The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word WHODUNIT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
W
H
O
D
U
N
I
T
More clues leading to the result WHODUNIT
- TV doctor had one work of fiction
- Crossword setter in ramshackle hut, down to make something with clues
- Story with house deserted initially by one
- House in confines of wood trailed by division in crime narrative
- Barking hound implicated in comic mystery
- UN agency director taking part in murder story
- Mystery of hydrogen bond regularly seen in white element
- Mystery of Welsh bricklaying gang
- Mousetrap an example of how to destroy brownish thing
- Doctor Brown on Italian thriller
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "thriller" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case thriller = whodunit.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does WHODUNIT mean?
WHODUNIT noun- A novel or drama concerning a crime (usually a murder) in which a detective follows clues to determine the perpetrator.