Great Detectives in Fiction

This course explores a diverse array of fictional detectives through a selection of five novels.

You will begin with Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of Baskervilles, considering the iconic status of Holmes. You will then discuss Muriel Spark’s take on death in Memento Mori and Lionel Sciasia’s inclusion of politics in Equal Danger. You will then look at how history and fiction might help the investigation of crime in Don DeLillo’s Libra and Blanche on the Lam.

Key elements of each novel will be considered through short lectures and critical discussions. The essential reading for this course is:

• Conan Doyle, A.  The Hound of the Baskervilles
• Spark, M.  Memento Mori
• Sciasia, L.  Equal Danger
• DeLillo, D.  Libra
• Neely, B.  Blanche on the Lam

Please do not purchase any texts until the course is confirmed to run.

You will require access to a device with an internet connection.

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Apply an analytical approach to close reading
• Contextualise literary texts within their historical, social, and political frameworks
• Explain how the detective fiction genre has developed and diversified

No prior knowledge or experience is required although an interest in literature would be helpful.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy. Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services.

The course is suitable for those with no prior experience of university study. No previous knowledge of literature is required, but a keen interest in the subject would be helpful.

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented verbally and in writing. You must be comfortable learning in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.