Mystery fiction quotes from the greatest crime novelists ever

Fans of crime fiction will love these mystery fiction quotes from some of the most highly-acclaimed writers.

"Amongst the more churlish criticisms leveled against the art of Murder and Mystery, —in their classic literary forms, I should hasten to say—is the objection, whether philosophical or aesthetic, to the inevitable tidiness of the conclusion, toward which the form instinctively moves: whereby all that has been bewildering, and problematic, and, indeed, ‘mysterious’ is, oft-times not altogether plausibly, resolved: which is to say, explained. It is objected that 'life is not like that'…As if it were not, to all right-thinking persons, a triumphant matter that Evil be exposed in human form, and murderers,—or murderesses—be brought to justice; and the fundamental coherence of the Universe confirmed.” - JOYCE CAROL OATES

"I am talking about the general psychological health of the species, man. He needs the existence of mysteries. Not their solution." - JOHN FOWLES

"The detective story itself is in a dilemma. It is a vein which is in danger of being worked out, the demand is constant, the powers of supply variable, and the reader, with each one he absorbs, grows a little more sophisticated and harder to please, while the novelist, after each one he writes, becomes a little more exhausted." - CYRIL CONNOLLY

"If in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns." - RAYMOND CHANDLER

"There really must be a murder, or at least a major felony -- otherwise, what's the point? Who's ripping off the hand towels at the Dorchester Hotel is hardly the business of a mystery novel." - HOWARD HAYCRAFT

"There simply must be a corpse in a detective novel, and the deader the corpse the better." - S.S. VAN DINE

"The criminal is the creative artist; the detective only the critic." - G.K. CHESTERTON

"I know what kind of things I myself have been irritated by in detective stories. They are often about one or two persons, but they don't describe anything in the society Outside." - STIEG LARSSON

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Female detectives in fiction: The women who crack the case

Agatha Christie was a trailblazer in many ways. The British crime writer helped to popularize the mystery genre and was one of the most prominent female writers of her time. But she also challenged convention by having a woman as one of the main investigative minds in many of her novels. Miss Marple was an amateur sleuth who possessed a quick wit and was adept at uncovering the most complex of mysteries.

However, a lot of mystery novels through the years, and even to the present day, haven’t followed Christie’s lead and included female detectives in the role of chief case-crackers. Here are some female detectives who have bucked the trend though.

DCI Jane Tennison

It was a TV role made famous by Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren, but Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison began life on the pages of a novel by Lynda La Plante. Tennison first appears in the novel Prime Suspect and through a series of books, La Plante details her rise through the ranks despite the numerous challenges along the way.

DI Kate Burrows

Burrows first appears in acclaimed crime writer Martina Cole’s 1993 novel the Ladykiller. Detective Inspector Burrows must stand out in the male-dominated police force and possesses a tough demeanor and seriously intense work ethic to get her through. However, her personal life isn’t so straight-laced as she discovers that the man she has fallen love with is a notorious gangster.

Lisbeth Salandar

More in the amateur investigator role, Lisbeth Salandar is the creation of Swedish author Stieg Larsson and appears in the Dragon Tattoo series of books in which she uses her great intellect, hacking skills and resourcefulness to uncover corruption and violence against women.

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