Stephen King (Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction)

Contribution

In the traditional mystery story, a crime (usually a murder) has been committed, and the guilty party must be caught by a detective or the crime must be explained by characters in a logical fashion. Mystery stories often depend on suspense, which is generated by the detective’s pursuit of the criminal, or by events that raise doubts about whether the murderer will be found out. In the end, however, a rational view of the world is triumphant; that is, clues to the crime lead to the apprehension of the criminal. Stephen King’s mystery stories introduce elements...

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