Shedunnit

Books & Literature

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Unravelling the mysteries behind classic detective storiesFor advertising enquiries, email sales@auddy.co

Episodes

  • Lady Chatterley vs Miss Marple

    This Shedunnit episode investigates whether Agatha Christie's stories are as chaste as they appear, contrasting them with D.H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover." The discussion references numerous works by both authors.

  • Decline of the English Murder

    This episode explores George Orwell's views on detective fiction, referencing his essay "Decline of the English Murder" and other literary works. It also mentions his works like Animal Farm, alongside classics such as The Moonstone and The…

  • Agatha Christie’s Gun Man

    This Shedunnit episode explores the childhood nightmare that informed Agatha Christie's crime writing career. It mentions several books by Agatha Christie and Mary Westmacott.

  • The Sanfield Scandal (Green Penguin Book Club 14)

    Jim Noy joins host Caroline to discuss the novel The Sanfield Scandal by Richard Keverne as part of the Green Penguin Book Club. The episode includes a discussion of themes and a spoiler-heavy analysis of the plot.

  • The Perfect Plan

    This episode of Shedunnit discusses the short story "The Perfect Plan" alongside other works by James Hilton, including Lost Horizon, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and Murder at School.

  • The Decree Absolute

    Dr. Jen Aston joins Shedunnit to discuss the history of divorce as depicted in detective fiction. The episode examines how various classic crime novels and short stories have portrayed divorce and its legal complexities.

  • Detective Fiction As Time Travel

    This episode explores how murder mysteries function as a form of time travel by transporting readers to different eras. It highlights works by authors Rudolph Fisher and Freeman Wills Crofts.

  • The Documents in the Case (Green Penguin Book Club 13)

    Victoria Stewart joins Caroline to discuss Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace’s epistolary mystery, The Documents in the Case. This episode of Shedunnit features a spoiler-free discussion followed by a detailed analysis after the 14:59 m…

  • Agatha and Ariadne

    This episode of Shedunnit explores Agatha Christie's use of misdirection, referencing numerous works throughout her career. The discussion includes mentions of several of her detective novels and stories, as well as her autobiography.

  • My First Green Penguin

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the history of Penguin books, featuring a wide range of titles from the series. It also announces that the next book under discussion will be The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eust…

  • A Christmas Feast

    This episode of Shedunnit explores various classic mystery stories featuring a Christmas theme, including works by Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, and others. The host discusses these winter-themed novels and short stories often assoc…

  • The Rasp (Green Penguin Book Club 12)

    Film historian Sergio Angelini joins Caroline to discuss Philip MacDonald's novel The Rasp. The episode includes a discussion of the book's cinematic qualities, with a spoiler section beginning at 20:40.

  • The Case of Georgette Heyer

    Dr. Jennifer Kloester joins the host to discuss Georgette Heyer's mystery novels and why they are not as well-known as her other works. The episode also highlights a variety of Heyer's detective fiction titles.

  • Halloween

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the intersection of murder mysteries and the supernatural, featuring a list of classic detective fiction titles associated with Halloween themes. The episode also highlights the current Shedunnit pledge d…

  • The Servant Problem

    This episode explores how the interwar servant shortage influenced detective fiction, featuring references to works by authors such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and G.K. Chesterton. The episode also launches the Shedunnit pledge…

  • The Crime Clubs

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the role and history of secret societies in murder mysteries and detective fiction, mentioning works by Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and others.

  • Trent's Last Case (Green Penguin Book Club 11)

    Caroline and mystery readers Flex and Herds discuss the influential whodunnit Trent's Last Case by E.C. Bentley. The episode includes a discussion of various classic mystery novels and features a spoiler warning at the 12:24 mark.

  • The Cluefinder

    This episode explores the resurgence of a literary device from the golden age of detective fiction. The host discusses various mystery books and puzzle collections during the segment.

  • Rediscovering Miss Marple

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the character of Miss Marple, the famous resident of St Mary Mead. The host discusses several Agatha Christie novels featuring the character and references other works by the author.

  • Murder at the Bookshop

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the theme of murder in bookshops within the crime fiction genre. It discusses several mystery novels featuring bookstore settings, including titles by Carolyn Wells, R.T. Campbell, and Augusto De Angelis.

  • Death On Paper

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the history and conventions of the epistolary mystery, discussing various books that utilize letters and documents to tell their stories.

  • The Man in the Dark (Green Penguin Book Club 10)

    Host Caroline and guest Kate Jackson discuss the mystery novel The Man in the Dark by John Ferguson, part of the Green Penguin Book Club. The episode includes a spoiler-free section followed by a detailed discussion of the plot and themes.

  • The Poison Book

    Dr. Kathryn Harkup joins the show to discuss how mystery writers have incorporated pharmaceutical regulations and toxic substances into their crime novels. The episode explores the use of poisons in the works of authors like Agatha Christi…

  • The Murder Mystery Hotline II

    This episode of Shedunnit serves as a detective fiction recommendation line, featuring a curated list of mystery novels and short stories from the golden age and beyond. It also provides information on the Shedunnit Book Club and newslette…

  • An Inspector Calls

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the role of professional investigators in classic detective fiction. It features discussions on works by authors including E.C.R. Lorac, Christianna Brand, and Freeman Wills Crofts.

  • The Four Just Men (Green Penguin Book Club 9)

    Guest Tom Mead joins Caroline to discuss Edgar Wallace’s 1905 thriller, The Four Just Men, as part of the Green Penguin Book Club series. The episode features a spoiler-free review followed by a deep-dive analysis of the plot.

  • The Crimes of Dorothy Erskine Muir

    This episode explores the life and work of the overlooked writer Dorothy Erskine Muir, discussing her novels and historical writing. It also highlights a special offer from Moonstone Press on her paperback books.

  • Ranking Christianna Brand

    In this episode, Caroline ranks and discusses 15 novels by author Christianna Brand, drawing from research done for a previous episode on the author's work. She shares her personal favorites from titles including Green for Danger, Death of…

  • Raffles (Green Penguin Book Club 8)

    Darryl Jones joins the Shedunnit podcast to discuss the first collection of Raffles stories by E.W. Hornung. The conversation includes an analysis of the themes and mentions numerous literary works.

  • Oxford vs Cambridge

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the prevalence of Oxford and Cambridge as settings for murder mystery novels. It discusses various books set within these historic university cities.

  • The Mystery Short Story

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the history and characteristics of the crime short story. The host provides a detailed analysis of "Traitor's Hands" by Agatha Christie and "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell, featuring spoiler-heavy…

  • Agatha Christie’s Taste in Crime Fiction

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the literary tastes of Agatha Christie, examining the crime fiction and various authors that she enjoyed reading. The discussion includes references to her own bibliography alongside works by authors such…

  • The Missing Moneylender (Green Penguin Book Club 7)

    Moira Redmond joins Caroline to discuss the 1931 medical mystery novel The Missing Moneylender by W. Stanley Sykes as part of the Green Penguin Book Club series. The episode includes a spoiler-free discussion followed by a full spoiler sec…

  • On Gaudy Night

    Host Caroline provides an in-depth analysis of Dorothy L. Sayers' 1935 novel, Gaudy Night. The episode explores the book's themes and context within the Lord Peter Wimsey series.

  • Whodunnit Centenary: 1925

    This episode of Shedunnit explores mystery novels from the last 100 years, highlighting one representative book from each decade between 1925 and 2015. Works by authors including John Rhode, Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, and Val McDe…

  • Notes & Queries

    This episode of Shedunnit explores various detective fiction works and references previous episodes of the podcast. It features a list of novels and short stories by authors including Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Tana French, and Ar…

  • Father Christmas

    This episode of Shedunnit explores how the festive Christmas season has historically served as a backdrop for various murder mystery stories and classic detective fiction. The show highlights a wide selection of holiday-themed crime novels…

  • Bonus: The Box of Delights

    Caroline and Guy discuss John Masefield's 1935 book The Box of Delights and its 1984 television adaptation. They explore the possibility of the work functioning as a golden age detective novel.

  • Edmund Crispin's Inside Jokes

    This episode explores the work of Edmund Crispin, the creator of Gervase Fen, and his tendency to use his detective novels to parody the conventions of the genre. It also covers the launch of the 2024 Shedunnit pledge drive.

  • The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Green Penguin Book Club 6)

    Kathryn Harkup joins the podcast to discuss Agatha Christie's first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The discussion includes spoilers starting at the 22:30 mark.

  • Vanishing Corpses

    This episode explores the theme of missing bodies within classic mystery fiction. It references a variety of titles by authors including Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, and John Dickson Carr that feature the disappearance of a corpse.

  • Mysterious Knitting

    This episode explores the craft of writing murder mystery plots and discusses the intersection of knitting and detective fiction, featuring references to Margery Allingham's works. It also launches the 2024 Shedunnit pledge drive.

  • The Poisoned Chocolates Case (Green Penguin Book Club 5)

    Martin Edwards joins Caroline to discuss Anthony Berkeley's The Poisoned Chocolates Case as part of the Green Penguin Book Club series. The conversation includes an overview of the book and a spoiler-filled analysis starting at the 11:06 m…

  • The Red Barn Murder

    This episode explores the historical 1827 Red Barn murder case and its connection to the Detection Club. It includes references to literary works and historical accounts surrounding the crime.

  • In the Dentist's Chair

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the portrayal of dentists and dentistry in Golden Age detective fiction. It references various works by authors including Agatha Christie, M.C. Beaton, and Dorothy L. Sayers, alongside historical and scho…

  • Instrument of Death

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the role of the pipe organ in detective fiction, discussing various mystery novels including works by E.C.R. Lorac, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Edmund Crispin.

  • Mr Fortune, Please (Green Penguin Book Club 4)

    Dolores Gordon-Smith joins host Caroline Crampton to discuss the short story collection Mr Fortune, Please by H.C. Bailey as part of the Green Penguin Book Club. The episode includes a non-spoiler discussion followed by a spoiler-filled an…

  • Christianna Brand's Impossible Crimes

    This episode of Shedunnit explores the works of mystery writer Christianna Brand, focusing on the balance between plot and character. It discusses several of her books, including Death in High Heels, Green for Danger, and the Nurse Matilda…

  • Death at the Speakeasy

    In this episode of Shedunnit, host Leandra Griffith and guest Caroline Crampton discuss mystery fiction set during the Prohibition era. The episode includes a fact-check correction regarding the birthplace of author Raymond Chandler.

  • The Thin Man (Green Penguin Book Club 3)

    Caroline and guest CriminOlly discuss the American hardboiled crime novel The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett. The episode includes a non-spoiler discussion followed by a detailed analysis of the book's plot.