whodunit

plural whodunits · alternative whodunnit

1. A novel or drama concerning a crime (usually a murder) in which a detective follows clues to determine the perpetrator.

   1 more example

   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.

   1946, Josephina Niggli, Pointers on radio writing, Boston: The Writer, Inc., page 25

   Synonyms: detective novel, detective story, mystery story