“Blame it on urban sprawl,” says one account of how the Detective Novel genre first became popular in the 1800s, during the Industrial Revolution. As industry attracted more and more individuals and families to the city, the small-town familiarity of the agricultural community dissipated. In the city, neighbors were strangers, co-workers were from different cultures, and living conditions were less than optimum for many. Thus, on the streets and behind closed doors, there was a heightened sense of suspicion, uncertainty, and crime. In London, the police force came to be in 1829, and in New York City in 1845.

Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is thought to be the first modern-era detective story. Published in 1841, the short story introduced the world to private detective Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin. When SOAR launches its newest SIG (Shared Interest Group), the Detective Novel Book Club, participants will get to know Detective Dupin and the genre first-hand.

“The sale of detective novels has skyrocketed and there is lot of interest,” said Sharon O’Brien, the group’s organizer. “There are so many to choose from we could go for years and years.”

The idea is popular! Already, for the first meeting, there are just a few openings left. Once the group is established, O’Brien expects members will begin to selecting, facilitate, and lead the discussions.

Besides the “Who done it?” discussions, the Detective Novel Book Club will also explore the style of the book, identify the formulas used to layout the arc of the book, and delve into the author’s background and history. O’Brien plans to explore all of the Detective Novel genres, including books written during what is considered the “Golden Age” of Detective Fiction, from 1920 to 1939. The all-star of that era was Agatha Christie, who, during her lifetime, wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections.

Raymond Chandler came on the scene in the 1950s, penning “Hard-Boiled” stories which combine realism with humor and feature lots of unsentimental, gritty stories about violence, corruption, and sex. Think Mickey Spillane’s vigilante hero, Mike Hammer. O’Brien says the novels by Michigan’s own Elmore Leonard fall into this category, as well.

Cozy mysteries, or Cozies, are increasingly popular with readers who love a good sleuth. The heroes in these novels are amateur detectives, and in the early years of this genre, were often women. Unlike the Hard-Boiled books, Cozies are usually less gritty, less violent, and focus on the problem-solving aspect of the case. Think, “Murder, She Wrote.”

Of course, as with detective work itself, nothing is clearly black and white. Contemporary writers, Steig Larson and Louise Penny, for example, use a combination of styles, and, says O’Brien, could be considered examples of a new Golden Age of the Detective Novel.

So, grab your spy class and get ready to read! If you are interested in joining this SIG, please contact Sharon O’Brien.