The course will represent a literary map (with audiovisual support, film, DVD, etc.) of the Italian crime novel from its origins to the present day. After an introduction of historical-political character to Italian detective fiction, we will examine the structural characteristics of the genre in its essential elements: plot, characterization, and style.

Starting with Narcejac and Pietropaoli’s definitions, we will address the differences between classic and atypical Italian crime novels, and the atypical structure of the Italian noir, which ranges from philosophical to socially engaged investigative narrative.

In particular, we will demonstrate how the Italian noir reflects unresolved historical issues from the post-war period to the present day. A part of the course will be dedicated to Sicilian crime fiction (from Sciascia to Camilleri) within the broader category of Mediterranean crime fiction.