The Ascent of the Detective: Police Sleuths in Victorian and Edwardian England
"This is a detailed and well-organized look at the British detective at the scene of the crime, in the newspaper, and in novels. At the start of this rich historical account, the very idea of a detective force is acceptable to no members of any class within Britain, and by the end, the detective is regarded as, if not a hero, then at least a stolid, hardworking official with the best interests of the public at heart. An ascent indeed." --The Dispatch"This is a fascinating foray through many types of print sources discussing detectives... the careful attention to the cultural forces at work in the creation of both the profession and detective genre makesAscent of the Detectiveavade mecumto anyone embarking on further study of this subject." --Journal of British Studies