. The victorian mystery and detective story frequently used poison, such as nightshade or arsenic as a murder weapon. James mccreets top 10 victorian detective stories books. Detective stories, with their ingeniously devised plots and emphasis on the power of deduction, were beloved by the victorians. The oxford book of victorian detective stories in searchworks.
The oxford book of english detective stories strand magazine. Here, michael cox has assembled thirtyone of the finest examples of. There are stories by wellknown authors such as charles dickens, sir arthur conan doyle, r. Buy a cheap copy of the oxford book of american detective. Now, in victorian tales of mystery and detection, michael cox provides a sampling. Patricia craig edited both, but they are clearly separate works having different contents. Complete summary of patricia craigs the oxford book of english detective stories. The oxford book of victorian detective stories book, 2003. Victorian tales of mystery and detection and the oxford book of victorian detective stories are the same book. Certain to be the standard anthology of american detective stories for years to come. Innes detective, john appleby, appeared in numerous novels and short stories, but this is probably the finest detective novel innes wrote. The charlotte and thomas pitt detective novel series by anne perry is set in the victorian era.
First issued as an oxford university university press paperback 1993. The oxford book of english detective stories patricia craig. It follows femme fatale zuleika, a prestidigitator by trade, who turns the allmale oxford university asunder as the undergraduates all fall in love with her. Le fanu, and stories by authors whom i was unfamiliar with. Gilbert is a wellknown antiquarian bookseller and a world authority on the historiography of esoteric thought in general, and on the occult currents of the nineteenth century in particular. Shiel, baroness orczy, sax rohmer, robert barr, and, inevitably, arthur conan doyle. Zuleika dobson, or, an oxford love story 1911 is, despite its title, not really a love story but a dark satire of oxford life. Apr 03, 2009 at oup, cox had edited such titles as the oxford book of victorian detective stories and the oxford book of english ghost stories, and his scholarly familiarity with the 19thcentury literary. A great selection and introduction for me to the genre. This was followed in 2011 with the penguin book of victorian women in crime, edited by michael sims. These books are set in elizabethan england which is rife with intrigue and religious controversy. The book serves as a remarkable spyglass into another era, one wholly foreign to our own. Sep 24, 2010 v al mcdermid is the awardwinning author of numerous crime novels, including a series of books starring her most famous creation, clinical psychologist dr tony hill.
James, ruth rendell, robert barnard, and simon brettall the giants of english mystery are here, as well as christianna brand, ngaio marsh, michael innes, reginald hill, nicholas blake, michael underwood, and many more. Jan 06, 2010 james mccreets top 10 victorian detective stories the debut crime novelist offers some alternatives to the fanciful solutions and foggy london of sherlock holmes wed 6 jan 2010 07. The victorian reading public guided this genre, they wanted the location to be clearly identifiable making the stories familiar and enjoyable. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
His previous books include a dictionary of writers and their works, the oxford book of english ghost stories, and the oxford book oftwentiethcentury ghost stories. The first book in the series is heresy which was published in 2010. Now, in victorian tales of mystery and detection, michael cox provides a sampling of the finest detective stories written from the 1840s to the early twentieth century. The oxford book of american detective stories by tony. Gilbert, the oxford book of victorian detective stories. But where the ghost story often cautioned against too great a faith in reason and showed men and women being persecuted by the inexplicable, the detective story celebrated the human ability to explain and comprehend. Leading 20thcentury authors at oxford university include c. His previous books includea dictionary of writers and their works, victorian ghost stories with r. Like ghost stories, short tales of mystery and detection were part of the victorian readers staple diet. Now, in victorian tales of mystery and detection, michael cox provides a. Inspector morse is a detective book series based in oxford, by colin dexter.
Gilbert, the oxford book of victorian detective stories 1992, and the oxford book of spy stories 1997. Edgar allan poes murders in the rue morgue launched the detective story in 1841. Michael cox is senior commissioning editor, reference books, at oup and is currently compiling the oxford chronology of english literature on a freelance basis. The oxford book of english detective stories gathers 33 engrossing tales of crime, ranging from the birth of the genre to the present day.
Its success has a good deal to do with its pungency, and with its power to intrigue and absorb the reader while abiding by the rules of the genre however. Detectives have had a special niche in popular culture for many years. After a body is discovered in a cab in melbourne, detective gorby sets out to solve. Ingenious, gothic, morbid, satiricalthe english detective story ranks among the most dynamic and gripping fiction.
The majority of anne perrys novels are set in the victorian era in england. James patterson delivers great stories on a platter, going toe to toe with the best fiction crime novels on a pretty consistent basis. Hardboiled detective fiction is characterized by unsentimental, gritty stories about violence, corruption, and sex. The oxford book of english detective stories by patricia craig. Feb 27, 2003 buy the oxford book of victorian detective stories by cox, michael isbn. From charles dickens and elizabeth gaskell, to sir arthur conan doyle and henry james, this book brings together the best of victorian ghost stories. Gilbert,the oxford book of english ghost stories, and the oxford book of twentiethcentury ghost stories.
An oxford anthology new edition by michael cox isbn. The oxford book of victorian ghost stories michael cox. The oxford book of victorian verse internet archive. Lots of excellent short stories from the victorian era and early 20th century, with gentlemenly murders involving poisoned umbrellas and antique envelope openers and more modern tales ruth rendell especially. Today, crime novels, although still popular, have been supplanted by serialized crime dramas like the. Here readers will find tales displaying a vast array of detectives and villainsand a multitude of murder methods and motivesall chronologically arranged so that readers. The victorian era saw the first great flowering of the detective story. The oxford book of victorian ghost stories by michael cox. Inspector appleby edmund crispin, the moving toyshop. An oxford anthology new edition by cox, michael isbn.
As well as reprinting stories by supernatural specialists such as j. Victorian tales of mystery and detection an oxford anthology book. The detective story, with its roots in poes chevalier dupin mysteries and wilkie collinss the moonstone, first achieved mass popularity in the 1890s with the adventures of sherlock holmes. In britain, the stories became decidedly upper crust. This was followed by a number of oxford anthologies of short fiction, including the oxford book of english ghost stories 1986 and the oxford book of victorian ghost stories 1991, both coedited with r. Gilbert, is a fantastic collection of mostly 19th century ghost stories. Bleak house is often called englands first authentic contribution to modern detective fiction. Be it the sense of mystery or rich history, oxford has become a prime location for the murder mystery novel over the years the most famous of which is the colin dexters morse series. V al mcdermid is the awardwinning author of numerous crime novels, including a series of books starring her most famous creation, clinical psychologist dr. The oxford book of english detective stories in searchworks. Michael cox is senior commissioning editor, reference books, at oup and is currently compilingthe oxford chronology of english literature on a freelance basis. The oxford book of victorian ghost stories selected and introduced by michael cox and r. Shiel, baroness orczy, sax rohmer, robert barr, and. Hardboiled detective fiction is more appealing to americans because it combines realism with humor.
The detective fiction genre can be divided into two classes. Published the same year as robert louis stevensons dr jekyll and mr hyde which is part detective story and part gothic horror novel, and a year before the first sherlock holmes novel, the mystery of a hansom cab was a runaway bestseller upon its publication in 1886. Though some may be cliche, these are what detective novel series are made of. The oxford book of victorian detective stories penrose. Lefanu, and a host of others pioneered a genre of fiction that remains among the most popular today. The bestselling series of tudor mysteries featuring lawyer turned detective matthew shardlake. The oxford book of victorian ghost stories by michael cox, 9780192804471, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Publication date 1922 topics english poetry 19th century publisher oxford. In the oxford book of english detective stories, patricia craig presents some of the best ever written, in an absorbing tour of the world of crime, detection, and retribution. Suggested reading list for victorian detective fiction. Beginning in the nineteenth century with the works of charles dickens and wilkie collins and followed later in the century by arthur conan doyles sherlock holmes, detectives captured the nineteenthcentury imagination. In victorian ghost stories, the editors map out the development of the ghost story from 1850 to the early years of the twentieth century and demonstrate the importance of this form of short fiction in victorian popular culture. The oxford book of victorian detective stories by michael cox. Edgar allen poe, charles dickens, wilkie collins, arthur conan doyle, j.
The oxford book of english ghost stories, and the oxford book oftwentiethcentury ghost stories. Here readers will find tales displaying a vast array of detectives and villainsand a multitude of murder methods and motivesall chronologically arranged so that readers can. Gilbert is a wellknown antiquarian bookseller and a world authority on the historiography of esoteric thought in general, and on the occult currents of the nineteenth century. Le fanu, charles dickens, mary elizabeth braddon, mrs henry wood, wilkie collins, m. Buy the oxford book of victorian detective stories by cox, michael isbn. Before inspector morse, there were several oxfordbased detectives who enjoyed considerably popularity. First published 1992 as victorian tales of mystery and detection. Please distinguish between the oxford book of english detective stories this work. Now, in victorian tales of mystery and detection, michael cox provides a sampling of the finest detective stories written from edgar allen poe, charles dickens, wilkie collins, arthur conan doyle, j. The oxford book of victorian verse by quillercouch, arthur thomas, sir, 18631944. Le fanu, and a host of others pioneered a genre of fiction that remains among the most popular today. Lots of excellent short stories from the victorian era and early 20th century, with gentlemenly murders involving poisoned umbrellas and antique envelope openers and.
The genre began as a highbrow form of entertainment, a puzzle to be solved by a. The oxford book of english detective stories by patricia. Do not combine victorian tales of mystery and detection with victorian ghost stories. During the victorian era, edgar allan poe, charles dickens, arthur conan doyle and a host of others pioneered a genre of fiction that remains among the most popular today. Medieval mysteries abound in this, susanna gregorys popular longrunning series about matthew bartholomew, physician, benedictine monk and sometime detective. The victorian mystery and detective story frequently used poison, such as nightshade or arsenic as a. The oxford book of victorian detective stories selected and. Everyone has heard of the eccentric detective, sherlock holmes, and his exploits with the famed dr. British detective fiction in the 19th and early 20th. To best ensure the health and safety of library staff and the general public, resource sharing between libraries will be temporarily suspended.
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