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detective novel

detective novel

5 2.7
A story about a crime in which a detective tries to find who did it
  • noun
  • /dɪˈtɛktɪv ˈnɑvəl/
  • Literature
translation icon : novela de detectives
  • The detective novel kept me guessing until the very last page.
  • author of detective novels

And when I came out of it, I had underlined a name in a detective novel I was reading.

Examples

  • During his year-long stay in Bleston, Revel buys three copies of the detective novel Le Meurtre de Bleston, published in the green Penguin edition.

    Academic text (2003)
  • He's writing a detective novel.

  • It's in every good detective novel.

  • And started reading detective novels.

  • I have a pile of detective novels at home.

  • My wife was reading a detective novel, glancing every now and again at the kids over the top of the book.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • And why does he turn to the detective novel, a popular genre characterized by its rigid structure and predictability?

    Academic text (1994)
  • The eternal triangle in a detective novel consists of the culprit, the sleuth, and the victim.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Similarly, the detective novel features two expulsions of "bad" or socially unfit characters: the victim and the murderer.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Sue Grafton, an internationally bestselling writer, is the author of 21 detective novels in the Kinsey Millhone series.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

mystery
vsdetective novel
137 3.2

A book, play, or film about solving a crime, often a murder

focuses on a book form that challenges readers to solve before the solver reveals
murder mystery
vsdetective novel
17 3.0

A story or film about a murder and finding who did it

covers solving crimes generally and invites readers to solve the puzzle not only killings
whodunit
vsdetective novel
11 7.7

A story about finding who committed a crime, often a murder

emphasizes an invited reader puzzle and the solver instead of only finding the culprit
detective story
vsdetective novel
  • Literature
7 2.4

A story about a person who solves a crime by following clues

is presented as a book that invites readers to solve the puzzle first
mystery novel
vsdetective novel
7 2.8

A book about a crime or puzzle that the reader tries to solve

focuses on the solver who later reveals the solution to readers
mystery story
vsdetective novel
3 2.4

A book, play, or film about solving a crime, often a murder

frames the case as a book puzzle that challenges readers before the reveal

How Complex

detective novel
  • Literature
5 2.7
detective story
  • Literature
7 2.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

detective + novel

The meaning is directly compositional: 'detective' modifies 'novel' to indicate a novel about detectives or crime-solving. This noun+noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Detective novel comes from stories built around a detective who finds clues and a novel, which is a long made-up story. These books are like a puzzle for the reader, so the phrase means a book about solving a 'mystery'.