The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction Paperback – 7 June 2007
by
Barry Forshaw
(Author)
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The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction takes the reader on a guided tour of the mean streets and blind corners that make up the world’s most popular literary genre. The insider’s book recommends over 200 classic crime novels from masterminds Raymond Chandler and Patricia Highsmith to modern hotshots James Elroy and Patricia Cornwall. You’ll investigate gumshoes, spies, spooks, serial killers, forensic females, prying priests and patsies from the past, present, and future. Complete with extra information on what to read next, all movie adaptions, and illustrated throughout with photos and diagrams …all the evidence that counts
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication date7 June 2007
- ISBN-101843536544
- ISBN-13978-1843536543
Product description
About the Author
Barry Forshaw reviews crime fiction for The Independent and The Express, and edits Crime Time magazine
Product details
- Language : English
- Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1843536544
- ISBN-13 : 978-1843536543
- Customer reviews:
Customer reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
10 global ratings
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Top reviews from other countries
mrliteral
4.0 out of 5 stars
A guide? Well, roughly....
Reviewed in the United States on 6 January 2008Verified Purchase
I like crime fiction. The Rough Guide to Crime Fiction by Barry Forshaw, therefore, is right up my alley. Although designed as a reference text, it is only adequate in that respect. What it is better at, however, is giving mystery fans new directions to go in.
After a brief preface, Forshaw divides most of the rest of the book into different crime fiction subgenres such as cop fiction, private eye fiction and historical fiction. In each one of these chapters, he has a brief introduction and then provides a sampling within that category. For example, under "Hardboiled and Pulp", his recommendations (alphabetical by author) include The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, Kiss Me Deadly by Mickey Spillaine and The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich. There are also occasional pictures and sidebars, either about a particular author or a movie based on a book.
Overall, this a decent enough book but also imperfect. Those familiar with the books mentioned will find occasional errors (for example, he seems to refer to James Bond villains Dr. No and Goldfinger as being associated with SPECTRE; in fact, they worked with SMERSH). Also, although there are some exceptions, Forshaw tends to focus mostly on recent material (2000 or later). There seems to be a bias to include more English authors than probably merited, and any crime fiction fan will find numerous omitted authors (including Ridley Pearson, Randy Wayne White, Ken Follett, David Morrell, Stephen White, Richard North Patterson, Faye Kellerman, Vince Flynn, T. Jefferson Parker and John Katzenbach).
Of course, a book like this is very subjective, but I think Forshaw could have done a better survey of the genre. Nonetheless, for what it does offer - in particular, a chance to be exposed to new writers - and the fact that it is reasonably entertaining to read, I am giving this a low four stars. If you're a crime fiction fan, this will be an interesting but nonessential book.
After a brief preface, Forshaw divides most of the rest of the book into different crime fiction subgenres such as cop fiction, private eye fiction and historical fiction. In each one of these chapters, he has a brief introduction and then provides a sampling within that category. For example, under "Hardboiled and Pulp", his recommendations (alphabetical by author) include The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, Kiss Me Deadly by Mickey Spillaine and The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich. There are also occasional pictures and sidebars, either about a particular author or a movie based on a book.
Overall, this a decent enough book but also imperfect. Those familiar with the books mentioned will find occasional errors (for example, he seems to refer to James Bond villains Dr. No and Goldfinger as being associated with SPECTRE; in fact, they worked with SMERSH). Also, although there are some exceptions, Forshaw tends to focus mostly on recent material (2000 or later). There seems to be a bias to include more English authors than probably merited, and any crime fiction fan will find numerous omitted authors (including Ridley Pearson, Randy Wayne White, Ken Follett, David Morrell, Stephen White, Richard North Patterson, Faye Kellerman, Vince Flynn, T. Jefferson Parker and John Katzenbach).
Of course, a book like this is very subjective, but I think Forshaw could have done a better survey of the genre. Nonetheless, for what it does offer - in particular, a chance to be exposed to new writers - and the fact that it is reasonably entertaining to read, I am giving this a low four stars. If you're a crime fiction fan, this will be an interesting but nonessential book.
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Officer Dibble
3.0 out of 5 stars
Modern crime novel reference work
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 April 2011Verified Purchase
The author displays his knowledge of the genre in a pocket-sized reference work. Don't get too excited about the Ian Rankin Foreword , it is only four paragraphs long. The layout is a series of chapters on sub-genres such as, inter alia, 'serial killers', 'organized crime' and 'espionage'.
The attraction of thse reference works is the pitching of ones own opinions against the author. This extends to the classification of some 'crime' writers as well as the Amazon-review-size comments on individual books.
If you are thinking of buying this please note Mr Forshaw's own Introductory comments, 'It covers everything.....although a larger emphasis is placed on contemporary writers'. This is an understatement. The real appeal of this book is for those interested in the last decade. As such, this 2007 edition could already do with a reprint if it is to continue to play to its strengths.
The attraction of thse reference works is the pitching of ones own opinions against the author. This extends to the classification of some 'crime' writers as well as the Amazon-review-size comments on individual books.
If you are thinking of buying this please note Mr Forshaw's own Introductory comments, 'It covers everything.....although a larger emphasis is placed on contemporary writers'. This is an understatement. The real appeal of this book is for those interested in the last decade. As such, this 2007 edition could already do with a reprint if it is to continue to play to its strengths.
One person found this helpful
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sally seagull
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2013Verified Purchase
This takes the detective/crime genre and selects authors and books considered best in category. Makes you want to read the titles listed. Fairly thorough.
One person found this helpful
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