Download or read book The Classic Era of Crime Fiction written by Peter Haining and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This lavishly illustrated history features rare covers and classic illustrations, revealing how crucial artists were to establishing the identity and popularity of crime fiction. During its “classic era”—from 1850 to 1950—a variety of writers developed every important element of the genre: the police detective, the professional sleuth, the hard-boiled private eye, the secret agent, and of course, the criminal masterminds, crooks, and gangsters. From Sherlock Holmes and James Bond to Edgar Allan Poe and Joseph Conrad, this book explores an exciting cultural history. Crime enthusiasts can here see how famous (and sometimes infamous) works of crime fiction originally looked, and how unknown writers and illustrators became responsible for one of the cornerstones of popular culture.