As these shows take a narrative turn to convey the story of these crimes, they are usually similarly structured to a book – each episode a chapter, ending with a cliff-hanger to keep you watching. Why is this genre so popular? What was it about the character of the detective and the mysteries they solve that spoke so strongly to the populous?Īrthur Conan Doyle wrote 50 Sherlock Holmes books.Ī similar phenomenon can be seen in true crime shows and podcasts, which have grown immensely in popularity since the introduction of streaming services. However, this brings us to the question of why. People enjoy writing it just as much as people enjoy reading it. Study In Scarlet was released in 1887 and since then, the number of books published as detective fiction has only grown. To end the story of Sherlock Holmes, there was such a public outcry that Doyleīrought the famous detective back to life, although begrudgingly. The popularity of these books was so great that when Doyle sought Doyle wrote 50 books with HolmesĪnd Watson. While Poe created the genre, it was Arthur Conan Doyle that ensured itsĬontinued success in the world of literature. Edgar Allen Poe, the creator of detective fiction. You can see elements of Dupin in future depictions of the ‘detective’ – a character who uses deduction to figure out the answer to the mystery. It was through the eccentric character of Auguste Dupin that the word ‘detective’ entered the vernacular of the English language. Why Do Readers Enjoy The Detective Genre so much?ĭetective fiction as a subgenre of crime fiction arose in 1841 with the publication of The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe.