Provides a unique snapshot of themes and trends within popular fiction in the twenty-first century This groundbreaking collection captures the state of popular fiction in present day. It features 20 new essays on key authors associated with a wide range of genres and sub-genres, providing chapter-length discussions of major post-2000 works of contemporary popular fiction. The lively, accessible and academically rigorous essays presented here will primarily appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Key Features . Covers a wider range of established popular fiction genres such as fantasy, horror and the romance, as well as more niche areas such as Domestic Noir, Steampunk, the New Weird, Nordic Noir and Zombie Lit . Includes timely reassessments of recent fiction by established figures such as Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Larry McMurtry, Neil Gaiman, J. K. Rowling, Jodi Picoult, China Miéville, Grant Morrison, Terry Pratchett and Nora Roberts . Considers authors who have emerged more recently, amongst them Stephenie Meyer, Gillian Flynn, E. L. James, Hugh Howey, Cherie Priest and Max Brooks . Features supplementary material and recommendations for further study at the end of each chapter Bernice M. Murphy is Lecturer in Popular Literature in the School of English, Trinity College Dublin, Director of the M.Phil in Popular Literature, and a Fellow of the College. Her recent publications include the text book Key Concepts in Contemporary Popular Fiction (2017). Stephen Matterson is Professor of American Literature in the School of English at Trinity College Dublin and a Fellow of the College. His book publications include American Literature: The Essential Glossary (2003) and Melville: Fashioning in Modernity (2015). Cover image: Untitled, 1998-2002 © Gregory Crewdson. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery Cover design: www.paulsmithdesign.com [EUP logo] edinburghuniversitypress.com ISBN (cover): 978-1-4744-1485-2 ISBN (PPC): 978-1-4744-1484-5 Barcode