Steadfast in fighting crime, but operating outside the police forceand sometimes even the lawis the private detective. Driven by his own moral code, he is a shadowy figure in a trench coat standing on a street corner, his face most likely obscured by a tilted fedora, a lit cigarette dangling from his hand. The hard-boiled detective is known by his dark past, private pain, and powers of deduction. He only asks questionsnever answers them. In his stories he is both the main character and the narrator.
America has had a love affair with the hard-boiled detective since the 1920s, when Prohibition called into question who really stood on the right and wrong side of the law. And nowhere did this hero shine more than in crime fiction. In Detectives in the Shadows, literary and cultural critic Susanna Lee tracks the evolution of this truly American character typefrom Race Williams to Philip Marlowe and from Mike Hammer to Jessica Jones.
Lee explores how this character type morphs to fit an increasingly troubled world, offering compelling interpretations of The Wire, True Detective, and Jessica Jones. Suddenly, in the present day, the hard-boiled detective wears hisor herfatigue outwardly, revealing more vulnerability than ever before. But the detective remains resolute in the face of sinister forces, ever the person of honor. For anyone interested in crime fiction and television, or for those wanting to understand America's idolization of the good guy with a gun, Detectives in the Shadowsis essential reading.
Acknowledgements
Introduction. A Silhouette
Chapter One. Arriving on the Scene
Chapter Two. A Moral Compass
Chapter Three. A Rugged Individual
Chapter Four. A Lone Wolf
Chapter Five. A Person of Honor
Appendix: Selected Authors' Fictional Works
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Detectives in the Shadows is a feisty alternative view of American history as seen through the lens of hard-boiled detective fiction. Lee tails everyone from Race Williams and Hammett's Continental Op to Harry Bosch and Netflix's Jessica Jones, following the clues where they lead. Smart, brave, determined, neither tarnished nor afraid, and always fascinating. A must-read."
Kevin Burton Smith, The Thrilling Detective Web Site
"Cinch the belt on your trench coat, order a shot neat, and light up a smoke. Whether you're an academic or a noir fiction fan, there's something for everyone in Susanna Lee's book about the origins of the uniquely American hardboiled detective. From the Jazz Age to the present, Lee highlights how the private eye embodies American readers' desire for characters they'd want in their corner during hard or confusing times. Detectives in the Shadows is one of those books that is both enjoyable and educational. Bottoms up!"
Trudy Nan Boyce, author of The Policeman's Daughter
"A meticulous, engaging, and can't-miss history and analysis of the private eye genre and how it has evolved from the early days of Philip Marlowe to TV series like Jessica Jones. Lee explores every important aspect of the 'tainted knight' trope and its many offshoots to create an essential tome that's perfect for casual or hardcore fans of private eye fiction."
Alex Segura, author of the Pete Fernandez mystery series
"Susanna Lee offers a hard-bitten, clear-eyed, critical, and affectionate take on that most particular incarnation of the hawkshaw."
Gary Phillips, author of Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem
