Mr Justice Raffles (Green Penguin Book Club 16)
Katie Lumsden joins Caroline to examine the swan song of A.J. Raffles.
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Mr Justice Raffles Transcript (Green Penguin Book Club 16)
Green Penguin Music Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. And welcome back to Green Penguin Book Club, a series within Shedunnit that documents my journey of reading and discussing every crime or green title from the main Penguin series, in order. Our book today is Mr Justice Raffles
Book Club Conversation: With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for September 2026.
Book Club Fact File: With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for September 2026.
Mr Justice Raffles (Green Penguin Book Club 16, Ad Free)
Katie Lumsden joins Caroline to examine the swan song of A.J. Raffles.
The Girl Detective
Where does the tradition of younger women solving crimes begin?
The Girl Detective Transcript
Caroline: As you might expect from a podcast titled "Shedunnit", I talk a fair bit here about women detectives. I noticed recently, though, that many of these golden age lady sleuths tend to be of more mature years, shall we say, especially the famous and recurring ones. Miss
Audiobook: The Robbery in Phillimore Terrace by Baroness Orczy
This is your audiobook for September 2026.
The Girl Detective (Ad Free)
Where does the tradition of younger women solving crimes begin?
WW2 and the Golden Age Transcript
Caroline: The high point of golden age detective fiction occurred between the First and Second World Wars. That's a generally accepted fact. Of course, when Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and co were writing and publishing in the 1930s, they didn't know they were part of
WW2 and the Golden Age
Caroline rereads Christianna Brand's 1944 crime novel, Green for Danger.
Book Club Conversation: Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for August 2026.
Book Club Fact File: Death in Captivity by Michael Gilbert (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for August 2026.
Returning to Mr Quin Transcript
Caroline: Here are a few things that all crime fiction lovers know to be true. Detective stories work best when they are firmly focused on reality, giving the supernatural a wide berth. A classic whodunnit needs a clear, unambiguous ending: the good end happily and the bad, unhappily. And Agatha
Returning to Mr Quin
Let’s meet Agatha Christie’s strangest creation.
Returning to Mr Quin (Ad Free)
Let’s meet Agatha Christie’s strangest creation.
Audiobook: The Adventure of the Gloria Scott by Arthur Conan Doyle
This is your audiobook for August 2026.
Which Is The Most Underrated Agatha Christie Novel?
Dear listeners, I'm hoping that today's new episode will prompt you to air some of your own opinions, or perhaps pick up a novel you haven't read in a while: in it, I'm discussing the ten Agatha Christie novels that I think
The Underrated Christies Transcript
Beyond the famous novels, there’s a whole world to discover.
The Underrated Christies
Beyond the famous novels, there’s a whole world to discover.
The Underrated Christies (Ad Free)
Beyond the famous novels, there’s a whole world to discover.
Even Dedicated Golden Age Fans Will Enjoy This
Plus: some thoughts about podcast schedules.
Forensic Fiction Transcript
Music Caroline: As fans of the golden age of detective fiction, we're used to reading books where the science is now part of history. Which is fascinating, of course — there have been several titles I've featured on the show in the past couple of years, like
Book Club Fact File: Tour de Force by Christianna Brand (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for July 2026.
Forensic Fiction
On science-driven crime fiction in the 1920s and the 2020s. Many thanks to my guest, Kathy Reichs. The paperback of Evil Bones is published on 30th July in the UK. You can find out more about Kathy and her work at her website, kathyreichs.com. Support the podcast by
Book Club Conversation: Tour de Force by Christianna Brand (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for July 2026.
Bonus: Forensic Fiction (with Kathy Reichs)
On science-driven crime fiction in the 1920s and the 2020s.
Would You Want To Live in St Mary Mead?
Being Miss Marple's neighbour might not be much fun.
Village Murder
Why did Agatha Christie set her murders in villages?
Village Murder Transcript
Caroline: The English village is at the heart of Agatha Christie's work, and at the heart of its success. Her books are not always set in villages, of course, but is hard to imagine her achieving the same level of popularity if she had not set many of
Village Murder (Ad Free)
Why did Agatha Christie set her murders in villages?
Audiobook: The Double Problem by F.A.M. Webster
This is your audiobook for July 2026.
The Crippen Obsession
Why is this murder from 1910 still so fascinating to us?
The Crippen Obsession Transcript
Music Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I'm Caroline Crampton. Music I mostly talk about fictional murders on this show. But there is one real life case, from 1910, that has been on my mind since the very start of Shedunnit. The second ever episode I made, back in 2018,
The Crippen Obsession (Ad Free)
Why is this murder from 1910 still so fascinating to us?
The Dispenser (Rerun)
There's a reason why Agatha Christie knew so much about poisons.
The Dispenser (Rerun) Transcript
Caroline: Agatha Christie received a lot of accolades during her long writing career. She had fans all over the world, her books sold thousands upon thousands of copies and (mostly) received good reviews, and in 1971 she was made a Dame by the Queen for her services for literature. But
Book Club Conversation: The Hotel of the Three Roses by Augusto De Angelis (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for June 2026.
Book Club Fact File: The Hotel of the Three Roses by Augusto De Angelis (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for June 2026.
The Dispenser (Rerun, Ad Free)
There's a reason why Agatha Christie knew so much about poisons.
Audiobook: The Shakespeare Title Page Mystery by Carolyn Wells
This is your audiobook for June 2026.
Where To Start With John Rhode
He published over 140 novels. Which ones are actually good?
The Murders in Praed Street (Green Penguin Book Club 15)
Ronaldo Fagarazzi joins Caroline for a 1920s serial killer mystery.
The Murders in Praed Street Transcript
Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. And welcome back to Green Penguin Book Club, a series within Shedunnit that documents my journey of reading and discussing every crime or green title from the main Penguin series, in order. Our book today is The Murders in Praed Street by
The Murders in Praed Street (Green Penguin Book Club 15, Ad Free)
Ronaldo Fagarazzi joins Caroline for a 1920s serial killer mystery.
In Search of Peter Wimsey On Screen
Thoughts on The Silent Passenger (1935).
The Silent Passenger Transcript
Caroline: Being a writer is a funny business. You work alone most of the time. Sometimes, that work just involves staring blankly into space. And even once your project is finally released to the world, it can be hard to gauge if you've done well. Some would say
The Silent Passenger
Why did Dorothy L. Sayers hate the first Peter Wimsey film so much?
The Silent Passenger (Ad Free)
Why did Dorothy L. Sayers hate the first Peter Wimsey film so much?
Book Club Conversation: Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for May 2026.
Book Club Fact File: Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for May 2026.
Reading Recommendations: Historical and Translated Mysteries
Dear listeners, A belated welcome back to our monthly book recommendations newsletter in which the Shedunnit team — that is, me and my production assistant Leandra — share what we have been reading while making the show. We missed April because I was unwell, but we're back now! Caroline Has
Audiobook: “Meet Mary Cronig” and “The Empty Match Box”
This is your audiobook for May 2026.
Lady Chatterley vs Miss Marple
Are Agatha Christie’s stories as chaste as they seem?
Lady Chatterley vs Miss Marple
Are Agatha Christie’s stories as chaste as they seem?
Lady Chatterley vs Miss Marple Transcript
Caroline:: A hundred years ago this year, Lady Chatterley was born, soon appearing in DH Lawrence’s highly controversial novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 1928. Another very famous female literary character was born at almost exact the same time – Miss Marple, who made her debut in 1927. Lawrence’s
Lady Chatterley vs Miss Marple (Ad Free)
Are Agatha Christie’s stories as chaste as they seem?
Decline of the English Murder Transcript
Caroline: It is Sunday afternoon, preferably before the war. The wife is already asleep in the armchair, and the children have been sent out for a nice long walk. You put your feet up on the sofa, settle your spectacles on your nose, and open the News of the World.
Decline of the English Murder
What George Orwell can teach us about detective fiction.
Decline of the English Murder (Ad Free)
What George Orwell can teach us about detective fiction.
Book Club Conversation: Death of an Author by E.C.R Lorac (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for April 2026.
Book Club Fact File: Death of an Author by E.C.R Lorac (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for April 2026.
Agatha Christie's Gun Man Nightmare
Dear listeners, Things have been a little hectic on my end the past few weeks, so I've missed a couple of newsletters. I'm sorry about that and hope to be resuming normal weekly service soon. As such, there are two new episodes that I need to
Agatha Christie’s Gun Man
The childhood nightmare that informed a crime writing career.
Agatha Christie's Gun Man Transcript
Caroline: At the heart of every good golden age mystery is the closed circle — that limited group of suspects from which the detective will, eventually, pick out the murderer. This isn't a form of crime writing that generally concerns itself with faceless strangers or unknown assailants. Part of
Audiobook: Gentlemen and Players by E.W. Hornung
This is your audiobook for April 2026.
Agatha Christie's Gun Man (Ad Free)
The childhood nightmare that informed a crime writing career.
The Sanfield Scandal Transcript (Green Penguin Book Club 14)
Green Penguin Music Caroline: Welcome to Shedunnit. I’m Caroline Crampton. And welcome back to Green Penguin Book Club, a series within Shedunnit that documents my journey of reading and discussing every crime or green title from the main Penguin series, in order. Our book today is The Sanfield Scandal
The Sanfield Scandal (Green Penguin Book Club 14)
Jim Noy joins Caroline for some Jolly Adventures in a castle.
The Sanfield Scandal (Green Penguin Book Club 14, Ad Free)
Jim Noy joins Caroline for some Jolly Adventures in a castle.
Girls of the Hamlet Club by Elsie J. Oxenham
Published: 1914 | Series: The Abbey Girls 1 Set in Miss Macey's school in Wycombe and in the surrounding hamlets and villages, this first book tells how Cicely Hobart comes to Whiteleaf to be near her maternal grandparents. About Elsie J. Oxenham Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley (1880–1960) wrote children&
Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton
Published: 1942 | Series: The Famous Five 1 There's a shipwreck off Kirrin Island! But where is the treasure? The Famous Five are on the trail. About Enid Blyton Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English children's writer. Blyton's books have been worldwide bestsellers
The Pretender by Clifford Hosken
Published: 1930 | Series: Standalone About Clifford Hosken Clifford James Wheeler Hosken (1882-1950) was an English writer who also published under the pseudonym Richard Keverne. Hosken served in the Flying Corps during the First World War, and he was a journalist for the Daily Mirror. His series characters were Inspector
The Problem of the Green Capsule by John Dickson Carr
Published: 1939 | Series: Gideon Fell 10 A box of deadly poisoned chocolates from Sodbury Cross's high street shop haunts the group of friends and relatives assembled at Bellegarde. About John Dickson Carr John Dickson Carr (1906–1977) was an American author of detective stories. He also published under
The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
Published: 1925 | Series: Standalone When Anthony Cade agrees to deliver a parcel to an English country house on behalf of a friend, he never expected that decision would make him the centrepiece of a murderous international conspiracy. About Agatha Christie Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a British author who became
Carteret's Cure by Richard Keverne
Published: 1926 | Series: Standalone Michael Carteret is sent to a quiet rest home in Suffolk for a nerves cure. Once there, rather than rest, he stumbles on a smuggling operation. About Richard Keverne Clifford James Wheeler Hosken (1882-1950) was an English writer who also published under the pseudonym Richard
In Matto’s Realm by Friedrich Glauser
Published: 1936 | Series: Sergeant Jakob Studer 2 A child-murderer escapes from a Swiss insane asylum, and the director is discovered with a broken neck in the boiler room. About Friedrich Glauser Born in Vienna, Friedrich Glauser (1896–1938) was a German-language Swiss writer. He was addicted to morphine
The Hotel of the Three Roses by Augusto De Angelis
Published: 1936 | Series: Commissario De Vincenzi 7 Not long after Inspector De Vincenzi receives an anonymous letter warning of imminent danger at the Three Roses, a body is found hanging in the hotel’s stairwell. As De Vincenzi investigates, more deaths follow. About Augusto De Angelis Augusto De Angelis (1888–
Agaton Sax and the Diamond Thieves by Nils-Olof Franzen
Published: 1959 | Series: Agaton Sax 4 When the Koh-Mi-Nor diamond is stolen, the thief leaves coded messages about it in the personal column of the newspaper published by the Swedish detective Agaton Sax. About Nils-Olof Franzen Nils-Olof Franzén (1916–1997) was a Swedish writer who wrote
The Noh Mask Murder by Akimitsu Takagi
Published: 1950 | Series: Standalone Amateur murder mystery writer Akimitsu Takagi is sent to investigate a haunting presence in the Chizurui family mansion. But then, tragedy strikes the Chizurui family. About Akimitsu Takagi Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995) was the pen-name of a popular Japanese crime fiction writer active during the
Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo
Published: 1948 | Series: Detective Kosuke Kindaichi 2 Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on the remote Gokumon Island bearing tragic news but also a dying man's message. While on the island, there is a series of gruesome murders. About Seishi Yokomizo Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981) was a Japanese mystery novelist, known
Reading Recommendations: Austen Mysteries and Josephine Tey
Dear listeners, Welcome to our reading recommendations newsletter! Once a month, I pop into your inbox to share what the Shedunnit team — that is, me and my production assistant Leandra — have been reading while we are making the show. I hope you'll find some ideas for what you
Book Club Conversation: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (Full Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Conversation episode for March 2026.
Book Club Fact File: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (No Spoilers)
This is the Shedunnit Book Club Fact File episode for March 2026.
The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart
Published: 1961 | Series: Standalone When a young woman calling herself Annabel Winslow, who supposedly died four years ago, comes home to Whitescar, Con Winslow and his half-sister Lisa must find out whether she really is who she says she is. About Mary Stewart Mary Stewart (1916–2014) was a
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray
Published: 2024 | Series: Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney 3 Amateur sleuths Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are tasked with preventing the murder of the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh. About Claudia Gray Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the author of the Mr. Darcy & Miss
The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
Published: 1929 | Series: Standalone In this light-hearted thriller, a practical joke involving eight clocks backfires horribly. One of the clocks has gone missing, and someone is dead. About Agatha Christie Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a British author who became the best-selling novelist of all time. She wrote
The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
Published: 1948 | Series: Inspector Alan Grant 3 The residents at the Franchise have been accused of kidnapping a young girl named Betty Kane. About Josephine Tey Josephine Tey (1896-1952) is the pen name of Elizabeth MacKintosh. The Scottish author's other pen name was Gordon Daviot. Under the
Hunting For My Perfect Short Story
Dear listeners, I've been reading lots more short stories in the last couple of months, as I continue trying to cultivate the habit of not staying up too late reading "just one more chapter" of a novel. I talked about this recently in a bonus episode
The Perfect Plan Transcript
Caroline: I imagine that most crime fiction fans have a mental list of their favourite tropes and plot devices. I know I do, and it's always a pleasure to encounter them out there in the wild as I'm reading my way through as much golden age
The Perfect Plan
What could possibly go wrong?
The Perfect Plan (Ad Free)
What could possibly go wrong?
Audiobook: Mr Ponting’s Alibi by R. Austin Freeman
This is your audiobook for March 2026.
Upcoming Mysteries I'm Excited About
Dear listeners, We're very fortunate to be living in an era of reprints. It is now the norm that publishers big and small are bringing crime fiction from the past back into ready availability. Especially with more ebook and audio editions as well, reading classic detective fiction has
The Baffle Book by Lassiter Wren and Randle McKay
Published: 1928 | Series: The Baffle Book 1 Part of the “solve-it-yourself” detective book craze of the 1920s and 1930s, these thirty short crime problems make the reader play detective, challenging them to solve whodunnit. About Lassiter Wren and Randle McKay Lassiter Wren (pseudonym of John T. Colter), with
Why Did She Die? by Joan Coggin
Published: 1947 | Series: Lady Lupin 3 While trying to help a young married couple, Lady Lupin runs into what appears to be murder most foul. About Joan Coggin Joan Coggin (1898–1980) was a British crime writer during the golden age of detective fiction. Her series detective is Lady Lupin
Airing in a Closed Carriage by Joseph Shearing
Published: 1943 | Series: Standalone Two brothers develop a fierce rivalry over the same woman. About Marjorie Bowen Margaret Gabrielle Vere Long (1885–1952) was a British author of historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history, and biographies. She wrote under numerous pseudonyms: Marjorie Bowen, George R. Preedy, Joseph Shearing, Robert
Suspicion by Seichō Matsumoto
Published: 1981 | Series: Standalone Onizuka Kumako is suspected of killing her new husband Shirakawa Fukutaro, a rich widower desperate for companionship and unaware of her shady past. She proclaims her innocence, but doubt begins to creep in. About Seichō Matsumoto Seichō Matsumoto (1909-1992) was born in Fukuoka, Japan. Self-
From The Brighton Quickie To The Decree Absolute
Dear listeners, When reading murder mysteries, I tend to think of motive as a psychological question. What is it about the inner life of one of these characters that makes them willing to take the life of another? Revenge, greed, hate: these are internal factors that are then released into
The Decree Absolute Transcript
Caroline: The crime at the heart of a classic murder mystery tends to be a personal, even intimate one. Whereas later twentieth century whodunnits and thrillers began to explore the crimes of strangers in greater depth — stalkers, serial killers, and so forth — during the interwar years, most fictional murderers were