
The first integrated overview in English of Latin American crime fiction, a flourishing genre with unique perspectives and characteristics.
Latin American crime fiction has a long and rich history, and this volume offers the first integrated overview in English of a flourishing tradition with unique perspectives and characteristics. Featuring contributions from leading scholars of a multifarious genre often shortened to
neopolicíaco or
neopolicial, this Companion explores noir literature in Latin America. The first part looks at the history of the
novela negra and its manifestations in Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and Brazil. The second part examines patterns and trends including literary crime fiction, the
narconovela, a concern for increasing racial and sexual diversity and the phenomenon of true crime. In the third part, expert analyses are given of four leading authors and their work: Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Leonardo Padura Fuentes, Claudia Piñeiro and Rubem Fonseca. The book closes with a chapter on screen adaptations of crime fiction for film and television. Overall, the Companion provides a clear and authoritative account of Latin American crime fiction, showcasing its variety, fluidity and adaptability.
Table of Content
List of Contributors
Introduction
PHILIP SWANSON
Part I: Time and Place
1. History
AILSA PEATE
2. Mexico
PERSEPHONE BRAHAM
3. Argentina
CYNTHIA SCHMIDT-CRUZ
4. Cuba
CARLOS UXO
5. Brazil
NATALIA JACOVKIS
Part II: Themes and Trends
6. Literary Crime Fiction
PHILIP SWANSON
7. Narconarratives
RUTH N. SOLARTE-HENGSEN
8. Diversity in Crime Fiction
OSVALDO DI PAOLO HARRISON
9. True Crime
KATE QUINN
Part III: Four Major Authors
10. Paco Ignacio Taibo II
CHARLOTTE LANGE
11. Leonardo Padura Fuentes
FABIENNE VIALA
12. Claudia Piñeiro
FIONA MACKINTOSH
13. Rubem Fonseca
M. ELIZABETH GINWAY
Part IV: Beyond the Written Word
14. Latin American Crime Fiction on Screen
DAVID CONLON
Further Reading
About the author
AILSA PEATE is Lecturer of Latin American and Heritage Studies at the University of Westminster.