Agatha Christie had a very productive WW2. This is the start 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. This episode also marks the start of the Shedunnit Pledge Drive! I'm aiming to add 100 new members to the Shedunnit Book Club by the end of 2021, with the aim of producing more mini series like this one. If you’d like to be part of that and feel able to offer some support, please visit shedunnitshow.com/pledgedrive. Thanks to my guests: — J.C. Bernthal is an Agatha Christie scholar and the author of Queering Agatha Christie. His website is jcbernthal.com and he is on Twitter as @jcbernthal — Martin Edwards is a crime writer and the author of, among many other books, The Golden Age of Murder. Find out more about all his work at martinedwardsbooks.com or via his Twitter as @medwardsbooks There are no spoilers in this episode. Books referenced: — The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards — Agatha Christie Goes To War edited by Rebecca Mills and J.C. Bernthal — And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie — Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie — Murder Must Appetise by Harry Keating — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — The ABC Murders  by Agatha Christie — Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie — One, Two Buckle, My Shoe by Agatha Christie — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie — Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie — N or M?  by Agatha Christie — The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie — The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie — Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie — Bletchley Park: The Codebreakers of Station X by Michael Smith — The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie — Curtain by Agatha Christie — Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie — The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie — Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie — A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie — The Hollow  by Agatha Christie — Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie Thanks to today’s sponsor: — Girlfriend Collective. Get $25 off your $100+ purchase of sustainable, ethically made activewear at girlfriend.com/shedunnit. — Milk Bar. Get $10 off any order of $50 or more when you go to milkbarstore.com/shedunnit. 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/agathachristiewritesalonetranscript. 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. 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. 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.

Shedunnit

Agatha Christie Writes Alone (Queens of Crime At War 1)

Who would be the Hastings to your Poirot? What kind of mystery would you like to write? What would you do if you came across a corpse? In this special episode to celebrate Shedunnit's third anniversary, Caroline's husband Guy takes the mic and asks her all these questions and more. Guy is on Twitter as @guywjc and you can find out more about his work at guycuthbertson.com. Caroline is @cacrampton on Instagram. There are no spoilers in this episode. Find more information at shedunnitshow.com/athomewithshedunnit. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie’s England, is available now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Thanks to today’s sponsor: — If I Go Missing The Witches Did It, an audio series by Realm. Listen now on your podcast app of choice and find out more at realm.fm. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

At Home With Shedunnit

What happens when two people write a whodunnit together? Thanks to my guests, Cordelia Biddle and Steve Zettler. They write separately under their own names and together under the pseudonym Nero Blanc. The whole Crossword Mysteries series can be found at crosswordmysteries.com, where there are links to buy each title. There are no spoilers in this episode. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie’s England, is available now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Find links to all the books mentioned in this episode at shedunnitshow.com/doubletrouble. Books mentioned: — Tidy Death by Nap Lombard — The Life of G.D.H. Cole by Margaret Cole — The Floating Admiral by the Detection Club — Murder's a Swine by Nap Lombard — Enter Sir John by Clemence Dane and Helen de Guerry Simpson — Regiment of Women by Clemence Dane — The Documents in the Case by Dorothy Sayers — Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers — Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers — The Nursing Home Murder by Dorothy Sayers — The Crossword Murder by Nero Blanc — Death on the Diagonal by Nero Blanc Further listening: — The "Round Robin" episode about multi-author whodunnits — The "Detection Club" episode about the group of golden age authors who participated in these projects — The "Mutual Admiration Society" episode about the collaboration between Dorothy L. Sayers and Muriel St Clare Byrne 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Buying from them is a great way to support both the podcast and the book trade! Thanks to today’s sponsors: — Girlfriend Collective. Get $25 off your $100+ purchase of sustainable, ethically made activewear at girlfriend.com/shedunnit. — Beatrix Greene, an audio series by Realm. Listen now on your podcast app of choice and find out more at realm.fm. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/doubletroubletranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Double Trouble

Agatha Christie was the most successful female playwright of all time. She also wrote some detective novels you might have heard of. Julius Green is the author of Agatha Christie: A Life in Theatre, available in paperback now at all good booksellers. You can catch him at the International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay on 18th September giving a talk about "Poirot on Stage" and the staged reading of The Stranger that we talked about is on 17th September at the Palace Theatre in Paignton. There are no spoilers in this episode. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie’s England, is available now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Find links to all the books mentioned in this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thetheatricalworldofagathachristie. Sources and further information: — Agatha Christie: A Life in Theatre by Julius Green — The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie — Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie — Spider's Web by Agatha Christie — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — Black Coffee by Agatha Christie — And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie — The Stranger by Agatha Christie — The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie — Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie — Look Back in Anger by John Osborne — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — Alibi by Michael Morton — Verdict by Agatha Christie — A Daughter's A Daughter by Agatha Christie — The Mary Westmacott episode of Shedunnit — Giant's Bread by Mary Westmacott 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Buying from them is a great way to support both the podcast and the book trade! Thanks to today’s sponsors: — Girlfriend Collective, get $25 off your $100+ purchase of sustainable, ethically made activewear at girlfriend.com/shedunnit. — Dead Air, an audio series by Realm. Listen now on your podcast app of choice and find out more at realm.fm. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/thetheatricalworldofagathachristietranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

The Theatrical World of Agatha Christie

This summer, you can still travel to the murderous destinations visited by your favourite detectives. While I take a holiday myself, please enjoy this classic episode of Shedunnit! First aired in July 2020, it's all about how and why golden age sleuths solve mysteries while away from home. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie’s England, is available now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Find links to all the books and sources mentioned in this episode at shedunnitshow.com/murderonholidayreplay. Books and sources: —Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers —Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh —At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie —“Triangle at Rhodes” in Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie —“The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan” in Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie —Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie —Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie —Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers —Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh —Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers —Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie —Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie —Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie —Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh —Forever England: Femininity, Literature and Conservatism Between the Wars by Alison Light —The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey —Calamity in Kent by John Rowland —The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude —The Mystery of the Blue Train  by Agatha Christie —A Caribbean Mystery  by Agatha Christie —Death in Clairvoyance  by Josephine Bell —Tour de Force  by Christianna Brand —When in Rome by Ngaio Marsh —Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac —Dead Men Don’t Ski by Patricia Moyes —“The Erymanthian Boar” from The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie —Peril at End House  by Agatha Christie —Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers —“The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man with No Face” fromLord Peter Views The Body by Dorothy L. Sayers —Evil Under the Sun  by Agatha Christie —“The Blood Stained Pavement” and “The Companion” fromThe Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie —Resorting to Murder: Holiday Mysteries  edited by Martin Edwards —Murder in Midsummer: Classic Mysteries for the Holidays  edited by Cecily Gayford —Murder Takes a Holiday: Classic Crime Stories for Summer  edited by Cecily Gayford 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Thanks to today’s sponsors: — Girlfriend Collective, get $25 off your $100+ purchase of sustainable, ethically made activewear at girlfriend.com/shedunnit. — Elixir, an audio series by Realm. Listen now on your podcast app of choice and find out more at realm.fm. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/murderonholidaytranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Murder On Holiday (Replay)

Her plots are second to none. But is the Queen of Crime a true literary great? Thanks to my guest, Sophie Hannah. Her latest Poirot continuation novel is The Killings at Kingfisher Hill and is available from all good booksellers. Find out more about all of her books at sophiehannah.com and follow her on Twitter as @sophiehannahCB1. There are no spoilers in this episode. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie's England, is available for pre order now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Books mentioned and further information: — "The Case of Agatha Christie" by John Lanchester from the London Review of Books, December 2018 — Agatha Christie: First Lady of Crime edited by H.R.F. Keating with a new introduction by Sophie Hannah — Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World by Mark Aldridge — There are two episodes of Shedunnit featuring Mark Aldridge: The Many Afterlives of Hercule Poirot and Swan Song — Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Thanks to today’s sponsor, Best Fiends. You can download Best Fiends free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/isagathachristiegood Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Is Agatha Christie A Good Writer?

This sensational case from 1860 ignited a wave of detective fever that we still haven't recovered from. Thanks to my guest Robin Stevens — you can hear her on two previous episodes of the show, Back to School and Death Sets Sail on the Nile, and her new collection of short stories about schoolgirl detectives Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells is called Once Upon A Crime and comes out in August 2021. We do discuss the outcome of the Road Hill House case, so if you want to read The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or any other account without knowing what happens at the end, do that before you listen to this. My new map and guide, Agatha Christie's England, is available for pre order now in physical form at shedunnitshow.com/map or as an audiobook at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap. Books mentioned and sources used: — The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins — "The Adventure of Silver Blaze" from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle — Bleak House by Charles Dickens — The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale — Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers — "Constance Kent" by John Rhode in The Anatomy of Murder — "Miss Kent and Major Street: The Case of Constance Kent" by The Passing Tramp 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Thanks to today’s sponsors: — Best Fiends, you can download Best Fiends free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. — Girlfriend Collective, get $25 off your $100+ purchase of sustainable, ethically made activewear at girlfriend.com/shedunnit. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/themurderatroadhillhousetranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

The Murder At Road Hill House

Where is St Mary Mead, anyway? My guide to Agatha Christie's England is now available to pre-order from the publisher at shedunnitshow.com/map (ships 19th July 2021). It's also available to order from Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwell's and other booksellers. An audio version is available for purchase at shedunnitshow.com/audiomap (if you are entitled to a free copy from your pre-order, you will have received an email from the publisher about this). There are no major spoilers either in this episode or the guide. Books mentioned: — Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie — Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — Peril at End House by Agatha Christie — N or M? by Agatha Christie — Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie — Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie — Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie — The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie — Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie — The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie — They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie — Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie — The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie — Third Girl by Agatha Christie — A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie — 4.50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie — The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie — Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie — By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie — The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Thanks to today's sponsor, The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson. It's available now wherever books are sold — get your copy today. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/agathachristiesenglandtranscript. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Agatha Christie's England

Young detectives, and young readers, play an important part in the history of detective fiction. Many thanks to my guest, Maureen Johnson. Her newest YA mystery, The Box in the Woods, is out now. Find out more at her website www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com and follow her on Twitter @maureenjohnson. There are no major plot spoilers in this episode, but we do talk about the general set up of Maureen's four Stevie Bell novels: Truly Devious, The Vanishing Stair, The Hand on the Wall and The Box in the Woods. Books and sources mentioned: — The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie — Harriet The Spy by Lousie Fitzhugh — Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner — The Secret Island by Enid Blyton — Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton — The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage by Enid Blyton — The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton — Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie — Holiday River by Gladys Mitchell — The Seven Stones Mystery by Gladys Mitchell — The Malory Secret by Gladys Mitchell — Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens — The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle — Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan — Mystery in Children's Literature: From the Rational to the Supernatural edited by Adrienne Gavin and Christopher Routledge Thanks to today’s sponsors. You can get $5 off mail based Victorian mystery game Dear Holmes at dearholmes.com/shedunnit using code “shedunnit” at checkout. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/youngsleuthstranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details. 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge.

Young Sleuths

How do you write a 1920s style detective novel that's set in the 2020s? Thanks to Elly Griffiths, aka Domenica De Rosa, for joining me today to talk about her love of golden age crime fiction and how she put that into her award winning novel The Postscript Murders. She also writes the Ruth Galloway series and the Brighton Mysteries series — find out more at her website ellygriffiths.co.uk and follower her on Twitter @ellygriffiths. The Shedunnit Book Club is reading The Postscript Murders in June 2021 — if you'd like to join us you can become a member at shedunnitbookclub.com/join. There are no major spoilers in this episode, but there is some reference to the plot outline of The Postscript Murders. Books referenced: — The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths — Cinderella Goes To The Morgue by Nancy Spain — A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths — Opening Night by Ngaio Marsh — The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman — By The Pricking Of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie — The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey — Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Thanks to today’s sponsors. You can get $5 off mail based Victorian mystery game Dear Holmes at dearholmes.com/shedunnit using code "shedunnit" at checkout. The audiobook of Laura Ruby's Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All is available at your audiobook retailer of choice. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/goldenageinspirationtranscript. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Golden Age Inspiration

Many thanks to my guest, Nicole Glover. More information about her work is available at nicole-glover.com, and her first book, The Conductors, is out now in the US and the UK. The inspiration for this episode was Nicole's article "Who Are You Going To Call: Rethinking The Role Of Police In Mysteries". There are no major spoilers in this episode, but there is some discussion of the works listed below. Sources and further information: — The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins — "On Duty With Inspector Field" by Charles Dickens in Household Words — Bleak House by Charles Dickens — "The Butler Did It" episode of Shedunnit — A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh — The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh — Death In Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh — The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie — Look to the Lady by Margery Allingham — Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/policingthedetectives Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Policing the Detectives

Reading through the twentieth century, one murder mystery at a time. Find more information about this episode at shedunnitshow.com/century. The ten books I talk about are: — The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1905) — Trent's Last Case by E.C. Bentley (1913) — The Cask by Freeman Wills Crofts (1920) — The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers (1934) — Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (1943) — Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert (1952) — From Doon With Death by Ruth Rendell (1964) — Death of an Expert Witness by P.D. James (1977) — Appleby and the Ospreys by Michael Innes (1986) — Black and Blue by Ian Rankin (1997) Other sources: — The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards — Bloody Murder: from the Detective Story to the Crime Novel by Julian Symons There are no major spoilers in this episode, but the opening plot scenario of each book is discussed briefly. There is a major spoiler for the Sherlock Holmes story "The Final Problem" from 1893.  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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/centurytranscript. Thanks to today’s sponsors. You can get $5 off mail based Victorian mystery game Dear Holmes at dearholmes.com/shedunnit using code "shedunnit" at checkout. The audiobook of Laura Ruby's Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All is on a special deep discount through May, and you can find that through your audiobook retailer of choice. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

A Century of Whodunnits

How do you say goodbye to a beloved detective? Agatha Christie, of course, made a mystery out of it. Thanks to my guest, Mark Aldridge. You can find out more about his work at markaldridge.info and order a copy of his new book, Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World, from all good booksellers. Spoiler warning: there are major spoilers for Curtain and Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie in this episode. To see a full list of books mentioned in this episode and get links to other resources related to this topic, please visit shedunnitshow.com/swansong. Thanks to today’s sponsor, Best Fiends. You can download Best Fiends free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. 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. Visit shedunnitshow.com/open to open the show now in your default podcast app. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/swansongtranscript Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions.

Swan Song

There aren’t many characters who are recognisable just from a silhouette, but Hercule Poirot is one of them. Thanks to my guest, Mark Aldridge. You can find out more about his work at markaldridge.info and order a copy of his new book, Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World, from all good booksellers. There are no major spoilers about clues or endings in this episode. However, there is some mention or discussion of the books listed below. Sources and further information: — The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie — An Autobiography by Agatha Christie — The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux — Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief by Maurice Leblanc — "The Dispenser" episode of Shedunnit about Agatha Christie's wartime hospital work — After the Funeral by Agatha Christie — Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie — Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie — Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie — Mrs McGinty’s Dead by Agatha Christie — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — "The Lady Vanishes" episode of Shedunnit about Agatha Christie's 1926 "disappearance" and divorce — The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie — The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie — Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. The podcast is on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/themanyafterlivesofherculepoirottranscript. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.  

The Many Afterlives of Hercule Poirot

If you can solve a crossword, you can solve a murder. Thanks to my guest, Hamish Symington. You can find out more about his work at hamishsymington.com and order a custom cryptic crossword from him at customcrypticcrosswords.com. There are no major spoilers about clues or endings in this episode. However, there is some mention or discussion of the books listed below. Sources and further information: — Forever England: Femininity, Literature and Conservatism Between the Wars by Alison Light — "Who Cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd?" by Edmund Wilson, first published in the New Yorker on 20 January 1945 — The Crossword Mysteries by Nero Blanc — "The Fascinating Problem of Uncle Meleager's Will" in Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy L. Sayers — Crossword Mystery by E.R. Punshon — Close Quarters by Michael Gilbert — "The Clue" in Two Bottles of Relish: The Little Tales of Smethers and Other Stories by Lord Dunsany — A Six Letter Word For Death by Patricia Moyes — Last Puzzle and Testament by Parnell Hall —Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures With Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel —"Clues: Crosswords and Detective Stories" by John Curran in Crime and Detective Stories 79, December 2018 —Cracking Cryptic Crosswords by Colin Dexter — Two episodes of The Allusionist podcast about crosswords: #8 Crosswords and #62: In Crypt, Decrypt 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 independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge. To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter. The podcast is on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr 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. Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/crypticcrimestranscript. Music by Audioblocks and Blue Dot Sessions. See shedunnitshow.com/musiccredits for more details.

Cryptic Crimes

Unravelling the mysteries behind classic detective stories

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Shedunnit

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