EY Y02 L35 Whodunnits


  1. Do you like ‘whodunnits’ - works of fiction where a body is found and the main storyline is the search (usually by a detective) for the culprit? Why?
  2. There are many famous fictional detectives from Japanese manga, TV shows, movies and novels. Name one. Describe this character.
  3. There are many famous fictional detectives from Western TV shows, movies and novels. Name one. Describe this character.
  4. Tell me about a ‘whodunnit’ you have seen or read. It can be a manga, a TV show, a movie or a novel. What is the basic storyline?
  5. Did you think it was good? Why?
  6. Do you think that you have the skills of deduction and perception it would require to make a good detective? Could you work out 'whodunnit'!? Why?

Question 1

I used to like it since the story relates to crime and following clues. Nowadays, most crime and mystery movies are very predictable; I always see similar tropes being used in different movies. I enjoy watching science-fiction movies more than whodunnits.

Question 2

The first fictional detective that comes to mind is a character from one of Japan's most renowned mangas, Meitantei Konan. This character is extremely intelligent and quick-thinking. He can also be quite carefree at times.

Question 3

I would say that Hercule Poirot is one of the best fictional detectives of all time. He is a character created by Agatha Christie, one of my favorite writers growing up. Poirot is an extremely observant individual who focuses on facts and little details that a normal person would miss.

Question 4

A couple of years ago, I watched a movie titled "Knives Out," starring Daniel Craig and Chris Evans. The movie focuses on finding out the culprit of a recent murder in the Thrombey family. Detective Benoit Blanc, an extremely smart private investigator, uncovered series of lies and deceit done by family members that eventually led to Harlan Thrombey's death.

Question 5

It was absolutely fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time when watching Knives Out. There were minor clues that were presented throughout the movie but we just completely missed them. It was so good that we decided to watch it a couple more times!

Question 6

After years of reading and watching crime novels, I think that I have basic knowledge of solving crime cases. I'm generally a detailed-oriented person, which I think is a trait that most detectives have. In a real-life scenario, I think I will do well in interviewing and "reading" possible suspects as I learned behavioral sciences as a personal interest when I was a university student.

Tough Vocabulary