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Detective stories, or “Mysteries” are said to be the most popular literary product of our day. They seem to have a universal appeal to people of many diverse literary tastes. “Thriller” addicts are well represented among intellectuals for whom these stories constitute a quick form of relaxation, as well as among adventure hungry youngsters and average readers of the more popular forms of fiction. It behooves a psychologist then, to inquire into the dynamics of detective stories, particularly if he himself is an enthusiastic reader of this literature. When we speak of this subject, we usually have in mind particularly the writings of Edgar Wallace as the most representative of them all. On the other hand we believe that what we shall have to say holds true generally, for practically all of this literature, from the classics of A. Conan Doyle to the Dime Novel, to selections of the Crime Club.
The general structure may be broken down to the following: A crime is being committed; the criminal and certain aspects of the crime are mysterious; a usually well known sleuth is on the trail and brings about an end which has the qualities of surprise and satisfaction. The treatment of the subject-matter may then vary as far as the particular constellation is concerned, and as to the extent of literary style and skill.
We believe that two factors are important in the psychological nature of the detective story: one is the content of the subject-matter, and the other is the structure of it.
The dynamics of the content of detective stories we believe is best understood in terms of psychoanalytic language. The criminal and aggressive proceedings permit a phantasy gratification of Id impulses. In other words, first, the reader is permitted to identify with the criminal. This can safely be done because it is sufficiently removed from reality, and because soon the Super-Ego is satisfied that detection and punishment will follow. That is, after having identified with the criminal, the re