The Devil in the details

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

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From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

August 24, 1898



A day of the most surprising in this investigation: Baron von Boddy did not drown. He was murdered.

The Cornwall Constabulary knows this, but has kept it silent from the newspapers to further the investigation. Naturally, I offered my inestimable services to aid them. It is to be hoped that Mrs. Midas-White did not kill him, as claiming my fee from a murderess I helped to arrest could prove awkward.

To record in brief my learnings:

1.    The skeleton clearly shows the nick of a bullet in a rear rib, indicating it was shot in the back.

2.    The airship salon’s panoramic forward window has cracks in one corner, radiating from a small hole.

3.    Some solvent, possibly fuel oil, has damaged the walnut flooring of the salon beneath the window. Did it dissolve a large blood stain?

4.    The trunk to which von Boddy was tied was filled with books and papers, much water-stained but all of them the property of the American Professor Indy Brown.

5.    Finally, the canopy and cork belt missing from the airship were found stuffed into a crevice on the moor.

For my reference, a view of the rocky shore where the skeleton washed up:

Click here for the next installment.

Searching

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

---

From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

Later on August 22, 1898




 When I returned to the parlour, I surprised Lady Peacock groping under one of the sofas. An odd preoccupation of a delicate lady, but perhaps she merely seeks to familiarize herself with every nook and cranny of her new home.

She made a graceful exit on Sir Ambrose’s entering the room. After gazing gloomily upon her retreating figure, my host asked me if I might lend him money. His wife had not, he added, a farthing to her name beyond her jewels, which she refused to sell.

It seems to me that the jewels she wore were of a style I have recently seen described, or in a photograph, but I suppose there are many such. Styles do not vary greatly between ladies.

Tomorrow I go to seek the Cornwall Constabulary, to view the airship Jules Verne, the trunk with which the baron washed ashore, and, if possible, the beach upon which he was found.


Click here for the next installment.

The Professor consoles

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

---

From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

August 22, 1898

While deploying my spider eyes about Boddy Manor today, I chanced upon Professor Plum consoling my employer, who appeared distraught. Doubtless her emotions are aroused by the possibility that she will not recoup her financial investment in von Boddy either by cash or by treasure. The professor is surely insinuating himself into her good opinion for future gains.

 I proceeded to place spiders in the library bookshelves, and in other presently unoccupied rooms. In several locations I discovered an older generation of spider-eyes, those incapable of self-mobility. They were placed discreetly among knickknacks to render them less noticeable. These I have replaced with my more elegant and functional insects, and will attempt to retrieve any older images captured by the stationary arachnoids.


Click here for the next installment.

Masher?

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

---

From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

August 21, 1898 

Already a surprise of the most immense: Colonel Mustard is here.

Not abroad ‘for his health,’ as his family would doubtless prefer.

Not dead by his own hand, as the regiment he lately disgraced would prefer.

Not in London paying off his debts, as his landlady and others would prefer, although his natty attire suggests he is not particularly penurious, neither down at heels nor fraying about the cuffs.
 

He claims to be the trustee of the von Boddy estate, and in that guise has been paying the housekeeper and feeding himself with the limited funds available from the estate.

Would a military man of valorous record use the funds of his deceased friend to furnish his own fine feathers? Of course, he did cheat at cards.
 

Click here for the next installment.

Spiders!

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

---

From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

August 21, 1898



After a long, slow journey across miles of desolate, windswept moor, Hercule Hornblower has arrived!

At Boddy Manor, that is, a gray stone pile much diminished from the implied elegance of the engraving the newspapers have used.

My first order of business will be to deploy my spider-eyes in every public room of the large house. The cunning beasts are the next generation, capable not only of recording images when anyone moves with in the room, but of scuttling into hiding when anyone approaches, thus preserving their mechanisms from swatting damage. 



Click here for the next installment.

Telegram from the beyond?

Here is the next post of Act II of Jayne Barnard's "The Evil Eye of Africa."

The first post is here.
A list of all the characters is here.

You can get all the posts by clicking on the mystery tag.

Remember that if you think you have solved the mystery email your deduction to:  madamesaffron at gmail.com.
Madame will be drawing from all the correct solutions for some prizes from Tyche Books!

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts 

Act II: Hercule Hornblower Investigates

---

From the Case Journal of Hercule Hornblower: 

August 20, 1898







Bah! Bodmin Moor is as cold and damp as Cairo was warm and sunny.

View out back of Jamaica Inn, Cornwall

 I sit in a gloomy, paneled room at the airship stop Jamaica Inn while the countrymen gossip over the mystery of Baron von Boddy’s death at home when they supposed him far away.

Aha! One rotund propper-up of the old oak bar says he knows the baron was in residence two weeks before he was found dead on the shore, for a telegram was called in from the manor by a man, and he himself sent it on to a London address. He cannot recall the address, but the text – if he is not embellishing – is clear:

HOME STOP SUCCESS STOP COME AT ONCE TO ADVISE NEXT STEPS STOP BVB STOP STOP STOP

Some person among his associates knew he was returned to England. That person may cast light on the manner of his strange death. Why have they not come forward?

Click here for the next installment.

It is on!

The first World Championships of Parasol Duelling will be happening at Beakerhead in Calgary on September 13, 2014.

For those of you looking at a calendar that is in about two weeks from the time of this post!

This will be a full formal competition which will include, in addition to the Duels themselves, the Compulsory Figures and the Flirtation trials.

This will be an exciting event!

Co sponsored by the Steampunk Arts and Sciences Society and Madame Saffron Hemlock's Parasol Duelling League, this will be a chance for people to see this elegant sport in action.

If you are in Calgary for Beakerhead this year come by and check it out!

We are looking to tweet the competition live so stay tuned for the appropriate hashtags to follow.

Keep your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your parasol at the ready!

KJ