Mystery has been one of the most popular, dynamic, and influential genres since the earliest days of novel writing. The mystery genre is expansive, covering books with murder, theft, extortion, blackmail, and a host of other crimes as their central focus. The Golden Age of Mystery refers to the period between 1920 and 1940 in which many new authors emerged as well as a number of classic titles were written.
The Golden Age of Mystery is Born
A big influence on the Golden Age of Mystery was the Romantic Age of Fiction, which was roughly from 1760 to 1837. This was a period of great discovery, scientific progress, and new ideas. The Industrial Revolution was under way, and society was expanding rapidly. This created a need for new forms of entertainment. The public was more literate than ever, and they wanted to read about the experiences of ordinary people. The most popular types of fiction at the time were tales of mystery and crime. They were known as “sensation novels” and included stories of people discovering hidden identities, being falsely accused, and going on the run.
Detective Fiction Becomes a Genre
The popularity of mystery fiction continued through the Victorian era, and the first novels featuring detectives emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. The most famous examples are The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (1868), The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (1902), and The Amateur Cracksman by E. W. Hornung (1906). These books were part of a trend toward more mature, realistic mystery stories. They featured professional detectives instead of amateur sleuths such as Sherlock Holmes. The authors of these books had a deep respect for their detectives’ methods. They showed how the detectives uncovered clues and carefully built up evidence to solve cases.
1930s: The Heyday of Detective Fiction
The Golden Age of Mystery reached its height in the 1930s, when it was no longer just a single genre. Instead, there was a wide range of mystery stories to choose from, including spy novels, crime fiction, pulp fiction, and murder mysteries. The detective story had become so popular that it spawned its own sub-genres, such as legal thrillers and medical mysteries. Furthermore, a number of classic novels were published in this decade, including The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1930), The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (1934), and Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (1937). These were only a few of the standout novels of the decade, which also saw the publication of books by G. K. Chesterton, S. S. Van Dine, John Dickson Carr, Erle Stanley Gardner, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Ngaio Marsh.
1940s: The End of an Era
Unfortunately, the Golden Age of Mystery came to an end in the 1940s, largely due to the outbreak of World War II. Publishing houses were heavily affected, and many authors stopped writing. The war also affected the themes of mystery fiction, with writers turning away from crime and focusing on espionage and other wartime adventures. There were still some great authors and classic novels published in the 1940s, including Slippery Ann by H. C. Bailey (1944), The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin (1946), and She Shall Have Murder by Delano Ames (1949). The war also provided a new context for mystery writing. Several authors created memorable stories set in wartime, such as Margery Allingham and Arthur Machen.
Mystery Continues to Resonate Today
The Golden Age of Mystery ended in the 1940s, but mystery fiction never went away. Instead, it has remained a popular genre that spans all types of stories. The thriller, crime fiction, and crime drama genres are all closely related to the mystery genre. Detective fiction continues to be important in modern culture, with the popularity of TV series such as CSI and Sherlock Holmes. The Golden Age of Mystery still resonates today because mystery fiction appeals to a wide range of readers. The genre can be as serious as a legal thriller or as light as a romantic whodunit. It can also be humorous, with novels that parody the detective story. Furthermore, mystery fiction has continued to evolve over time. The detective story has been reimagined in different time periods, settings, and cultures. The Golden Age is remembered fondly because it produced so many memorable novels and it continues to have an influence on modern detective fiction.