The history of humanity is interspersed with unsolved mysteries. The fascination for puzzles and enigmas is echoed in the media, literature as well as cinema. The rise of detective fiction proved to be the perfect means to entertain as well as to challenge the reading public to an imaginary battle of infinite solutions and suspects. The chance to escape from the boring everyday life seemed and still seems fascinating and attractive to the majority of readers. Detective novels and stories resemble a wonderful present wrapped in an austere packing that reserves enormous surprise after its content is revealed. This book sheds light on the status of detective fiction in world literature during its extensive history. Its purpose is to present the originators as well as the laureate representatives of the genre. These ideas illustrate the literary achievements and innovations of acclaimed women writers as A.Christie, D.L.Sayers, M.Allingham, and from the contemporary Queens of Crime, Ruth Rendell and P.D.James. Readers familiar with the literary creations of these writers will find a pleasure in discovering the different interpretations and relations between the old and the new mystery.