ABC to air mystery reality competition series 'Whodunnit?'

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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- ABC says it plans to air "Whodunnit?" a U.S. reality series in which 13 people compete for a $250,000 prize by solving a mystery this summer.

The nine-episode prime-time show is being produced by Anthony E. Zuiker, the creator of the "CSI" franchise.

"I've built a career telling crime stories, and if there's one thing that I've learned, especially from 'CSI,' it's that the audience loves to solve the mystery," Zuiker said in a statement Wednesday. "'Whodunnit?' allows everyday fans to be in the show themselves and get the chance every week to do what they love best, which is ultimately solve the case."

"'Whodunnit?' takes the best elements from the timelessly entertaining narrative form, the murder mystery, and infuses it with all the contemporary energy of a competition based reality show," said producer Cris Abrego. "The mystery fans who suddenly find themselves in the middle of an unfolding murder mystery won't actually be playing for their lives, of course, but they'll certainly feel like they are, and it promises to be just as engaging and suspenseful for the viewers at home."