Shedunnit

Latest Episodes:

The Rules (Remastered) Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

A good detective story has a recognisable rhythm and plot points. But how did these tropes come about? And what happens when you break the rules?

This episode of Shedunnit was first released in February 2019 and is repeated here in a rerecorded and remastered version.

Find more information about this episode and links to the books discussed at shedunnitshow.com/therules.

The podcast is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as @ShedunnitShow, and you can find it in all major podcast apps. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next episode. Click here to do that now in your app of choice.

Books and articles mentioned in order of appearance:

—The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne

—T. S. Eliot on detective fiction

—The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

— S. S. van Dine’s “Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories”

—Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

—The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

—Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers

—Ronald Knox’s Decalogue

—The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards

—Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers

—The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr

—The Eye in the Museum by J. J. Connington

—The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

— "Who Cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?” by Edmund Wilson

—Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

—The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/therulestranscript

NB: Links to Blackwell’s are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission when you purchase a book there (the price remains the same for you). Blackwell’s is a UK bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge.

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A Second Century of Whodunnits Feb 23, 2022

Show notes

Reading my way through the last hundred years, from the 1920s to the 2020s, one mystery at a time.

My previous attempt at this reading project can be found in the episode A Century of Whodunnits.

Books mentioned:

— Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers

— Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles

— Laurels are Poison by Gladys Mitchell

— The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

— The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons

— Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh

— A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine

— Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell

— Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James

— Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

— The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/asecondcenturyofwhodunnitstranscript.

Links to Blackwell’s are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission when you purchase a book there (the price remains the same for you). Blackwell’s is a UK bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Whodunnit in India Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

India has a long and deep tradition of storytelling and mythology. What happens when this heritage is combined with the tropes of golden age detective fiction?

Thanks to my guest R.V. Raman. His first whodunnit is A Will To Kill and you can find more information about upcoming books in his Harith Athreya series at rvraman.com.

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thewhodunnitinindiatranscript.

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The Tichborne Claimant Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

The golden age of detective fiction was obsessed with identity. The reason why? An extremely melodramatic Victorian legal case involving shipwreck, Shetland ponies and a tangled aristocratic inheritance.

Please be aware that there may be spoilers for the following books in this episode.

Books referenced:

— The Claimant by Michael Gilbert

— Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert

— Smallbone Deceased by Michael Gilbert

— The Murder at Road Hill House episode with Robin Stevens

— The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale

— Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

— Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie

— The Nine Wrong Answers by John Dickson Carr

— The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons

— Brat Farrarby Josephine Tey

— The Tichborne Romance by Franklin Lushington

— The Tichborne Claimant by Douglas Woodruff

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thetichborneclaimanttranscript.

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A Mysterious Glossary Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

Do you know your ack emma from your pip emma? Would you wear the cat's pyjamas? Are you, in fact, a goop? Helen Zaltzman joins me to delve into some baffling language from golden age detective fiction.

Thanks to my guest for this episode, Helen Zaltzman. She is the host of The Allusionist, a marvellous podcast about language, which I strongly recommend that you support on Patreon now.

A bonus episode with 20 minutes of extra material will be published later this month just for Shedunnit Book Club members. If you'd like to hear it, join now at shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

There are no major plot spoilers in this episode.

Books referenced:

— A Murder is Announcedby Agatha Christie

— "The Tuesday Night Club" by Agatha Christie from The Tuesday Club Murders aka The Thirteen Problems

— The Franchise Affairby Josephine Tey

— Checkmate to Murderby ECR Lorac

— The Ha-Ha Caseby JJ Connington

— The Secret Gardenby Frances Hodgson Burnett

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/amysteriousglossarytranscript.

Links to Blackwell’s are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission when you purchase a book there (the price remains the same for you). Blackwell’s is a UK independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Murder Isn't Easy Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

How much did Agatha Christie really know about dead bodies?

Thanks to my guest for this episode, Carla Valentine. She is a trained mortuary technician and the technical curator at Barts Pathology Museum in London. She's also the author of Murder Isn't Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie.

There are no major plot spoilers in this episode, although there is some discussion of the death in Hercule Poirot's Christmas.

Books referenced:

— The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

— The Tuesday Night Club aka The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie

— Mrs McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie

— Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/murderisnteasytranscript.

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Dorothy L Sayers Solves Her Mystery Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Why did she stop writing detective fiction as WW2 approached?

This is the sixth and final episode of Queens of Crime at War, a six part series looking at what the best writers from the golden age of detective fiction did once that period came to an end with the start of the Second World War.

There are very minor spoilers in this episode for the eventual outcome of the Harriet Vane-Peter Wimsey plot line.

Books referenced:

— Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L Sayers

— The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers

— The Floating Admiral by Members of the Detection Club

— The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L Sayers and Robert Eustace

— Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers

— Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers

— The Zeal of Thy House by Dorothy L Sayers

— Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life and Soul by Barbara Reynolds

— He That Should Come by Dorothy L Sayers

— Begin Here: A Wartime Essayby Dorothy L Sayers

— Whose Body? by Dorothy L Sayers

—Thrones, Dominations by Dorothy L Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh

— Striding Folly by Dorothy L Sayers

— "The Haunted Policeman" and "Talboys" in Lord Peter Wimsey Investigates by Dorothy L Sayers

— The Wimsey Papersby Dorothy L Sayers

— The Man Born to Be King by Dorothy L Sayers

— The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L Sayers

— Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers

— Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers

— Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers

— A Presumption of Death by Dorothy L Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh

— Women's Fiction of the Second World War: Gender, Power, Resistance by Gill Plain

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/dorothylsayerssolveshermysterytranscript.

The original music for this series, "The Case Of The Black Stormcloud", was created by Martin Zaltz Austwick. Find out more about his work at martinzaltzaustwick.wordpress.com.

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Ngaio Marsh Goes Home Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

Caught between two very different worlds, WW2 forced this queen of crime to become better acquainted with her homeland.

This is the fifth episode of Queens of Crime at War, a six part series looking at what the best writers from the golden age of detective fiction did once that period came to an end with the start of the Second World War.

Thanks to my guest, Gail Pittaway. You can find out more about her work here.

There are no spoilers in this episode.

Books referenced:

— Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime by Joanne Drayton

— Ngaio Marshby Margaret Lewis

— Ngaio Marsh: The Woman and Her Workby B. J. Rahn

— Black Beech and Honeydew by Ngaio Marsh

— Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh

— Death at the Barby Ngaio Marsh

— Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh

— Death and the Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh

— Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh

— Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh

— Died in the Wool by Ngaio Marsh

— Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/ngaiomarshgoeshometranscript.

The original music for this series, "The Case Of The Black Stormcloud", was created by Martin Zaltz Austwick. Find out more about his work at martinzaltzaustwick.wordpress.com.

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Josephine Tey's Golden Age Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

Something happened to the Scottish writer during WW2 that made her want to write mysteries again.

This is the fourth episode of Queens of Crime at War, a six part series looking at what the best writers from the golden age of detective fiction did once that period came to an end with the start of the Second World War. Visit shedunnitshow.com/josephineteysgoldenage for more details.

Thanks to my guest, Jennifer Morag Henderson. You can find out more about her work at jennifermoraghenderson.com and pre-order the new edition of Josephine Tey: A Lifeat all good booksellers.

There are no spoilers in this episode.

Books referenced:

— The Man in the Queue by Gordon Daviot aka Josephine Tey

— A Shilling for Candlesby Josephine Tey

— The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

— The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey

— Richard of Bordeaux by Gordon Daviot aka Josephine Tey

— Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey

— Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey

— To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey

— The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/josephineteysgoldenagetranscript.

The original music for this series, "The Case Of The Black Stormcloud", was created by Martin Zaltz Austwick. Find out more about his work at martinzaltzaustwick.wordpress.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Margery Allingham Waits For The Invasion Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

For Albert Campion's creator, the war was her salvation.

This is the third episode of Queens of Crime at War, a six part series looking at what the best writers from the golden age of detective fiction did once that period came to an end with the start of the Second World War.

There are no spoilers in this episode.

Books referenced:

— Dancers in Mourningby Margery Allingham

— Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers

— The Fashion in Shrouds by Margery Allingham

— Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham

— Coroner's Pidgin by Margery Allingham

— The Oaken Heart by Margery Allingham

— The Adventures of Margery Allingham by Julia Jones (aka Julia Thorogood)

— Ink in Her Blood: The Life and Crime Fiction of Margery Allingham by Richard Martin

— Mr Campion's Career by B. A. Pike

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.

Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/margeryallinghamwaitsfortheinvasiontranscript.

The original music for this series, "The Case Of The Black Stormcloud", was created by Martin Zaltz Austwick. Find out more about his work at martinzaltzaustwick.wordpress.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices