Mystery Fiction: Tentative Reading Assignments

1          Oct. 17            Course Introduction: History of Mystery (through Doyle)

                                    Assign “The Speckled Band” (1892) (Doyle) and

                                    “Scandal in Bohemia” (1892) (Doyle)

2          Oct. 24            Discuss Doyle; Reading Quiz

                                    Begin Golden Age and Introduction to Christie

                                    Assign first portion of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (pp. 1-169,

                                    Chapters 1-11)

                                    Holmes Video

3          Oct. 31           Discuss first portion of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd;

                                    Reading Quiz (Chapters 1-11)

                                    Elements of Classic Mystery Fiction

                                    Assign second portion of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (pp. 171-358, Chapters 12-27);
                                    Roger Ackroyd Mystery Log Due

4          Nov. 7             Reading Quiz (Chapters 12-27) and Discussion         

                                    The Controversy Surrounding The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

                              Introduce Hardboiled American Crime 

                                    Assign first portion of Deal Breaker by Harlan Coben (pp. 106,

                                    Chapters 1-13)

5          Nov. 14           Discuss first portion of Coben novel (pp. 1-106); Reading Quiz          

                                    Assign next portion of Deal Breaker (pp. 106-241, Chapters 14-32)

                                    Hardboiled film clip (Philip Marlow: Private Eye?)

6          Nov. 21           Thanksgiving Holiday (Complete Online Message Board Assignment by Nov. 20, 9:00 p.m.)

7          Nov. 28           Discuss next portion of Deal Breaker (pp. 106-241); Reading

                                    Quiz

                                    Second Golden Age: Modern Mystery Fiction; Elements of the

                                    Cozy/Traditional

                                    Assign last portion of Deal Breaker (pp. 242-343)

                              First half of Christie film           

                                    Deal Breaker Mystery Log Due (pp. 1-241, Chapters 1-32)           

8.         Dec. 5             Reading Quiz  and Discussion

                                    Second half of Christie film

            Dec. 6-12       Final Exam (exact date to be announced)