Crime fiction today is often the material of a bestseller. Its antecedents were unstable and not considered nearly as reputable. This thesis offers a history and criticism of crime fiction - detective and mystery stories - including a discussion of the influential role of publishers in Great Britain and the United States. The emergence of paperback publishing brought new innovation in book cover design advertisement, production and distribution methods, and represents one of the final chronological phases considered in this history of crime fiction.
