Shedunnit

What George Orwell can teach us about detective fiction.

Support the podcast by joining the Shedunnit Book Club and get extra Shedunnit episodes every month plus access to the monthly reading discussions and community: shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

Books and essays mentioned in this episode:— "Decline of the English Murder" by George Orwell— Animal Farm by George Orwell— The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins— "The Vernon Murder" by George Orwell— The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle— "The Ethics of the Detective Story from Raffles to Miss Blandish" by George Orwell— No Orchids for Miss Blandish by James Hadley— "The Simple Art of Murder" by Raymond Chandler

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The childhood nightmare that informed a crime writing career.

Support the podcast by joining the Shedunnit Book Club and get extra Shedunnit episodes every month plus access to the monthly reading discussions and community: shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

Books mentioned in this episode:— An Autobiography by Agatha Christie— Giant's Bread by Mary Westmacott— Unfinished Portrait by Mary Westmacott— "The House of Dreams" by Agatha Christie— Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie— Peril at End House by Agatha Christie— Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie— Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie— Third Girl by Agatha Christie— At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie— Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie— Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie— Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie— Absent in the Spring by Mary Westmacott

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Noy joins Caroline for some Jolly Adventures in a castle.

No major plot spoilers until you hear Caroline say we are "entering the spoiler zone", at 14:58. After that, expect full spoilers.

Please note: This book contains the deliberate killing of an animal, which is discussed from 36:57 to 40:18.

A full list of titles in the Penguin series can be found at penguinfirsteditions.com. The next book discussed in this series will be The Murders in Praed Street by John Rhode.

Support the podcast by joining the Shedunnit Book Club and get extra Shedunnit episodes every month plus access to the monthly reading discussions and community: shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

Books mentioned in this episode:— The Sanfield Scandal by Richard Keverne— Carteret's Cure by Richard Keverne— The Pretender by Clifford Hosken— The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace— The Famous Five adventure novels by Enid Blyton— The Abbey Girls Series by Elsie J. Oxenham— The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie— The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers— The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey— The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie— The Problem of the Green Capsule by John Dickson Carr— The Murders in Praed Street by John Rhode

Related Shedunnit episodes:— The Locked Room— The Long Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What could possibly go wrong?

Books and stories mentioned in this episode:

— "The Perfect Plan" by James Hilton

— Lost Horizon by James Hilton

— Goodbye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton

— Murder at School by James Hilton

To be the first to know about future developments with the podcast, sign up for the newsletter at shedunnitshow.com/newsletter.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fascinating history of divorce in detective fiction.

My guest was Dr Jen Aston, Associate Professor in Law at Northumbria University. In addition to her other academic work, she's currently leading a project looking at approaches to the history of divorce. Learn more about that at northumbria.ac.uk/divorce_history.

Support the podcast by joining the Shedunnit Book Club and get extra Shedunnit episodes every month plus access to the monthly reading discussions and community: shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

Books mentioned in this episode:— "Murder!" by Arnold Bennett, collected in Resorting to Murder— Jumping Jenny by Anthony Berkeley— “The Case of the Discontented Husband” by Agatha Christie, collected in Parker Pyne Investigates— Death in High Heels by Christianna Brand— Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L Sayers— The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L Sayers and Robert Eustace— Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles— Holy Deadlock by A.P. Herbert— Love All by Dorothy L Sayers— Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers— "The Incredible Elopement" by Dorothy L Sayers, collected in Hangman's Holiday

Related Shedunnit episodes:— The Lady Detective

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

Some book links are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission when you purchase a book there (the price remains the same for you).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices