FutureLearn

Classic Detective Fiction (FutureLearn)

Offered by The University of Newcastle, Australia,
Classic Detective Fiction (FutureLearn)

Develop detailed knowledge of one of the most popular and widely read literary sub-genres of crime fiction. Are you the next Hercule Poirot? A budding Sherlock Holmes? Embrace your inner Dick Tracy and dive into the world of detective fiction! Explore the back-stories of some of the earliest examples of crime fiction. This course delves deep into the evolution of the crime fiction genre from the early nineteenth century to the present day with a focus on detective novels. Many of these novels shaped the way we think about reading, and have engaged generations of readers from childhood through to our twilight years.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Did you know that over 2 billion copies of Agatha Christie’s detective novels are estimated to have been sold?
On this course you will develop advanced skills in analysing and contextualising crime fiction texts from the UK, the US, Australia and beyond.
Join us and embark on the fascinating tale behind the twist.

What topics will you cover?

  • The early history of detective fiction
  • Detective fiction sub-genres
  • Reading detective fiction
  • Plots and narrative structures
  • Classic detective fiction devices

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Discuss the history of crime fiction and some of the key crime fiction subgenres.
  • Explore the key formal, thematic and contextual characteristic of individual crime fiction texts.
  • Investigate crime fiction texts in relation to their genre and the idea of genre evolution.
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Penshurst Place and the Sidney Family of Writers (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Lancaster University

Penshurst Place and the Sidney Family of Writers (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Uncover the literary history of Penshurst Place, the 16th-century home of the Sidney family of writers and poets. Learn how Lady Mary Wroth and the Sidney family shaped the English Renaissance. In the 16th century, Penshurst Place was the home to the Sidney family, renowned for their literary works in the age of Shakespeare. The family, including Lady Mary Wroth and her uncle Sir Philip Sidney, wrote poetry and prose that still appeal to audiences today.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Literature Poets Writer
Details
Old Norse Mythology in the Sources (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Old Norse Mythology in the Sources (Coursera)

Humanities History

This course is an introduction to the religion of the Vikings as it is recorded in Old Norse and Scandinavian literature from the medieval period. You will learn about the different written sources and what they can teach us about pre-Christian religion in northern Europe in the Viking Age. The course surveys the primary collection of Old Norse poetry about the pre-Christian Scandinavian gods, the Poetic Edda. We will also work with the main collections of stories about the Old Norse gods in prose: Snorri Sturluson's Edda and Saxo's History of the Danes.

Jun 1st 2026
4 Weeks
Literature Scandinavia Religion
Details
Shakespeare: Context and Stagecraft (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London

Shakespeare: Context and Stagecraft (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Explore Shakespeare’s stagecraft through three of his most well-known plays: Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. Study fascinating theatrical and social contexts that shaped Shakespeare’s plays. On this course, you’ll explore the language, themes, and contexts of three of Shakespeare’s most widely studied and frequently performed plays.

Available Now
2 Weeks
Literature William Shakespeare Shakespeare
Details
Reasoning Across the Disciplines (Coursera) Coursera
University of North Carolina

Reasoning Across the Disciplines (Coursera)

Humanities

Critical reasoning skills are a key success factor for students entering their first year of college. They must be able to think logically and form arguments. This course, designed with incoming college freshmen in mind but open to anyone, provides an essential grounding in critical reasoning skills. Faculty from multiple disciplines at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offer guidance on applying critical thinking skills in the context of specific disciplines. By developing these skills, students will learn more, enjoy their courses more, and experience greater academic success.

May 18th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Psychology Chemistry Literature
Details
Writing and Disseminating Grey Literature (Coursera) Coursera
Indian Institute for Human Settlements

Writing and Disseminating Grey Literature (Coursera)

Education Social Sciences

If you are a researcher, academic, student, development sector professional or a practitioner who is keen to reach the research-based knowledge you have created to a wider audience, this course is for you. Vast amounts of knowledge are produced by educational and research institutions through rigorous research and fieldwork. Yet, there is a dearth of access to this knowledge among non-academic communities (which includes practitioners, policymakers, and citizens) due to the language used. Researchers can bring visibility to grey literature if they engage with alternate public writing forms.

Feb 9th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Photography Literature Writing
Details
Reading Macondo: the Works of Gabriel García Márquez (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Universidad de los Andes

Reading Macondo: the Works of Gabriel García Márquez (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Explore why the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the 20th century’s leading writers in this free online course. Gabriel García Márquez is a Colombian writer, who won the Literature Nobel Prize in 1982. He has been recognised as one of the world’s leading writers in the second half of the 20th century. His works have been translated into many languages, been adapted for TV and film, and inspired many subsequent works of art.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Literature Colombia Gabriel García Márquez
Details
Literature and Mental Health: Reading for Wellbeing (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The University of Warwick

Literature and Mental Health: Reading for Wellbeing (FutureLearn)

Languages & Literature

Find out how poems, plays and novels can help us understand and cope with deep emotional strain in this free online course. The great 18th century writer Dr Samuel Johnson, who suffered from severe bouts of depression, said “the only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life or better to endure it.” This free online course will explore how enjoying literature can help us to endure life.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Literature Reading Poem
Details