a story in which a detective tries to solve a crime
detective story in American English
a mystery involving a crime and the gradual discovery of who committed it, esp. a highly formalized one in which a detective, often a private detective, solves a crime, usually a murder, by means of careful observation and logical reasoning
: also detective novel
Examples of 'detective story' in a sentence
detective story
It also appealed to me that it was like a detective story as well.
Christianity Today (2000)
Each episode is like a detective story.
The Sun (2013)
It tempts the artistic to take part in a detective story instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But it took a medical detective story lasting four years to uncover this threat.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Holiday listening needs at least one detective story to counterbalance all those good resolutions to get to grips with great literature.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We need to discover how this detective story will end, and many imagine they know.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This compelling Time Team special is more detective story than dig chronicle.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The irreparable fault, though, is to make each episode a detective story.