Thanks for the question! So this question’s asking us for something that can characterize traditional detective fiction. So the answer choice can’t just be something that P. D. James doesn’t do (even though she’s not a traditional detective fiction writer), it has to be something that’s also shown to be done by traditional detective fiction writers. For example, the fact that P. D. James doesn’t write talking pizzas into her stories doesn’t automatically mean that traditional detective fiction writers do.
So now let’s take a look at (B), which tells us that traditional detective fiction is characterized by transparent advices to advance the plot. If you think this, it’s probably because of lines 35-38, where we’re basically told that P. D. James doesn’t have transparent devices that advance the plot. But there’s nothing that makes us think that traditional detective fiction writers do. Again, just because P. D. James doesn’t do something doesn’t automatically mean that traditional fiction writers do. (D), the correct answer, does have this kind of support in the passage. We’re told in lines 46-51 that when she doesn’t straightforwardly assign culpability for the crime, it’s “a conscious rebellion against the traditional neatness of detective fiction,” and that line is what lets us know that (D) is something traditional detective fiction writers do. (B) lacks such a clause and so is incorrect.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.
