Did the butler really do it?

It's the oldest cliche in the book. This article in the Guardian gives us the details, including in which book, in fact, the butler really did do it! 'SS Van Dine, noted art critic and mystery writer, published a series of rules for would-be crime authors in a much-quoted essay. Number 11 reads, in part: "A servant must not be chosen by the author as the culprit. This is begging a noble question. It is a too easy solution. The culprit must be a decidedly worthwhile person – one that wouldn't ordinarily come under suspicion." Oops.' More...