"A murder mystery with a presidential twist": The Residence is Netflix's "genius" new White House whodunnit

We’ve got a pretty long list of shows we can’t wait for at Good Housekeeping – and this week, Netflix's The Residence is our one to watch. The "genius" whodunnit is the perfect murder mystery with a unique presidential twist.

The new series is an unpredictable whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs - and backstairs - of the White House. 132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. So who did it? Bridgerton’s Shonda Rhimes is the mastermind behind the show and there's a 'killer' cast - including the one and only Kylie Minogue. Could Kylie be the culprit?

Luckily, with the series launching this week, we don't have to wait long to wait to find out. But in the meantime, here's everything we know about the new series, including the full plot, cast and release date...

What is The Residence about?

The show has been likened to mystery thriller Knives Out with flavours of West Wing, particularly as it's inspired by The Residence book, written by White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower. The book is a Downton Abbey-style look at the real lives of those at every level in the White House. But while the book is firmly rooted in reality, the Netflix series imagines how things might unravel if a body was discovered.

The show has been described by Netflix as a “screwball whodunnit” and the drama will unfold over eight episodes. The show is set in White House, where the staff of the world’s most famous mansion are happily going about their day, until one State dinner changes everything.

When a dead body is discovered - the unfortunate murder victim being White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (played by Giancarlo Esposito), the mission is on to find out who did it. But there are 132 rooms and 157 suspects – just to make things a little more difficult.

Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department, who’s known for her wry humor, relentless pursuit of truth and sharp eye for human behaviour. She’s also the most sought-after detective in the world. She’s joined by Randall Park as Special Agent Edwin Park of the FBI, who’s tasked with partnering with Cupp and is somewhat sceptical of her unconventional methods.

Excitingly, we also know that Kylie Minogue is making a guest appearance in the series. The singer is one of the guests at the State dinner, representing her home country Australia. What with Kylie starring and Shonda Rhimes – aka the genius behind the likes of Bridgerton, Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder producing it, we’re almost certain this is going to be TV gold.

Who's starring in The Residence?

The main cast of The Residence includes:

• Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp
• Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter
• Edwina Findley as Sheila Cannon
• Molly Griggs as Lilly Schumacher
• Jason Lee as Tripp Morgan
• Ken Marino as Harry Hollinger
• Al Mitchell as Rollie Bridgewater
• Randall Park as Edwin Park
• Dan Perrault as Colin Trask
• Bronson Pinchot as Didier Gotthard
• Julieth Restrepo as Elsyie Chayle
• Mel Rodriguezas Bruce Geller
• Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine Haney
• Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Larry Dokes
• Mary Wiseman as Marvella

The series also has an impressive guest cast, which includes:

• Eliza Coupe as Senator Margery Bay Bix
• Jane Curtin as Nan Cox
• Paul Fitzgerald as President Perry Morgan
• Barrett Foa as Elliott Morgan
• Al Franken as Senator Aaron Filkins
• Spencer Garrett as Wally Glick
• Taran Killam as St. Pierre
• Julian McMahon as PM Stephen Roos
• Kylie Minogue as herself
• Matt Oberg as Nick Simms
• Brett Tucker as David Rylance

How can I watch The Residence?

Very excitingly, The Residence is coming this week! All eight episodes will be released on Netflix on Thursday 20th March.