This text presents a fictional representation of political power in the first half of the 20th century. Amongst the main themes explored are the lure of political romanticism and the construction of the distinctly British political identity. A survey of the political preoccupations of the time is provided, with separate chapters on imperialism, nationalism, sexual politics, violence, law and technopower, each beginning with a summary of key political issues.

A Companion to Crime Fiction presents the definitive guide to this popular genre from its origins in the eighteenth century to the present day

• A collection of forty-seven newly commissioned essays from a team of leading scholars across the globe make this Companion the definitive guide to crime fiction
• Follows the development of the genre from its origins in the eighteenth century through to its phenomenal present day popularity
• Features full-length critical essays on the most significant authors and film-makers, from Arthur Conan Doyle and...

This study gives insights into the process of "imagining history" and argues the case for a humanistic approach. It shows how writers have brought alive in their work an individual struggle to comprehend some of the most important political phenomena to the 2Oth century.

What is literary noir? How do British and American noir thrillers relate to their historical contexts? In considering such questions, this study ranges over hundreds of novels, analyzing the politics and poetics of noir.