She created Lord Peter Wimsey — and also some excellent slogans about mustard. Mentioned in this episode: — The Mutual Admiration Society by Mo Moulton — Dorothy L. Sayers: Her Life And Soul by Barbara Reynolds — Dorothy L. Sayers: A Careless Rage for Life by David Coomes — Dorothy L. Sayers: A Companion to the… Continue Reading
Author Archives: caroline
The Advertising Adventures of Dorothy L. Sayers Transcript
Caroline: Being a writer is a peculiar occupation in lots of ways. It falls somewhere between job, pastime, hobby and vocation, and might be one, several or none of those things at the same time. Even within the subset of those who write to earn their living, there are plenty of further divisions. Today, you… Continue Reading
Let It Snow (Replay)
Snow is a very powerful tool for a detective novelist. It can create a sinister atmosphere, keep suspects and murderer stormbound, and preserve the footprints of anyone who dares to escape. What could be more seasonal or festive than that? This episode of Shedunnit first aired on 11th December 2019. Caroline is currently recovering from… Continue Reading
Howdunnit
Invert everything you know about murder mysteries. Mentioned in this episode:— “The Case of Oscar Brodski” by R. Austin Freeman— The Mystery of 31, New Inn by R. Austin Freeman— The Red Thumb Mark by R. Austin Freeman— John Thorndyke’s Cases by R. Austin Freeman— “A Wastrel’s Romance” by R. Austin Freeman— “The Art of… Continue Reading
Howdunnit Transcript
Caroline: When we want to describe a work of detective fiction, there are a few different terms that get thrown around. We might say “murder mystery”, or “crime fiction”, or “detective story”, or “thriller”, or perhaps “whodunnit”. These aren’t all the same thing, of course, but they are expressions that get used fairly interchangeably. A… Continue Reading
Clerical Crimes
Why do murder mysteries contain so many vicars? Mentioned in this episode: — Measuring religious affiliation in Great Britain by Clive D. Field — The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers — Death in Holy Orders by P.D. James — The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie — Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers… Continue Reading
Clerical Crimes Transcript
Caroline: A golden age murder mystery should work on two levels. There’s the day to day world that the characters inhabit, in which they eat meals, share gossip and, occasionally, kill each other. Lying behind that is a more elemental realm, in which abstract concepts like justice, order, fairness, guilt and revenge find expression. The… Continue Reading
The Shedunnit Centenary Transcript
Music Guy: Welcome to Shedunnit. My name is Guy Cuthbertson. I am Caroline Crampton’s husband. And this is a special episode because it is episode number 100. So out of the walk-in wardrobe in our bedroom, which is also Caroline’s recording studio, there have come 100 episodes of Shedunnit. Wafting out of the house into… Continue Reading
The Shedunnit Centenary
In which Caroline is the guest, not the host. Caroline Crampton is the host of Shedunnit. You can find out what she does when she’s not hosting this podcast at carolinecrampton.com or on Instagram @cacrampton. Guy Cuthbertson is her husband. His website is guycuthbertson.com and he tweets @guywjc. Mentioned in this episode: — The Lion,… Continue Reading
The Kidnap of Elizabeth Canning
There’s a dark story connecting this 18th century abduction with a 20th century crime novel. Thanks to my guest, Tana French. The new Penguin edition of The Franchise Affair, which includes her introduction, is available now. And Tana’s own latest novel is The Searcher, now available in paperback. This episode contains minor spoilers for… Continue Reading
The Kidnap of Elizabeth Canning Transcript
Caroline: Late on the evening of the 29th January 1753, a young maidservant walked back into her family home in east London. She had no shoes or luggage with her, and her hands and feet were filthy, as was the underdress and petticoat she was wearing. A dirty, blood-soaked rag was tied around her head.… Continue Reading
Queering The Golden Age
What if everything we thought about murder mysteries was wrong? Thanks to my guest, Benedict Morrison. Among his many publications, you can read him on Agatha Christie’s theatrical work in the Bloomsbury Handbook to Agatha Christie. Mentioned in this episode: — The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie — A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie — The… Continue Reading
Queering The Golden Age Transcript
Caroline: Murder mysteries are all about certainty. It’s all there in that nickname we use for the form — the whodunnit. That word poses a question — who? — which the detective ultimately answers, usually in a satisfying final chapter that tidies everything away into neat boxes labelled “guilty”, “innocent”, “good” and “bad”. This black and white take… Continue Reading
A Prize Mystery
Could you beat the detective to the solution? This live episode of Shedunnit was recorded at the 2022 International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay. Mentioned in this episode: — The Wintringham Mystery by Anthony Berkeley — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — The Mystery of Norman’s Court by John Chancellor — The… Continue Reading
A Prize Mystery Transcript
Caroline: What you’re about to hear is a live episode of Shedunnit recorded at the 2022 International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay. Enjoy. Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. Our story today starts on Monday 1st March, 1926. A woman opens a newspaper, and finds herself drawn in by a story published inside. In this… Continue Reading
The Elusive Agatha Christie
How well do we really know the queen of crime? Thanks to my guest, Lucy Worsley. Her book Agatha Christie: A Very Elusive Woman is out now. Books and sources mentioned: — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — Agatha Christie: A Biography by Janet P. Morgan — Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life by Laura Thompson… Continue Reading
The Elusive Agatha Christie Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. We all think we know Agatha Christie. How could we not? She’s one of the bestselling authors of all time, an icon of British popular culture, and as you’re listening to this podcast, probably one of your favourite writers. During her lifetime, and in the almost half a… Continue Reading
The Challenge Of Dorothy L. Sayers
Should detective fiction be easy reading? Thanks to my guest, Eric Sandberg. He is an assistant professor at City University of Hong Kong and the editor of Dorothy L. Sayers: A Companion to the Mystery Fiction. Mentioned in this episode: — Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers — The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins — The… Continue Reading
The Challenge Of Dorothy L. Sayers Transcript
Caroline: Should detective fiction be easy reading? Despite their murderous plots, we often talk of these stories as comforting, even cosy — a pleasant way to relax, switch off the brain, and escape from the real world for a while. And they certainly can fulfil that role, with their familiar structures and satisfying solutions. But not… Continue Reading
Agatha The Adventuress
In 1922, Agatha Christie took a trip around the world. Find out more about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/agathatheadventuress. To support the podcast, be part of a superb bookish community, and get two bonus episodes a month, become a member of the Shedunnit Book Club now at shedunnitbookclub. Referenced for this episode: — Agatha Christie: The Grand Tour… Continue Reading
Agatha The Adventuress Transcript
When we think of Agatha Christie, there’s a tendency to recall her as she was later on in her life. A vastly successful author and playwright, comfortably ensconsed in her tweeds and pearls, she glances up at the camera from between two towering piles of books. Her greying hair carefully arranged in elaborate curls, she… Continue Reading
The Nobodies
Clerks, shop assistants, secretaries, salespeople — we have lots to learn from the lower middle class characters of classic detective fiction. Thanks to my guest, Dr Nicola Bishop. Her book, Lower-Middle-Class Nation: The White-Collar Worker in British Popular Culture is published by Bloomsbury Academic. Find out more about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thenobodies. To support the… Continue Reading
The Nobodies Transcript
Caroline: One of the delightful and reassuring things about classic detective fiction is that it tends to abide by certain tropes. When picking up a whodunnit from the 1920s or 1930s, the reader can be fairly sure of what they might encounter within its pages. Settings like country houses or small English villages are very… Continue Reading
At The Old Bailey
A judge looks back over her time on the bench at a very famous court. Thanks to my guest, Wendy Joseph. Her book about her time as an Old Bailey judge, Unlawful Killings, is out now. Find out more about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/attheoldbailey To support the podcast, be part of a superb bookish community, and… Continue Reading
At The Old Bailey Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. There are few locations in Britain more steeped in the history of crimes real and imaginary than the Old Bailey. This historic courthouse in central London has been the setting for some of the most dramatic moments in legal memory — such as the trials of Dr Crippen and… Continue Reading
The Dark Side of True Crime
What if thinking and talking about real life murders was not actually good for us? Thanks to my guest, Emma Berquist. Find all the details about her books and articles at emmaberquist.com. Find out more about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thedarksideoftruecrime To support the podcast, be part of a superb bookish community, and get two bonus… Continue Reading
The Dark Side of True Crime Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. The boundary between real life crimes and fictional ones has been blurry for a long time. Writers have been using elements of actual murders in their plots as long as crime fiction has existed. I’ve explored some of the most famous instances from history, such as the cases… Continue Reading
Looking East Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. One of the reasons that we still read golden age detective fiction today is because of the insights and details it provides into the time in which it was written. That period between the two world wars comes alive to us because of the whodunnits that were published then… Continue Reading
Looking East
Expanding the horizons of golden age detective fiction. Many thanks to my guest, Christopher Huang. You can find out more about his work at ricordius.com. His first mystery novel is A Gentleman’s Murder. Read his article “How Do You Decolonise The Golden Age Mystery? Read More Historical Fiction!” at crimereads.com. Find out more about this episode… Continue Reading
The Queen of True Crime
F. Tennyson Jesse created a way of telling crime stories that still influences us today. Find out more about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thequeenoftruecrime. To support the podcast, be part of a superb bookish community, and get two bonus episodes a month, become a member of the Shedunnit Book Club now at shedunnitbookclub.com/join. Books mentioned and… Continue Reading
The Queen of True Crime Transcript
Caroline: In the introduction to her 1924 criminological study Murder and Its Motives, the writer F. Tennyson Jesse declared, ‘It has been observed, with some truth, that everyone loves a good murder.’ This was a personal as well as a general observation. Although she had no formal training in law or criminology, the publication of… Continue Reading
The Long Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. When Edgar Allan Poe published his short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” in 1841, he set in motion a chain of events that ultimately lead to me, sitting here, talking to you about detective fiction. Best known in popular culture today for his creepy, supernatural, often… Continue Reading
The Long Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe
The grandfather of detective fiction still has a lot to teach us. Many thanks to my guest, Jim Noy. You can find out more about his work at his blog, theinvisibleevent.com. His book The Red Death Murders is available only from Amazon worldwide (link for UK; link for US). To support the podcast, be part of… Continue Reading
Death By Chocolate
A box of chocolates can conceal a poisonous secret. To support the podcast, be part of a superb bookish community, and get two bonus episodes a month, become a member of the Shedunnit Book Club now at shedunnitbookclub.com/join. Books mentioned: — The Case of the Chocolate Cream Killer by Kaye Jones — The Invention of… Continue Reading
Death By Chocolate Transcript
Caroline: There’s something about the combination of sweetness and poison that was irresistible to the writers of golden age detective fiction. Perhaps it’s merely the symbolism that appealed: the sugary flavour of a treat that conceals the bitter taste of death is the ultimate in contrasts. Maybe there was a practical aspect to it too:… Continue Reading
The Detective’s Best Friend Transcript
Caroline: Every detective needs a companion. A solo sleuth is at a disadvantage in lots of ways: they have no backup in awkward situations, they have only their own skills to rely on, and — crucially — they have no one with whom to share their thoughts in such a way that they are also laid out… Continue Reading
The Detective’s Best Friend
Please join me for a long-awaited guided tour of the role that dogs play in detective fiction. Books mentioned: — My Lady’s Money by Wilkie Collins — The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle — A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle — The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time… Continue Reading
An Encounter With Father Brown Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. Music One of my favourite things about this podcast is when it acts as an open door for listeners new to reading golden age detective fiction. Everyone arrives here with different levels of knowledge and experience in the genre, and if I’m doing this right, they get to step… Continue Reading
An Encounter With Father Brown
Let’s spend some time with G.K. Chesterton, the first president of the Detection Club. Sources: — “The Hammer of God” by G.K. Chesterton from The Innocence of Father Brown — “Errors About Detective Stories” by G.K. Chesterton in the Illustrated London News NB: Links to Blackwell’s are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission… Continue Reading
Agatha’s Archaeologists Transcript
In 1928, Agatha Christie took a momentous decision that was to shape the rest of her life. Her divorce from her first husband had recently been finalised, and after a holiday abroad with her best friend and her daughter, she had plans to travel by herself for a while. Partly, she wanted to indulge her… Continue Reading
Agatha’s Archaeologists
Agatha Christie knew more than most about digging up corpses. There are no major spoilers in this episode, but be aware that there are mentions of plot points from the books listed below. Books and sources: — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie — An… Continue Reading
The Rules (Remastered)
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… Continue Reading
A Second Century of Whodunnits
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… Continue Reading
A Second Century of Whodunnits Transcript
About a year ago, many months into being stuck inside because of the pandemic, I embarked on a reading project. I read a crime novel from every decade of the twentieth century — ten whodunnits that spanned the years between 1900 and 2000. It both helped me to get out of a reading rut where I… Continue Reading
The Whodunnit In India
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.… Continue Reading
The Whodunnit In India Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. An endlessly fascinating aspect of the golden age of detective fiction is its identification with a certain kind of Britishness. Many of the authors who are widely read from the genre’s heyday in the 1920s and 1930s either were from the UK or were based here for some… Continue Reading
The Tichborne Claimant
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… Continue Reading
The Tichborne Claimant Transcript
Caroline: The golden age of detective fiction was obsessed with identity. As soon as you start looking, you see impersonators everywhere in the crime fiction of the 1920s and 1930s — sometimes there’s more than one in a single novel. Without the readily available means of independently verifying that someone was who they claimed to be… Continue Reading
Shedunnit is hiring — Part Time Production Assistant
I am looking for a part time production assistant to help me, Shedunnit creator and host Caroline Crampton, manage the process of creating and promoting the podcast. To start with the position will be one day a week, with the potential to increase this in future if the arrangement proves successful. Since this is a… Continue Reading
A Mysterious Glossary Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. One of the things I love about reading detective fiction from the 1920s and 1930s – what we call “the golden age” – is what I learn about that time period just from its whodunnits. There’s so much social and cultural history contained in the pages of even… Continue Reading
