The main aim of detective stories is to entertain but the best cast a light on human behaviour & display both literary ambition & accomplishment Even unpretentious detective stories written for unashamedly commercial reasons can give us clues to the past & give us insight into a long-vanished world that for all its imperfections continues to fascinate This book written by award-winning crime writer & president of the Detection Club Martin Edwards serves as a companion to the British Library's internationally acclaimed series of Crime Classics Long-forgotten stories republished in the series have won a devoted new readership with several titles entering the bestseller charts & sales outstripping those of highly acclaimed contemporary thrillers