Magic, magicians and detective fiction : essays on intersecting modes of mystery /

Magic, and especially performance magic, has been a part of crime fiction since its inception: both art forms surged in popularity in western Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century and influenced each other in profound ways. This collection of essays provides an in-depth look at this ph...

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Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Josephy, Rebecca, 1983- (Editor)
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2025].
Subjects:
Description
Summary:Magic, and especially performance magic, has been a part of crime fiction since its inception: both art forms surged in popularity in western Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century and influenced each other in profound ways. This collection of essays provides an in-depth look at this phenomenon and covers a variety of writers, across multiple languages, cultures and traditions as well as multiple subgenres (Victorian autobiography, classic detective tales, pulp fiction, fantasy mystery, etc.). From historical studies examining the rise in popularity of magician narratives in mystery and detective fiction, to essays documenting the number of professional magicians who double as crime fiction writers, to theoretical studies analyzing the narrative and functional overlap between illusion, prestidigitation and literary criminals and detectives, this collection of essays provides readers with a range of perspectives and approaches from a variety of scholarly backgrounds
Physical Description:viii, 232 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 219-222) and index.
ISBN:9781476688206
1476688206