In one of his Sherlock Holmes novels, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes that detection is, or ought to be, an exact science. But whether exact or scientific, millions of readers would agree about the pleasures of detective fiction. Where are some of the origins of contemporary detective novels and stories? How do mystery writers draw upon experience, both personal and literary, and how do they invent their villains? Novelists Robert B. Parker and Amanda J. Smith are joined by Anne Ponder, a scholar of detective fiction and director of the honors program at Elon College.
This edition of Soundings was conducted by Wayne J. Pond.
