Crime Clubs and Secret Societies

Dear listeners,

Inspiration comes from the most unlikely places. Given all of the time that I spend reading the words that are inside books, it slightly took me by surprise when it was the image on the front of this one that gave me the idea for this episode:

This is a facsimile edition of The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie, published in 2010 by HarperCollins as a replica of the original 1929 hardback version put out by Collins. This illustration of the shadowy "seven dials" members with their special hoods on has been stuck in my mind ever since I first saw it. It's simultaneously absurd — they have clocks on their heads! — and clearly very serious and mysterious.

I've thought about this picture often over the years, as I've been researching episodes about The Detection Club and reading books like Six Against The Yard with the Shedunnit Book Club. At least one incarnation of "The Rules" prohibits the inclusion of secret societies in detective fiction, yet mystery writers seemed to have loved both belonging to these groups and writing about them. Why? I tried to find out in today's new episode.

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You can listen to this episode right now on all major audio platforms (just click the icon of your preferred app here to jump right in) as well as on the podcast's website, where there is also a full transcript to read if you prefer that. New episodes are also available on YouTube. If you're in the UK, you can listen ad free on BBC Sounds.

There are a few other episodes you might like to visit or revisit after hearing this one that expand on the topics discussed. They are:

Today I also have additional delights for you beyond just a new episode of Shedunnit! As part of the podcast’s partnership with BBC Sounds, the team there asked me to write an Agatha Christie quiz. You can pit your wits against it now here. I hope it proves fun rather than infuriating.

Until next time,

Caroline

You can listen to every episode of Shedunnit at shedunnitshow.com or on all major podcast apps. Selected episodes are available on BBC Sounds. There are also transcripts of all episodes on the website. The podcast is now newsletter-only — we're not updating social media — so if you'd like to spread the word about the show consider forwarding this email to a mystery-loving friend with the addition of a personal recommendation. 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).