Witness for the Prosecution

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

• a classic mystery novel set on a Nile River cruise
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth and Money, Greed, and Social Relationships
• Death on the Nile on SuperSummary

The Trespasser by Tana French

• French’s novel follows a Dublin detective as she attempts to solve the twists and turns of a strange murder case.
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth and Money, Greed, and Social Relationships
• The Trespasser on SuperSummary

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

• Capote’s iconic true crime novel explores the subtle psychological layers of murder, accusation, and the legal system.
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth; Money, Greed, and Social Relationships; and How Prejudice Shapes Perception
• In Cold Blood on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe

• Keefe’s nonfiction exposé of a mysterious crime at the height of The Troubles in Belfast emphasizes the secretive, class-driven, complex issues that accompany crimes.
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth and How Prejudice Shapes Perception
• Say Nothing on SuperSummary

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Flynn’s popular novel is a psychological thriller of a marriage gone wrong and a sociopath on the loose.
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth and How Prejudice Shapes Perception
• Gone Girl on Super Summary

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

• Doyle’s stories follow investigator Sherlock Holmes as he solves complex mysteries.
• connects to “Witness for the Prosecution” through themes of The Elusiveness of Truth and Money, Greed, and Social Relationships
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on SuperSummary

Teacher Resources

How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster

• Foster’s how-to book dedicates each chapter to a trope or symbol in literature with examples in an accessible guide on how to elevate literary analysis.
• highlights many tropes and symbols of the mystery novel
• How to Read Literature like a Professor on SuperSummary

Agatha Christie: The Woman and Her Mysteries by Gillian Gill

• Gill’s biography is a portrait of Christie’s iconic life and works.