Murder Mystery 2013: And Then There Was Fun

(Unless otherwise noted, all photos are from Sarah and JB. Thanks, you two!)

My dear friend, (the letter said)

What a long time it has been since we saw each other face-to-face. You have not forgotten me, I’m sure; I know I have not forgotten you.

Let us reminisce about things past this Friday, May 3. I have invited a few close friends like yourself for a weekend celebration. You know, I’m sure, my residence: [ADDRESS], Toronto. I shall await your arrival from 5pm onwards, but the festivities shall begin at 7, sharp—DO NOT BE LATE.

In case you have forgotten (but how could you?) the particular things past we have to discuss, I have enclosed a photograph to jog your memory. Perhaps I shall have the opportunity to return them to you. Perhaps, even, there shall be another, greater opportunity for you and the other guests.

Or perhaps not.

Thirteen invited guests received this letter from Judge Odell Merriweather. Thirteen invited guests came to the judge’s house to retrieve the clues the judge had been using to blackmail them all this time. Thirteen invited guests — and one escaped convict disguised as a fellow invitee.

Apart from the mysterious extra guest, dinner during the first night appeared to run smoothly.

 

Still, no one had seen hide or hair of the judge… until she appeared just before dessert to announce that she had decided to leave all her blackmail-amassed fortune to the guest who could follow her trail of clues to find her hidden will. Alas, as the judge lifted her glass to toast the occasion and take a sip of her drink…

Now the assembled group had two goals: to find the judge’s murderer and to be the first to the will before it was too late!

The first to meet her demise was Vivian, the poet (KC). Casey, the policeman (Tyler), had stolen her life ball while she generously helped Jeeves chop the vegetables for salad, and after he’d lost track of it, it fell into the clutches of Jordan, the surgeon (Kevin). Still, no one in the party really believed he or she was in danger of death…

… not until Morgan, the actor (Dave), collapsed from poison (anise flavour, for the game) after sipping a previously unopened can of soda!

The guests were in turmoil. Who would be next? If straight-from-the-factory, hermetically sealed cans weren’t safe, what was?

Still, players laboured on, each exploring different paths. Some searched the house for blackmail clues and mysterious animal figurines; others counted the jellies in the dessert. Still others worked to find messages in invisible ink in notebooks, on bathroom mirrors, and in black-light-sensitive ink and to count the marbles hidden in solid plaster cubes.

But no one was safe. Before the night was over, Jordan, the surgeon (Kevin) would be killed by Robin, the businesswoman (Heather), and Hilary, the adventuress (Liz) swore to avenge her friend Ariel, the soldier’s (Amanda) death at the hands of Taylor, the nurse (Ryan). From approximately 11pm to 3:30am, the two battled for possession of the styrofoam ball that represented Taylor’s life, each with a hold on it, and each hoping to wait the other out. Finally, Taylor was handcuffed to the bannister, but soon after, he was freed, and the night turned into a series of raids.

The morning brought new light (although few had slept soundly), and with it, more deaths: Casey, the detective (Tyler) killed Val, the magician (Dan) and Evelyn, the politician (Sarah), and Robin, the businesswoman (Heather) killed Darcy, the heiress (JB).

As the guests continued their efforts from the night before, whether to find the will or murder each other or both, they uncovered more clues, including a numerical riddle and a list of words to listen for in murder-mystery radio shows.

Finally, they put together all the clues to create a giant word search on the dining-room table cloth.

 

Competitive spirits were high: Hilary, the adventuress (Liz) killed Casey, the policeman (Tyler) even as all worked together to find the hidden words. Taylor, the nurse (Ryan) found himself handcuffed to the stairs, Ariel’s murder not forgotten.

Meanwhile,  Kelsey, the musician (Natalie) worked diligently to decipher from scratch the Vigenère-enciphered instructions on what to do with the completed word search.

The remaining survivors searched the house in order to find blackmailer’s evidence that would help them narrow down the identity of the judge’s murderer. Zeroing in on Kelsey herself, they handcuffed her to the bannister as well.

It looked like a standoff: Kelsey refused to provide the deciphered message unless freed, and the survivors refused to free her unless she provided the message.

Finally, around 10pm, the guests agreed to let Kelsey (Natalie) go. She extracted the final message from the completed word search, and, with the posthumous help of Darcy, the heiress (JB), she found the judge’s will in a diversion safe disguised as a can of Liquid Wrench.

Winner of the hunt: Natalie

Assist to the winner: JB

Honourable mentions (survivors):

Bonnie
Liz
Nick
Ryan
Heather

Best costumes: (these five made and brought at least 2 (!!!) for different days)

Liz
Sarah
Amanda
Bonnie
JB

Honourable mentions: (other costumes)

Heather
Dave
Tyler
Nick

The actual murderer:

Dave

In-game murderers:

Kevin (1)
Ryan (2 — only successful poisoner)
Heather (2)
Tyler (2)
Liz (1)

Thanks to my talented cousin Ken for being a very convincing 1930s newscaster, and extra special thanks to Gillian, the owner of the wonderful house we rented, who was extraordinarily accommodating to our weird bunch.

And of course, thanks to all the well dressed, murderous, and always game participants (slash dishwashers, house cleaners, and sous chefs) Sarah, JB, Heather, Liz, Amanda,  Tyler, Kevin, Ryan, Dave, Bonnie, Dan, KC, Nick, and Natalie. Check out those awesome costumes and homicidal poses! You guys rock!

(I’ve only scratched the surface of all the wacky hijincks and crazy strategies throughout the weekend. Feel free to add your memories in the comments!)