Erin E. MacDonald

Outlander and Lord John as Crime Fiction

Diana Gabaldon's bestselling Outlander and Lord John series and the Starz television series that adapts the former have captivated millions of readers and viewers worldwide. This collection of scholarly essays delves into the many connections between Gabaldon's fiction and the conventions of crime fiction. Contributors analyze the ways crime and punishment, vigilante justice, and murder and mystery are represented in both the Outlander and Lord John series.

Few readers or viewers realize just how large an influence the mystery genre has had on Gabaldon's plots, characters, and writing style. Her Lord John series of novels and short stories is obviously rooted in the crime fiction tradition, although it certainly doesn't play by all of the traditional generic rules. Even the larger Outlander novels, though, contain at least one mystery in every book. This inclusion of the murder-mystery and other crimes is no accident: the author has stated her love of the genre and her deliberate use of some of its aspects many times.

This collection of highly readable essays, therefore, delves into the many connections between the world of Outlander and the world of crime fiction, analyzing them in depth, for the first time. Moving beyond the stereotypical romance focus, this book demonstrates the variety and complexity of Gabaldon's universe.

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REVIEWS

"This book would be very interesting for fans of Lord John Grey and/or Outlander! It’s academically rigorous but easy for everyone to read." -Julie P., Amazon

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IAN RANKIN:

A Companion to the Mystery Fiction

Ian Rankin is considered by many to be Scotland's greatest living crime fiction author. Most well known for his Inspector Rebus series--which has earned critical acclaim as well as scores of fans worldwide--Rankin is a prolific author whose other works include spy thrillers, nonfiction books and articles, short stories, novels, graphic novels, audio recordings, television/film, and plays.

This companion--the first to provide a complete look at all of his writings--includes alphabetized entries on Rankin's works, characters, and themes; a biography; a chronology; maps of Rebus' Edinburgh; an exclusive interview with Ian Rankin; and an annotated bibliography. A champion of both Edinburgh and Scotland, Rankin continues to combine engaging entertainment with socio-political commentary showing Edinburgh as a microcosm of Scotland, and Scotland as a microcosm of the world. His writing investigates questions of Scottish identity, British history, masculinity, and contemporary culture while providing mystery readers with complex, suspenseful plots, realistic character development, and a unique mix of American hard-boiled and procedural styles with Scottish dialects and sensibilities.

This Edgar Award and Macavity Award nominated companion is available through many sites including mcfarlandbooks.com and Amazon and is available in both paper and eBook.

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REVIEWS

“Fascinating biography…definitely belongs in mystery reference collections…Rebus devotees will love having a copy at the ready when they find themselves wanting to check backstories on the multiple repeating characters.”—Booklist

"Congratulations to Erin--I know how hard she worked. And she unearthed more than a few things I'd forgotten I'd written!" -Ian Rankin

"A hefty and intoxicating deep dive into the crime fiction of the laird of Scottish crime writers" -Kevin Burton Smith for Mystery Scene

“The McFarland Companion series…has been consistently excellent, both in its choice of subjects and its quality of scholarship and writing.”—Mystery Scene

Interview with Paul Abbott for the Hark! 87th Precinct podcast: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-iihp4-e02a0b