A Murder Is Announced

The 1920s to the 1950s are considered The Golden Age of murder mysteries and detective fiction. Christie is the most famous proponent of the genre, alongside other notable writers such as Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Allingham.

Golden Age detective fiction was popular in the aftermath of both world wars as the genre is reassuringly comforting, or “cozy.” Events usually take place against a rural, picturesque backdrop. Characters tend to belong to the middle or upper classes, and issues of class and politics are represented conservatively. Although plots generally involve murder, order is restored by the end of the narrative, with mysteries explained and loose ends neatly tied up. Thus, detective fiction offered escapism from postwar austerity and instability.

Central to the Golden Age detective novel is a clever mystery-driven narrative focusing on plot rather than character development. Alongside the fictional detective, readers can approach the story like a puzzle. A key aspect of the genre is that authors must challenge readers while providing enough clues for them to solve the case, but these valuable clues are mixed with red herrings for misdirection. Also, among the genre’s standard devices is a cast of suspects presented within a self-contained