The peculiarities of contemporary russian detective story for teenagers (based on the works of E. Verkin, V. Ronshin, E. Mikhalkova)
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2026-6-93-101
The article analyzes detective stories by contemporary Russian authors who write for teenagers. The analysis reveals the following characteristic features of the works: a playful element; the use of folklore genres, motifs, and images; and the highlighting of social and moral-ethical issues. V. Ronshin and E. Verkin parody the established clichés of mass culture at the level of style, the system of images, plot devices, and locations. Well-known works in the detective, horror, and action genres are used as the basis for the parody. In addition to being entertaining, the texts by these authors contain an important pedagogical message, conveyed not through didactic influence, but through the use of the “reverse education” technique. By exaggerating and parodying the clichés of mass literature, the writers devalue its emotional impact on the reader. In E. Mikhalkova’s novel “If You Can Hear Me,” issues relevant to modern teenagers are addressed – the relationship between “fathers” and “children,” and moral choice in a borderline situation. The author revitalizes the traditions of Russian socio-psychological prose using contemporary material. The analysis conducted allows us to speak of different authorial strategies for using the detective plot and referring to the literary tradition as a whole.
Keywords: Eduard Verkin, Valery Ronshin, Elena Mikhalkova, young adult literature, modern detective fiction, contemporary literature
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Issue: 6, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 6
Rubric: RUSSIAN AND FOREIGN LITERATURE
Pages: 93 — 101
Downloads: 1