In this Christmas special of the Whodunnit dinners podcast, hosts Helen and Katie exchange mystery stories as gifts, specifically P.D. James' festive short stories and Dashiell Hammett's classic, The Thin Man. They explore the themes of mystery, food pairings, and the dynamics of the characters, while also critiquing the storytelling techniques and resolutions. The episode concludes with a discussion on cocktails, specifically the Sidecar, as a festive drink to accompany their literary explorations. And the usual 'Magnifying Glasses' scale is adapted for the Christmas Season.

Chapters

00:00 Christmas Special Introduction

03:02 Unwrapping the Mystery: P.D. James' Stories

06:09 Exploring the Atmosphere of P.D. James

09:00 Food Inspirations for the Holidays

12:00 Casting the Characters: Who Should Play the Detective?

14:59 The Thin Man: A Classic Mystery Unveiled

18:01 Christmas in New York: Setting the Scene

24:01 The Mystery Unfolds

26:30 Filmic Writing Style

28:47 Character Dynamics and Gender Roles

30:55 Plot Resolution and Critique

33:20 Final Thoughts and Ratings

37:02 Prohibition and Cultural Context

40:11 Cocktail of the Era

Dan McCullough

In the last episode of season 1 Katie McLaughlin and Helen Barbour discuss the Netflix series 'The Residence,' which combines humor and mystery set in the White House. The conversation highlights character dynamics, the unique detective Cordelia Cup, and the challenges of blending comedy with murder mystery. They move on to the history of the Pavlova - attempting to avoid the age-old origin controversy - and the episode concludes with reflections on the series and future plans for the podcast.

00:00 Introduction to Who Done It Dinners Podcast

01:25 Exploring the Dessert Theme

02:43 Introducing The Residence Series

05:15 Murder Mystery in the White House

09:33 Character Dynamics and Detective Introduction

12:36 Cordelia Cup: A Unique Detective

17:00 The Cast and Their Roles

19:28 The Series Conclusion and Future Prospects

24:37 Dessert Reveal: The Pavlova

30:11 Wrapping Up the Series

Theme Tune by Dan McCullough

In this episode of Whodunnit Dinners, hosts Helen Barbour and Katie McLaughlin delve into the world of murder mysteries in the 12th Century. We explore the intricacies of 12th-century monastic life, focusing on the food and social customs of the time. The discussion transitions to the book 'A Morbid Taste for Bones' by Ellis Peters, introducing the character of Brother Cadfael and the historical context of the story. We analyze the writing style, character development, and the murder mystery's unfolding, while also sharing insights into the author's background. We discuss whether anyone could be better than Derek Jacobi as Cadfael and finish on the next food challenge!

00:00 Introduction to Whodunnit Dinners

01:07 Exploring 12th Century Food and Monastic Life

06:32 Introducing Brother Cadfael and His World

09:41 The Historical Context of the Cadfael Series

14:46 The Plot Thickens: The Quest for St. Winifred's Relics

19:10 Murder and Intrigue in the Monastery

22:12 Writing Style and Legacy of Ellis Peters

22:39 The Influence of Television on Writing

23:36 Plausibility in Murder Mysteries

24:33 Character Development and Series Structure

26:41 Exploring Earlier Works in Series

27:35 Casting Choices for Adaptations

29:33 Monastic Diets and Culinary Traditions

32:21 Historical Recipes and Modern Adaptations

39:18 Creating a Festive Culinary Experience

Music composed by Dan McCullough

http://www.whodunnitdinners.com

In this Halloween special episode of the Whodunnit Dinners podcast, hosts Katie McLaughlin and Helen Barbour get autumnal chills. They discuss the works of Stephen King, focusing on his themes and characterization (and very distinctive way of writing about food), before transitioning to Agatha Christie short stories. The conversation highlights the interplay between food and murder in literature, as well as the supernatural elements present in both authors' works. The episode concludes with some tv recommendations for readers and a light-hearted banter about future specials.

Chapters

00:00 Half Term/Halloween Special Introduction

02:42 Clue Game Begins

05:13 Unveiling Stephen King

09:34 Exploring 'The Outsider'

17:28 Characterization and Plot Analysis

19:33 The Agatha Christie Connection

20:49 Exploring Agatha Christie's Short Stories

22:15 Autumn Chills: A Collection of Gems

24:12 Murder Mysteries and Culinary Intrigues

29:32 Supernatural Elements in Christie’s Work

35:26 Reflections on Horror and Mystery

39:00 Culinary Delights in Mystery Literature

Theme Tune: Dan McCullough

http://www.whodunnitdinners.co.uk

Summary

In this episode of the Whodunnit Dinners podcast, hosts Katie McLaughlin and Helen Barbour explore the intersection of murder mysteries and culinary delights. They delve into the works of Donna Leon, particularly her Commissario Brunetti series, set in the enchanting city of Venice. The conversation covers the unique portrayal of Venice as a character, the development of Brunetti as a modern detective, and the themes of family and societal issues within the narrative. The hosts also discuss potential casting for a TV adaptation and share food inspirations from the book, culminating in a delightful exploration of Venetian cuisine. And there's the usual ridiculous conversations about which actor would be right to play the leading role.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Who Done It Dinners Podcast

00:58 Exploring Venetian Cuisine and History

03:13 Introducing the Commissario Brunetti Mysteries

05:32 Setting the Scene: Venice as a Character

10:03 Modern Themes in Brunetti's Investigations

13:52 Character Analysis: Commissario Brunetti

19:22 Reflections on the Story and Writing Style

20:14 Connecting Food and Literature

23:32 Final Thoughts and Future Recommendations

In this episode of Who Done It Dinners, hosts Helen Barbour and Katie McLaughlin explore the intersection of murder mysteries and culinary delights. They delve into Dorothy L. Sayers' first novel featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, 'Whose Body?', discussing its plot, character dynamics, and psychological depth. The conversation also touches on the colonial influences on British cuisine, leading to a food challenge centered around Kedgeree and a cocktail inspired by the East India Company. The episode concludes with a teaser for the next food challenge involving a Venetian lunch.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Who Done It Dinners

01:18 Colonial Influences on British Cuisine

02:58 Exploring Dorothy Sayers and Lord Peter Wimsey

04:36 The Mystery Unfolds: Who's Body?

08:12 Psychological Depth in Sayers' Writing

10:17 Contrasting Styles: Sayers vs. Christie

12:09 The Climax: Encountering the Murderer

13:48 Class and Society in the Narrative

15:15 Exploring Lord Peter Wimsey

17:29 Agatha Christie’s Unique Approach to Romance

21:06 Casting Choices for Lord Peter Wimsey

22:06 Rating 'Whose Body?' and Its Impact

25:47 Culinary Influences in British Cuisine

31:18 Food Challenge: A Venetian Lunch

32:36 New Chapter

Theme Tune: Dan McCullough

http://www.whodunnitdinners.co.uk

In this episode of Whodunnit Dinners, hosts Katie McLaughlin and Helen Barbour delve into the world of Agatha Christie, focusing on her novel 'A Murder is Announced.'

They discuss the clever premise of the story, the character dynamics, and the impact of the post-war context on the story. The conversation also explores the connection between food and the mystery genre, culminating in the revelation of Katie's Triump!

The hosts set the stage for their next challenge, emphasizing the importance of food and drink pairings in storytelling.Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Who Done It Dinners

02:56 Exploring Agatha Christie

04:18 A Murder is Announced Overview

11:16 Character Dynamics and Village Life

14:55 The Premise and Clues of the Story

17:44 Delicious Death: The Cake Connection

24:18 Setting the Next Challenge

24:31 Theme Tune.mp3

Theme Tune: Dan McCullough

In this episode of Whodunnit Dinners, hosts Helen Barbour and Katie McLaughlin explore the intersection of literature and cuisine, focusing on the book 'The Dirty Streets of Heaven' by Tad Williams and the culinary delight of burritos, particularly the Mission Burrito from San Francisco. The conversation delves into the themes of the book, character dynamics, and the cultural significance of burritos, creating a rich tapestry of storytelling and food appreciation.

Theme Tune: Dan McCullough

Find out more about this episode, plus recipes and discover more Whodunnit Dinners' murder mystery games at

http://www.whodunnitdinners.co.uk/blog/news

In this episode of Whodunnit Dinners, hosts Katie McLaughlin and Helen Barbour explore the world of murder mysteries, focusing on the character of Maigret from Georges Simenon's novels. They discuss the intricacies of the story 'Felicie', its characters, and the cultural context of the narrative. Alongside the literary analysis, they pair the discussion with traditional Northern French cuisine, including mussels and tarte tatin, creating a delightful blend of food and literature.

www.whodunnitdinners.com/blog/news

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Who Done It? Dinners

00:54 Exploring Maigret and the Mystery Genre

06:03 Character Analysis of Maigret

09:59 The Atmosphere and Setting of Felici

12:58 Food Inspirations from Northern France

17:57 Mussels and Traditional Northern French Cuisine

20:57 Dessert: Tarte Tatin and Its History

24:10 Next Challenge: Californian Cuisine

Theme Tune: Dan McCullough

The Whodunnit Dinners podcast explores the very best in whodunnits from the classics of Agatha Christie to the latest Netflix series, all served with a discussion of appropriate food and/or drink - because it’s the Whodunnit…Dinners podcast.

Each episode murder mystery dinner party writers share a whodunnit: a book, play, film, game, tv show and the dinner or food and drink inspired by that who dunnit. At the end of the episode there will be a food challenge which gives a clue to the next episode.

Discussions are far from serious so don’t expect expert opinions. But there are some interesting facts, ridiculous tangents and you’ll get some great recommendations for mysteries to enjoy AND food to savour.