Crime Does Pay: The Popularity of Contemporary Russian Detective Stories

Sammendrag:

During the past decades, there have been great changes in the lives of ordinary Russian citizens. These changes have been accompanied by new literary tastes, and the popularization of certain genres. After perestroika, popular literature was introduced in Russia on a large scale through such genres as the romance and the modern detective story. The authors of classical detective stories have always been popular, but readers now demanded an updated detective novel which corresponded with the new realities of Russian life. These new Russian detective stories developed rapidly and became extremely popular. Pulp-fiction crime novels are a thing of the past - today's readers are interested in something more: entertainment and optimism. Contemporary writers are delivering the goods, and the crime novel has become socially important.

This article deals with writers of detective fiction who have become the favourites of the nation and whose books merit critical attention. I discuss the books of the female authors Alexandra Marinina, Darya Dontsova and Marina Serova, emphasizing distinguishing features of their fiction. These authors demonstrate that new trends are developing within the crime genre - authors go beyond pure entertainment in an attempt to introduce ethical problems and encourage social optimism. This change in focus is also evident in the novels of Boris Akunin, who combines the traditions of the classical detective story with intricate plots and clever detectives. In one series his detective is a man, whereas in a second, a nun, Sister Pelagiya is the heroine. Both series play on intertexuality and demonstrate a fine sense of humour. The detective novel has entered a new golden age in contemporary Russia and the genre has become highly respected.

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