The Mystery Begins

Murder, Mayhem, Detection!

It's time to get this game rolling!

This is the first post of the Mystery Game, "The Evil Eye of Africa," by Jayne Barnard.

Here is your chance to win some prizes from Tyche Books by solving the mystery.

I will be posting each section to the blog and as soon as you figure out who the murderer is you can email your deduction to madamesaffron at gmail.com. You can submit multiple times if you change your mind but we will only use the last one!

Once all the parts have been posted I will collect all the correct guesses and pass them along so that Madame Saffron Hemlock herself can draw names and award the prizes.

The Mystery consists of two Acts.

• Act I is a collection of newspaper articles where the mystery begins to become apparent.
• Act II is a collection of reports and journal entries from the private investigator who has been hired to figure out what is happening.

The posts are illustrated with pictures of some of Calgary's best dressed Steampunks, who joined Jayne at the Seanachie pub on a wonderful summer Sunday afternoon for good food, good ale, fun, murder and mayhem.

You can get all the parts of the mystery posted so far by clicking on the mystery tag.
A list of all the characters is here.

So without further ado here then is...

"The Evil Eye of Africa"
By Jayne Barnard

A Guess-the-Murderer Mystery in Two Acts

Act I: The Headlines Thicken

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The Cornwall Cog and Goggles

July 15, 1898

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POTTY PEER’S AIRSHIP ADRIFT

The expeditionary airship of Baron von Boddy, amateur archaeologist and ardent explorer of Egypt, has been found deserted, floating low over the English Channel, a fortnight after vanishing from view in a sandstorm that crossed the Suez Canal. One canvas canopy and one cork life-vest were missing from the vessel, leading to the belief that the explorer bailed out over water. Of the fabled Nubian treasure von Boddy’s latest expedition sought, there was no trace. Asked about his uncle’s quest, his heir, Sir Ambrose Peacock said, “He was after the Eye of Africa, a pigeon’s egg diamond streaked with red. Those heathen tribes thought a spirit made the diamond glow when evil-doers were near. By golly, I’d like to see that diamond!” Peacock was on the point of departing overland for Egypt, to pursue investigations into his uncle’s last known whereabouts.

Baron von Boddy on April 1, greeting his latest investor, Mrs. Medusa Midas-White of New Jersey, America.

Click here for the next installment.