Yes. I am aware of the irony.
The basis of a detective fiction story is Crime, whether it is a murder, an attack, a theft, a kidnapping, the core of these stories do not equate with a warm blanket and a cup of coffee. In fact, many modern day shows or books contain an element of violence that I am not keen on. I can tolerate a level of violence, but most shows these days are extremely violent. One of the books I read that is a sort of crime fiction is The Whisperer by an Italian author named Donato Carrisi. This was not a book for the faint of heart and there were parts of that were very hard to read. Another I remember liking was The Bone Collector with Lincoln Rhyme as the quadriplegic detective. Both of these stories fall outside of my usual interest, but they were very entertaining and well written.
For this post, I’m not talking about those kinds of crimes and fiction stories because frankly, those give me nightmares. I mean the kinds of detective fiction stories that call to mind a bit of nostalgia or escape to the country side of England, or a beautiful home. In the last post, I wrote about Nancy Drew’s lovely meals. Sometimes it is even a bit of time travel. We spend so much of times connected to the internet and we taken for granted how quickly information is available to us. So, reading about someone picking up a newspaper, browsing archives, or making a good old fashioned house or telephone call brings a sense of peace.
What is it about the beloved detectives we read about in book after book, episode after episode, series and series? For me, it is like having a friend I can tag along with, like being a Captain Hastings or Dr. Watson. It is watching in awe of someone viewing all angles of a situation, examining evidence many of us would not even look at twice. In a way, you feel like you become smart by association and claim victory along side them as they put the finishing touches on a resolution.
It’s traveling to far off lands, towns, staying in mansions or country houses… For me, it isn’t about the crime or trying to figure out “whodunnit.” It is about escaping every day life and finding comfort in someone (even if they aren’t real) who dedicates their days to making the world just a little bit better each day.