Crime fiction is one of literature's most popular genres with hundreds of millions of fans across the globe. These novels fly off shelves from Boston to Barcelona to Beijing and beyond. Why is this? Part of it is in the storytelling. Who can resist a gripping whodunit with unexpected twists and an appealing investigator (professional or amateur) particularly if everything is resolved at the end often in ways we least expect? But part of the appeal of crime fiction is also the insights this genre can offer into some of the most significant challenges facing societies globally. This course explores a selection of bestselling crime fiction from the Americas Africa Asia and Europe examining what these novels tell us about investigating exposing and potentially ameliorating crimes and rectifying injustices. We consider how the crimes depicted involve injustices inflicted on vulnerable individuals and communitiesópeople marginalized because of their class ethnicity gender race religion sexuality and other factors.
