Whodunit

Noun

 * 1) A novel or drama concerning a crime (usually a murder) in which a detective solves clues to determine the perpetrator.
 * 2) * 1946, Josephina Niggli. Pointers on radio writing (Boston: The Writer, Inc.) page 25
 * Actually, an whodunit is a mystery story. The hero is generally a detective, although sometimes he is a gentleman (apparently a mild mannered worm) who sallies forth at night to become Public Enemy No. One of Crime. Otherwise the formula is exactly the same as that of the Cliff-hanger and follows the same rules.

Related terms

 * howdunit
 * whydunit

Thesaurus
Marchen, Western, Western story, Westerner, adventure story, allegory, apologue, bedtime story, detective story, fable, fabliau, fairy tale, fantasy, fiction, folk story, folktale, gest, ghost story, horse opera, legend, love story, mystery, mystery story, myth, mythology, mythos, nursery tale, parable, romance, science fiction, shocker, space fiction, space opera, suspense story, thriller, work of fiction

Alternative forms

 * whodunnit

Etymology
Alteration of who done it?

Translations

 * Finnish: salapoliisitarina,
 * Macedonian: кримич
 * Russian: ,


 * Swedish:

Anagrams

 * howdunit