Class Description
From isolated islands to spaceships and blizzarded villages, the setting of a murder mystery shapes the suspects, clues, and atmosphere. In this six-week class, we’ll explore how place drives plot and character in crime fiction. Each week includes a short lecture on a unique location-based theme—like locked-room puzzles, academic conspiracies, or sci-fi whodunits—followed by a group discussion of a selected mystery novel. Students will deepen their understanding of mystery subgenres, narrative structure, and investigative logic while reading across eras, styles, and cultures. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Tana French, and genre-bending thrillers.
Tom Irvine is the head of a technology department for a corporation during the day and loves to teach about mysteries, spy stories, and history at night.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 12
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Kerry Greenwood, Murder on the Ballarat Train. Poisoned Pen, 2015. ISBN: 978-1464206214
- Soji Shimada, The Tokyo Zodiac Murders. Pushkin, 2025. ISBN: 978-1805335153
- Mur Lafferty, Six Wakes. Orbit, 2017. ISBN: 978-0316389686
- John Farrow, The Storm Murders. Minotaur, 2015. ISBN: 978-1250057686 (Please Note: We are unable to stock this book, but copies are available at the Chicago Public Library. You can also find used copies for sale at online stores like ThriftBooks.)
- G.M. Malliet, Wicked Autumn. Griffin, 2018. ISBN: 978-1250175052
- Conrad Allen, Murder on the Mauretania. Minotaur Books, 2000. ISBN: 978-0312241162 (Please Note: We are unable to stock this book, but you can find used copies for sale at online stores like ThriftBooks.)
First Reading
- Read Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood for the first class
A Brief Syllabus
- Crime in an Isolated Situation: Murder on the Ballarat Train
- Locked Room Mysteries: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders
- Murder in Space: Six Wakes
- Snowbound Settings: The Storm Murders
- Small Rural Village Setting: Wicked Autum
- Murder on Cruise Ship: Murder on the Mauretania
Cost and Registration
6 Sessions, $245 ($220.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($245), Community Supported ($225), and Sponsor ($265). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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