What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedArsenic and Old Lace
Frank Capra · Film · 1944
If you loved Arsenic and Old Lace, start with The Addams Family (Charles Addams, 1964) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Arsenic and Old Lace across media.
You loved Arsenic and Old Lace because you enjoy the chaotic intersection of domestic life and dark, morbid criminal secrets.
Books on the same thread
The Castafiore Emerald
Hergé · Book · 2002
Shares a thread with Arsenic and Old Lace: Farce.
Much like Arsenic and Old Lace, this story traps its characters in a confined domestic setting where a simple environment masks underlying tensions and a baffling, hidden crime.
The A.B.C. Murders
Agatha Christie · Book · 1936
Explores: Serial Killers, Psychological Thriller, Cat and Mouse.
If the blend of murder and mystery in Arsenic and Old Lace kept you gripped, you will appreciate how this classic weaves a complex, dark puzzle around unsuspecting victims.
Accidental Death of an Anarchist
Dario Fo, Gavin Richards · Book · 1987
Shares 2 threads with Arsenic and Old Lace: Dark Comedy, Farce.
This play mirrors the frantic absurdity found in Arsenic and Old Lace by using biting satire to expose the dark, suspicious failings lurking behind institutional and domestic facades.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas
Agatha Christie · Book · 1987
Shares a thread with Arsenic and Old Lace: Family Secrets.
Fans of the family-centric chaos in Arsenic and Old Lace will recognize the same unsettling tension when a holiday reunion turns into a deadly investigation of hidden secrets.
Series on the same thread
The Addams Family
Charles Addams · Series · 1964
Shares a thread with Arsenic and Old Lace: Dark Comedy.
The Addams Family captures the same macabre humor that made Arsenic and Old Lace a classic, showcasing an eccentric clan that remains blissfully unaware of their own bizarre nature.
I Love Lucy
Bob Carroll Jr. · Series · 1951
Explores: Marriage, Ambition vs. Domesticity, Friendship.
The frantic, high-energy domestic mishaps seen in Arsenic and Old Lace are echoed here, as a character’s constant schemes consistently disrupt the peace of their shared living space.
All in the Family
Johnny Speight · Series · 1971
Explores: Generation Gap, Social Issues, Family Conflict.
This show shares the volatile family dynamics of Arsenic and Old Lace, where constant squabbling over serious issues creates a pressure cooker environment that feels both stressful and comedic.
Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin · Series · 2021
Explores: True Crime Obsession, New York City, Intergenerational Friendship.
Just as the protagonist of Arsenic and Old Lace finds himself suddenly embroiled in a crime, these amateur sleuths turn a shared obsession into a real-life murder investigation.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast mirrors the dark comedy of Arsenic and Old Lace by applying a humorous, analytical lens to the grim reality of murders occurring in otherwise quiet, provincial settings.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
Much like the tonal balance in Arsenic and Old Lace, this show invites you to find levity in true crime, blending serious subject matter with an engaging, conversational approach.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Arsenic and Old Lace a movie about marriage?
Arsenic and Old Lace features Mortimer Brewster, a critic known for his diatribes against marriage who suddenly falls in love and marries. The plot shifts when he visits his aunts and discovers their secret hobby of killing lonely old men, which complicates his return home.
What is the main plot of Arsenic and Old Lace?
In Arsenic and Old Lace, a drama critic named Mortimer Brewster visits his two maiden aunts to announce his recent marriage. During his visit, he discovers that his aunts are murdering lonely old men and burying the bodies in their cellar.
Who directed the 1944 version of Arsenic and Old Lace?
The 1944 film adaptation of Arsenic and Old Lace was directed by Frank Capra. The story centers on Mortimer Brewster, who discovers his maiden aunts' lethal secret while visiting them to share news of his sudden marriage.
Does Mortimer Brewster know about the murders in Arsenic and Old Lace before he visits?
Mortimer Brewster does not know about the murders before arriving at the home of his aunts in Arsenic and Old Lace. He initially visits the house to tell his aunts that he has recently gotten married, only to discover their hidden hobby.