Musical whodunnits and political backstabbing dominate the escapist agenda this year

A sleuth in search of clues to putting on a successful show at the Edinburgh fringe will not need to reach for a magnifying glass. There is already proof positive that 2023 is expected to be the year of “cosy crime”, when world-weary fringe punters will turn to the comfort and escapism of a whodunnit.

And, whether you fancy watching Drunk Women Solving Crime or Murder on the Disorient Express, there are mysteries aplenty to choose from. Among the 3,500 shows on the fringe, the range of improvisational detective comedies, musicals and parodies offers all the evidence needed that this genre is now seen as a safer bet.