Context - Golden Age and Locked Room Crime
Golden Age
The detectives of Golden Age Fiction tend to be likeable, well-dressed and well-spoken
moving between all levels of society. They live in a world where a balance must be
maintained and when it is disrupted the detective restores it. Society is very peaceful and
tranquil being idyllic to the pastoral vision.
The idea of gathering everyone to give a great big (mock-courtroom) presentation on how
the crime was committed and who is the criminal is a major theme in Golden Age detective
fiction.
The driven to suicide plot line is also Golden Age detective fiction so the detective does
not have to be violent. Suicide is viewed as justified karma and respectable for the higher
class members who commit suicide instead of going to prison with all the lower class
people.
We are provided with a closed-pool of plentiful suspects in what is a literal parody of the
locked-room mystery; the main body of the novel focuses on exposing the guilt of the
novelʼs characters.
Christie uses the common theme of something not happening which should have
happened which leads to the murder being solved.
The world is balanced and when it is unbalanced the detective enters it and restores
natural order.
The detective does the work to find out the truth and for morality not for monetary gain.
It was intended by Christie and her contemporaries that the triumph of good would
provide reassurance to a reader who has just lived through the terrible conflict of the First
World War. As a result, the nature of the genre would seem to support the view The
Murder of Roger Ackroyd succeeds in depicting the triumph of good and the restoration of
order.
The Golden Age of detective fiction combined two forms of suspense in 'Who-Dunnits'
and the fear that the crime may be repeated.
Locked Room
The "locked-room" or "impossible crime" mystery is a type of crime seen in crime and detective
fiction. The crime in question, typically murder ("locked-room murder"), is committed in
Golden Age
The detectives of Golden Age Fiction tend to be likeable, well-dressed and well-spoken
moving between all levels of society. They live in a world where a balance must be
maintained and when it is disrupted the detective restores it. Society is very peaceful and
tranquil being idyllic to the pastoral vision.
The idea of gathering everyone to give a great big (mock-courtroom) presentation on how
the crime was committed and who is the criminal is a major theme in Golden Age detective
fiction.
The driven to suicide plot line is also Golden Age detective fiction so the detective does
not have to be violent. Suicide is viewed as justified karma and respectable for the higher
class members who commit suicide instead of going to prison with all the lower class
people.
We are provided with a closed-pool of plentiful suspects in what is a literal parody of the
locked-room mystery; the main body of the novel focuses on exposing the guilt of the
novelʼs characters.
Christie uses the common theme of something not happening which should have
happened which leads to the murder being solved.
The world is balanced and when it is unbalanced the detective enters it and restores
natural order.
The detective does the work to find out the truth and for morality not for monetary gain.
It was intended by Christie and her contemporaries that the triumph of good would
provide reassurance to a reader who has just lived through the terrible conflict of the First
World War. As a result, the nature of the genre would seem to support the view The
Murder of Roger Ackroyd succeeds in depicting the triumph of good and the restoration of
order.
The Golden Age of detective fiction combined two forms of suspense in 'Who-Dunnits'
and the fear that the crime may be repeated.
Locked Room
The "locked-room" or "impossible crime" mystery is a type of crime seen in crime and detective
fiction. The crime in question, typically murder ("locked-room murder"), is committed in
