The WHYDUNIT Genre

A hero/detective pursues a case where the real puzzle is “‘why” the case proves so compelling that the hero is willing to dive into the darkness to find the answer. The investigation into the dark side of humanity is often an investigation into ourselves, for a good Whydunit turns the x-ray machine back on us and asks: “Are we this evil?”

The 3 elements of a WHYDUNIT story are:

1) The detective does not change, we do; yet they can be any kind of gumshoe—from pro to amateur to imaginary.
2) The secret of the case is so strong it overwhelms the worldly lures of money, sex, power, or fame. We gots to know! And so does the Whydunit hero.
3) Finally, the dark turn shows that in pursuit of the secret, the detective will break the rules, even their own—often ones they have relied on for years to stay safe. The pull of the secret is too great.