Fact and Fiction in English-Language Thrillers with Russian Characters: The 1930s

Abstract

Thriller fiction written in English during the 1930s provides evidence of the concerns and prejudices of that decade. Thrillers written later but set in the 1930s include supplementary historical and background information. Together, and set in their historical contexts, they provide a unique perspective on the decade. The thrillers in this survey all have Russian or Soviet or Communist characters. They reveal the visible presence of Russians and Communists in British society, show the social problems within that society, and highlight major European problems. They reflect fear of Communism rather than of the Soviet people.