CultureAugust 17, 2026

whodunnit

hoo-DUN-it

Definition

A story, film, or play about a crime in which the primary interest lies in discovering who committed the act.

Etymology

The word is a whimsical colloquial contraction of 'who done it,' a common question asked in mystery plots. It first emerged in the mid-1920s to describe the popular puzzle-style detective stories of the era.

In the news

The writer uses the term to contrast this specific detective thriller with classic mystery fiction, characterizing it instead as a 'whydunnit' that focuses on complex motivations rather than just the identity of the perpetrator.

Stream Nicola Walker And Billie Piper’s 'Addictive' London Detective Thriller On Netflix Now

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