This class will put you in the shoes of the amateur sleuth as we follow clues to uncover how detective mysteries first arose and became a dominant force in literature, cinema, and TV. Questions we will explore include: What constitutes a “mystery” or “detective story”? What was the first detective mystery? Who developed the genre? How has the genre evolved over time? Sherlock who? And most importantly, how can studying detective stories help us understand the English-speaking world and the world more generally? We will be using a variety of mediums, including fictional TV series and films, documentary films, short stories, and news articles.