Occult detective fiction is a subgenre of detective fiction that combines the tropes of the main genre with those of supernatural, fantasy and horror fiction. Unlike a traditional detective, who investigates murder and other common crimes, the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons, curses, magic, vampires, the undead and other supernatural elements, and some occult detectives are themselves portrayed as psychic or otherwise in possession of paranormal or magical powers.
Facts
Partially Attested
Place of OriginSource names Fitz James O'Brien's character Harry Escott only as a contender for the first occult detective, writing in the United States in the 1850s, not as a settled statement of the genre's place of origin. Notable ExampleThomas Carnacki (Carnacki, the Ghost-Finder) by William Hope Hodgson 1 Defining TraitThe detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons, curses, magic, vampires, the undead and other supernatural elements 1 Connections
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Occult detective fiction - Wikipedia
Literature section, paragraph on Fitz James O'Brien
Fitz James O'Brien's character Harry Escott is a contender for first occult detective in fiction.
Literature section, paragraph on William Hope Hodgson
Thomas Carnacki may well be considered one of the first true occult detectives, as he combined both knowledge and experience of what he calls 'the ab-natural' with scientific deductive method and equipment.
Lead section, paragraph 1
the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons, curses, magic, vampires, undead, monsters and other supernatural elements.
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