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this post was submitted on 01 Sep 2026
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The most famous is "the butler did it," which is a cliche with that apparently predates the reference.
This article in The Guardian suggests a story where the butler did it earlier than that - The Strange Case of Mr Challoner in 1921.
Even so "the butler did it" is still a great example of a cliché that hardly ever actually happens.
I could easily believe the cliché originated independently from any particular book, purely as a piece of writing advice meaning "don't be obvious!"
Perhaps "the butler did it" stems from real life, wherein correctly or not, the butler is an immediate suspect when someone who has hired help happens to be murdered in their home? Surely the master/servant relationship fosters resentment/ill will.
Even if not, I'm sure they're a wonderful scapegoat for an inheritance seeking child or slighted spouse when they commit the murder.
If you do a write-up like that you should probably include some information which works you are talking about.
No need, I'd trust this account with my life. You don't ask Prof Brian Cox for his sources, do you?