symbolism in mystery novels

I have to write a 10-page paper for Detective Fiction. I want to do something analyzing the symbolism in ___________. What detective book should I read and analyze so as to fill 10 pages? Since I’m on a tight time budget and don’t particularly like mystery novels anyway, getting some ideas from the web would help, so I’d like a recommendation that is well-known and already analyzed.

Try The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers. It’s her best mystery novel, and thus the best mystery novel ever written, and so chock full o symbolism it’s practically Gnostic.

Oh, how sad! I love mystery novels! Why am I writing my huge long paper on ethics in economics, and you get to write about symbolism in mystery novels :frowning: .

I really can’t argue with **Skald’s ** suggestion. Dorothy Sayers is wonderful and she does use lots of symbolism.

For something completely different, I might suggest James Lee Burke. He is incredible at setting the scene in a very symbolic way. His latest book, The Tin Roof Blowdown, is set in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and the recovery. His books are quite violent, with themes of race and addiction. If you don’t want to read a little Christian British lady, he would be a radical alternative.

P.D. James is another author to consider. Maybe *A Taste for Death * or Original Sin.

Ruth Rendell would be another good choice. Something from the Inspector Wexford series, like *Simisola * (human rights theme) or Road Rage (environmental theme).

Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder novels are also good. When the Sacred Ginmill Closes is probably the best of those. Set in New York City, recovering alcoholic protagonist, grippingly well written. How you will read this one without wanting to read the whole series, I don’t know!

Why are you taking Detective Fiction if you don’t like mystery novels?

It fit into the schedule and suited his/her elective needs, obviously. Same reason I took Intro to Engineering Design

Because it’s something I thought I *would * like. Turns out, if it’s mildly interesting when done for fun, it’s just work when done for school.

Moved from IMHO to CS.

Ah. Fair enough. Although that could be the fault of the prof/teacher.

If you want some light, fun reading try any of Donald Westlake’s Burglar series. I think the first one was The Burglar in the Closet. The protagonist is a cat burglar who usually ends up getting framed for a murder and solving the crime himself. He’s always going on about the sexual thrill of burglary.

Lawrence Block’s Burglar series.

Oops, you are right, I stand corrected, though I am in fact sitting.

Try William Hjortsberg’s Falling Angel filmed as {i]Angel Heart* with Mickey Rourke. It’s a cracker.

Marjorie Allingham’s The Tiger in the Smoke is told partly from the perspective of the serial killer and is heavily symoblism-laden.