This book analyses the gender roles and political contexts of spy fiction narratives published during the years of the Cold War. It offers an introduction to the development of spy fiction both in England and in the United States and explores the ways in which issues such as the atomic bomb, double agents, paranoia, propaganda and megalomania manifest themselves within the genre. The book examines the ongoing marginalization of women within spy fiction texts, exploring the idea that this unique period in global history is responsible for the active promotion and celebration of masculinity and male superiority. From James Bond to Jason Bourne, the book evaluates the ongoing enforcement of patriarchal ideas and oppressions that, in the name of national security and patriotic duty, have contributed to the development of a genre in which discrimination and bias continue to dominate.

A coherent and chronological investigation, this book explores the way in which writers of crime fiction--the most popular fictional genre of the 21st century--adapt and incorporate features of traditional Gothic fiction into their writing. Offering a study into the origins of the genre, it underscores the Gothic and detective fiction influences that resulted in crime fiction writing. With detailed analysis of the most contemporary and successful crime writers--both American and British--this account also examines the public's thirst for and obsession with true crime in the 19th century.