Bloody Murder

By Julian Symons,

Book cover of Bloody Murder

Book description

This history of the various forms and masters of the mystery genre follows the trail through the first pinnacle of detection in the Master Detective stories of the 1930s up to the present

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Bloody Murder as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I’ve read Bloody Murder more times than any other non-fiction book. The first edition made a huge impression on me. Symons introduced me to countless fascinating authors and books (many of them obscure) which I’d never heard of and which have given me endless reading pleasure. Symons’ opinions were, and remain, controversial, and his disdain for ‘humdrum’ writing from the ‘Golden Age’ between the wars has attracted much criticism, some of it sensible, some of it over-the-top. His belief that the ‘detective story’ had metamorphosed into the ‘crime novel’ was eloquently argued, but I think mistaken. Today’s readers have just…

Want books like Bloody Murder?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Bloody Murder.

Browse books like Bloody Murder

Book cover of Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story
Book cover of Locked Room Murders
Book cover of Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,202

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in murder, murder mystery, and pop culture?

Murder 1,071 books
Murder Mystery 564 books
Pop Culture 165 books