January 25, 2019 | Theatre,

Iconic Mysteries From Pop Culture

Hailed as the theatrical event of a generation and winning more awards than any other production in history, the National Theatre’s Landmark Production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller, An Inspector Calls is a mystery tale that has stood the test of time. “‘An Inspector Calls is like an episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’ wrapped in an Agatha Christie mystery.” – The Washington Post.

If you are excited about An Inspector Calls as we are, here are some other iconic mysteries to check out. From books to boardgames, this genre has something for everyone.

Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier (1934)

Set in a large country mansion called Manderly, this story follows a young, nameless heroine after her marriage to the owner Maximilian DeWinter. The heroine quickly becomes obsessed with his first wife Rebecca who died in a sail boating accident years before.

Published in 1934, this English gothic mystery has never gone out of print and sold close to 3 million copies between its publication and 1964 alone. The book has been adapted for film and television several times and was voted the UK’s favorite book in the past 225 years in 2017.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie  (1926)

From the world’s best-selling author of all time and a milestone in the genre of detective fiction, this Agatha Christie classic is a topic of discussion to this day. Hercule Poirot has retired in the village of King’s Abbot. However, when Roger Ackroyd is discovered dead from a stabbing in his study, Poirot returns to the scene of the crime to help investigate. Ending with a stunning discovery and voted the Best Crime Novel by the British Crime Writers Association, this page turning novel is a must read.

Betrayal at House on the Hill by Avalon Hill (2004)

All players in this game begin as allies traveling through a haunted house filled with traps, dangers, and omens. Throughout the game different room tiles are placed at random on the board creating a different session for each game. Eventually, the “haunt” begins and one team member begins working for the ghosts, monsters, and others while the other teammates work to defeat them. Designed by Bruce Glassco and published in 2004, this winner of a 2004 Gamer’s Choice Award for best board game, it is perfect for a mysterious night in with friends and family.

Vertigo (1958)

An ex-police officer who has a grave fear of heights is hired by an old friend to prevent his ex-wife from committing suicide. It is quickly discovered that everything is not as it initially appears in this critically acclaimed masterpiece. Starring Kim Novak and James Stewart this Alfred Hitchcock mystery/thriller is considered one of his best films, and was voted by Sight & Sound in 2017 as the best film of all time.

Sherlock (2010-Present)

This British drama series is based on the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson. The show follows Sherlock Holmes working to solve mysteries in modern-day London along with his friend Martin Freeman who has just returned from military service in Afghanistan. This Golden Globe nominated, Emmy award winning show is a British fan favorite that you can’t miss!

Don’t miss this stunning performance of An Inspector Calls, which has won more awards than any other production in history, this spring at the historic Cutler Majestic Theatre at ArtsEmerson, MAR 14 – 24 and let us know us know what your favorite mystery story is either in comments or by tweeting @artsemerson!