I picked up this book being a fan of the series, in particular 100 Must Read Books for Men, but was disappointed.

I thought Crime Novels would be a variety of subgenres within the umbrella of crime. Expected capers, heists, police procedurals, classic mysteries, and thrillers.
I quickly discovered it would be detective stories only. Okay, my mistake. That is a definition of Crime Fiction. Perhaps it would be clearer if titled Detective Novels but oh well.
Then continuing to read, with adjusted expectations, I discover 5-6 (I haven’t counted) stories that are following criminals and even a suspense thriller I wouldn’t have even included in my initial, more broad definition of the genre.

I’m left wondering what this was trying to be. If it was using the definition of Crime Fiction exclusively referring to detective stories, then what are the examples stories not following investigations and mysteries? And if they were aiming at the more broadly applicable definition, then it is extremely waited towards detective fiction.

Not even to mention the mini essays about each book. They vary wildly between focusing almost exclusively on the writer’s life (giving you hardly anything to interest about the book they’re recommending), to spoiling the endings of at least a few of these novels.

My advice, if you’re going to read something from this Bloomsbury Reading Guides series, make sure it’s something Stephen E. Andrew’s is attached to.


Having said all that, there are 3-5 intriguing stories mentioned in here that I had not come across before.