Website Mystery Challenge - The Resolution

We're finally at the end of our Website Mystery Challenge! Did you solve the clues and discover the identity of the killer? How about that cryptogram - did you figure it out and decipher the extra clues? Now it's time to find out how you did.

The Resolution:

Detective Collins saw Mrs. Butler eavesdropping on his conversation. He followed her into the kitchen and confronted her with the information he had learned from Raul: that she was Sandra’s birth mother. She admitted it, and said Mr. and Mrs. Wolverton (the original) had hired her to act as surrogate. In return, she was given a position for life, and she got to see her child grow up. She had taken an active part in raising Sandra, and was happy with things as they were. But then Mr. Wolverton had married Maryanne, and everything changed. He was besotted. Sandra had fallen in love with Brent Bollinger, and Mrs. Butler spent a long time talking to the young man. He’d made mistakes in his past, but had paid his dues and she thought he was a nice young man with a lot of potential. The biggest black mark against him was the fact that he was Maryanne’s younger brother, but she couldn’t hold that against him. A person couldn’t help what family he was born into, could he?

Detective Collins pressed, and revealed that Maryanne had hired Raul to investigate Mrs. Butler’s past, and the fact that Maryanne was planning to pack Mrs. Butler off to a retirement home and hire a replacement, even if it meant she would continue to pay the woman for life, as Mr. Wolverton specified in his will. Visibly shaken by that news, Mrs. Butler broke down. She confessed that she had been enraged by Maryanne’s shameless philandering with that young hunk, and the impending loss of Sandra’s family estate. She did everything she could to provoke Maryanne, including serving all the dishes she hated. The night of her death, they argued, and Mrs. Butler strangled her with a tie she had taken from the laundry room.

The crime solved, Collins congratulated himself on a job well done. Mrs. Butler was led away in handcuffs to go to trial. Sandra vowed to hire the best attorney in the land to defend her – right after she and Brent returned from their honeymoon cruise. Before Sandra left, she showed her appreciation to Raul for his faithful (if questionable) service to the family, and gave him a cash gift. Raul set up a private investigation office, and worked with Collins on many future cases. In hard times when business was slow, he offered to maintain the pool for Maryanne Wolverton’s country club friends.

CRYPTOGRAM KEY: Every letter has a corresponding number, starting with 2 and progressing in increments of 2. For instance, a=2, b=4, c=6, d=8, etc.

THANK YOU for playing my mystery game! I hope you enjoyed solving the clues as much as I enjoyed developing them!

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #7

We've come to the final clue in our Website Mystery Challenge! Detective Collins is hot on the trail of the killer. Have you followed the trail and figured out the identify of the killer? Here's one last chance to add an important clue to your list.

Collins assesses al the clues, and lays them all out. Sandra had a motive: she stood to lose the family estate if her stepmother remarried. Brent had a motive: he wants to hide his suspicious past. Mrs. Butler had a motive: she was in danger of losing her job, as well as having her secret past revealed. Raul had no motive, but he had opportunity: the person who finds a victim is always suspect. And why is he a pool boy when he knows nothing about pools?

But Detective Collins looks beyond the physical motives. Maryanne’s death was the result of strong emotions. He decided the killer was…

WHO KILLED MARYANNE WOLVERTON?

Cryptogram Clue (6 words): 40- 16- 10_____ 26- 30- 40- 18- 44- 10_____ 46 2- 38_____ 2_____ 12- 2- 26- 18- 24- 49_____ 26- 2- 40- 40- 10- 36.

Cryptogram Key: f=12, b=4

Have you figured it out? Visit the Reader Fun page of this site and fill in the comment box at the bottom of the page. The cryptogram and the solution to the crime will be revealed on April 22, 2011. Check back here to find out Who Dun It!!!

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #6

The clues are coming to an end soon. Today we follow Detective Collins as he begins his investigation. You may already have a suspect in mind. Let's see if you and Detective Collins agree! (Remember to check the Website Mystery Challenge link in the right column of this page to review the previous clues and the cryptogram translations.)

Detective Collins carefully interrogates each suspect. In further discussion with Raul, he discovers that Maryanne has recently been interviewing new cooks. Why, when she had Mrs. Butler, who was paid to be her cook for the rest of her life? Then he discovers an extremely interesting fact: Maryanne has been secretly seeing a sexy young man with a reputation for being a gold digger. Her credit card receipts lead him to a recent receipt for a flight for two to Las Vegas. It looks like they were planning to elope. Though Sandra’s trust fund is secure, she is in danger of losing the family estate and all physical assets. While Collins is talking on his cell phone, he sees a glimpse of someone eavesdropping.

Cryptogram Clue (4 words): 6- 30- 24- 24- 18- 28- 38_____ 38- 10- 10- 38_____ 26- 36- 38_____ 4- 42- 40- 24- 10- 36.

Cryptogram Key: n = 28, u = 42

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #5

The clues in my Website Mystery Challenge are starting to add up! How are you coming in solving the cryptogram? You'll get some fascinating hidden data when you figure the cryptogram out! Here's the next clue. To review the previous ones, click on the "Website Mystery Challenge" in the right column of this page.

Suspect Number Four:

Raul the Pool Boy has only been employed by Maryanne for three months. This cushy job is much better than slaving away in the hot Phoenix sun on a construction site. But it looks like the days of getting paid to hang around the rich lady’s pool have come to an end. Raul just hopes nobody discovers the other things Maryanne has been paying him to do.

Cryptogram Clue (6 words): 36- 2- 42- 24_____ 18- 38_____ 18- 28- 44- 10- 38- 40- 18- 14- 2- 40- 18- 28- 14_____ 26- 36- 38_____4- 42- 40- 24- 10- 36- 38_____ 32- 2- 38- 40.

Cryptogram Key = i=24, e=10

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #4

Here's the next installment in my Website Mystery Challenge. To review the previous clues, click the "Website Mystery Challenge" link in the right-hand column of this page.

Suspect Number Three:

Brent Bollinger has recently taken up occupancy in one of the estate’s guest rooms, at Maryanne’s invitation. His role is obvious – Maryanne was taken with the handsome young man, and enjoyed having him escort her to the various social events she frequented in Phoenix society. Where did he come from, and what exactly was the nature of his relationship with the victim?

Detective Collins uncovers Brent’s criminal record. He was caught in an attempted robbery five years ago, and was recently released from prison. He came to his sister, Maryanne, in hopes of getting a clean start, but she didn’t receive him kindly.

Cryptogram Clue (6 words): 4- 36- 10- 28- 40_____ 18- 38_____ 18- 28_____ 24- 30- 44- 10_____46- 18- 40- 16_____ 38- 2- 28- 8- 36- 2

Cryptogram Key: r = 36, h = 16

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #3

Here's the next clue in my Mystery Website. If you've missed previous clues, just click on the Website Mystery Challenge link in the right-hand column of this page.

Suspect Number Two:

Mrs. Butler has ruled Wolverton family’s kitchen for almost three decades, since she was twenty-three. Time has not improved her cooking skills, but Mr. Wolverton’s will ensured that she would have the job for the rest of her life – or until his family fortune ran out, whichever came first. She couldn’t stand the ‘extravagant hussy’ who snared poor Mr. Wolverton into an ill-fated marriage, and she doesn’t mind saying so. As far as she is concerned, Maryanne got what was coming to her, and none too soon, either.

Cryptogram Clue (5 words): 26- 36- 28_____ 4- 42- 40- 24- 10- 36_____ 18- 38_____ 38- 2- 28- 8- 36- 2- 38_____ 26- 30- 40- 16- 10- 36

Cryptogram Key: o = 30, t = 40

Website Mystery Challenge - Post #2

Today I continue to reveal the clues to solve my website mystery challenge. Did you miss the previous post? Take a look in the right column, under the Label "Website Mystery Challenge." You can find all the posts listed there.

Today I continue to reveal the clues to solve my website mystery challenge. Did you miss the previous post? Take a look in the right column, under the Label "Website Mystery Challenge." You can find all the posts listed there.

Here's post #2:

Suspect Number One: Sandra Wolverton is the thirty-year-old spinster daughter of Maryanne’s late husband. Poor Sandra has always felt in the shadow of her vivacious stepmother. Though she’d like nothing more than to escape the self-centered widow’s clutches, she’s stuck living at the family estate for the foreseeable future. The bulk of her wealth is tied up in a trust that won’t be dissolved until one important event – Maryanne’s death. She makes no secret of the fact that she detested Maryanne’s extravagant expenditure of her father’s money.

She has immediately taken over her father’s business ventures, and has claimed his home office as her domain. “Of course I’m appalled that someone would kill her,” she assures Detective Collins as she sits calmly behind her late father’s desk with her hands folded in her lap. Though Sandra has no friends and as far as anyone can tell has never had a date, a scan of Sandra’s computer uncovers multiple searches for a cruise around the world – for two.

Cryptogram Clue (4 words): 38- 2- 28- 8- 36- 2_____ 18- 38 _____ 18- 28_____ 24- 30- 44- 10

Cryptogram Key: S = 38, I = 18

A Website Mystery Challenge - Post #1

Beginning today, I will introduce a mystery challenge. Over the next fourteen days, I will describe a murder mystery, and will post clues to uncover the killer. A new clue will be posted every two days. Each clue will describe details of the crime, the suspects, and the investigation.

Each clue will also include a hidden clue, a cryptogram. If you decipher the key to the cryptogram, you will have a deeper glimpse to unraveling the mystery. The cryptogram does not change. In other words, the value of "A" is the same for the first clue as for the last. So grab a scrap of paper and taken notes. Every clue will give you more letters in the cryptogram.

At the end of the mystery, you will be invited to identify the murderer. Those who guess correctly will have their name entered into a drawing. One person will be selected randomly to receive the grand prize: a complete library of Virginia Smith's mystery/suspense titles! That's right, seven books, autographed especially for you.

Here's post number 1:

The Victim: Wealthy widow Maryanne Wolverton, thirty-eight and gorgeous, gained her fortune by marrying well and often. Stephen Wolverton was her fourth husband. He died and left her wealthy beyond her dreams. She likes to display her wealth with ostentatious displays of gigantic diamonds and emeralds. She also enjoys the attention of virile young men (hence the employment of Raul the Pool Boy, who knows nothing about pools but looks great in a Speedo), and has been pictured on the front pages of the tabloids on the arm of more than one handsome – but usually penniless – young man.

The Crime: Maryanne’s body is found dead on a lounge chair beside the pool at her Beverly Hills mansion at seven in the morning by Raul. She has been strangled. Detective Collins, the investigating officer, finds the murder weapon hidden beneath a nearby bush – a man’s blue necktie. Investigation uncovers the basic facts: she had dinner with her stepdaughter and her latest “charity case,” the handsome young Brent. Mrs. Butler, the cook, served a delicious dinner of baked halibut, which Maryanne hates. The two had harsh words and Maryanne grabbed a bottle of wine off the table and stormed out of the dining room in the direction of the pool, leaving her stepdaughter and Brent sitting in awkward silence at the table. That was the last time anyone saw Maryanne alive.

CRYPTOGRAM CLUE (5 words): 26-2- 36- 49- 2- 28- 28- 10- 38 ___ 4- 18- 36- 40- 16 ____ 28- 2- 26- 10- ___ 46- 2- 38 ___ 4- 30- 24- 24- 18- 28- 14- 10- 36

CRYPTOGRAM KEY: a=2, m=26, w=46