Do you know your ack emma from your pip emma? Would you wear the cat's pyjamas? Are you, in fact, a goop? Helen Zaltzman joins me to delve into some baffling language from golden age detective fiction.

Thanks to my guest for this episode, Helen Zaltzman. She is the host of The Allusionist, a marvellous podcast about language, which I strongly recommend that you support on Patreon now.

A bonus episode with 20 minutes of extra material will be published later this month just for Shedunnit Book Club members. If you'd like to hear it, join now at shedunnitbookclub.com/join.

There are no major plot spoilers in this episode.

Books referenced:
— A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
— "The Tuesday Night Club" by Agatha Christie from The Tuesday Club Murders aka The Thirteen Problems
— The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
— Checkmate to Murder by ECR Lorac
— The Ha-Ha Case by JJ Connington
— The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Thanks to today’s sponsor:
— Blackwell's, an independent bookseller here in the UK. If you buy any book from them via the podcast's link, the show gets a small commission for referring you while the price remains the same for you. Visit any of the links to books above or shedunnitshow.com/blackwells to shop now.

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Find a full transcript of this episode at shedunnitshow.com/amysteriousglossarytranscript.

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Links to Blackwell’s are affiliate links, meaning that the podcast receives a small commission when you purchase a book there (the price remains the same for you). Blackwell’s is a UK independent bookselling chain that ships internationally at no extra charge.