Hardboiled

Hardboiled crime fiction is a uniquely American style pioneered by Dashiell Hammett, refined by Raymond Chandler, and endlessly imitated since by writers such as Mickey Spillane. Hardboiled fiction is most commonly associated with detective short stories and novels. It is distinguished by an unsentimental portrayal of crime, violence and sex.

Related Topics:
Crime fiction - American - Dashiell Hammett - Raymond Chandler - Mickey Spillane - Detective - Crime - Violence - Sex

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The name comes from a colloquial phrase of understatement. For an egg, being hard-boiled is comparatively tough. The counterpart detective would be stylistically referred to as an "armchair detective" and are considered "soft" in contrast because they do not have to deal with the darker themes of deceit and violence in a direct manner. A classic example might be Hercule Poirot.

Related Topics:
Armchair detective - Hercule Poirot

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