The Detection Club is the stuff of literary legend—a gathering of the greatest minds in mystery fiction who turned the art of whodunits into a collaborative pursuit. What started as a few friends gathering for supper at the home of Anthony Berkeley in North London in the late 1920’s, officially became the Detection Club in 1930 and began meeting monthly at London restaurants.
Among its early members were some of the brightest stars of the genre, including Anthony Berkeley, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and G.K. Chesterton, who served as the first president.
At the heart of the Detection Club was a sense of camaraderie mixed with a touch of theatricality. Meetings often involved elaborate dinners, where new members were “inducted” through a humorous initiation ceremony, swearing an oath on a skull named Eric. Members pledged to adhere to the rules of fair play in their writing, ensuring that all clues necessary to solve a mystery were presented to the reader. Ronald Knox codified the rules of fair play into what he called his ten commandments, which new initiates had to swear to uphold.
The Club also became a creative hub, where authors exchanged ideas and even co-wrote works, such as The Floating Admiral (1931) and “Ask a Policeman” (1933), where members collectively crafted intricate mysteries. Members appeared together on BBC radio broadcasts and other literary readings.
Over the years, the Detection Club has included many illustrious members and has continued to attract leading figures in crime fiction. Current members include Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid among others. Under the presidency of Martin Edwards, the Detection Club continues to thrive and has produced recent anthologies like “Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club” (2020), featuring contributions from current members.
Last summer, I had the good fortune to visit the Dorothy L. Sayers and the G.K. Chesterton archives at the Wade Center of Wheaton College. Their archives include documents from the Detection Club. Dorothy Sayers was the first club secretary and was devoted to making the club a place of convivial conversation and good cheer.
With the wine flowing and Dorothy and Gilbert in their capes, along with Eric the skull atop his silk pillow, and Agatha and Anthony and other great mystery writers trying to solve true cold cases over roasts and puddings, the dinners must have been a jolly good time.