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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/1154-.html
Mystery: July 19, 2006 Issue [#1154]

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Mystery


 This week:
  Edited by: MaryLou
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Mystery stories are so popular because they fulfill one of humans' deepest instincts - the need to explore, to question, to find out. Humans are incessantly searching for answers to life's greatest mysteries. Since those mysteries are so difficult to unravel, we can find comfort in reading and writing mystery novels and short stories. Thus, our need to discover is satisfied...until the hunger strikes again


Word from our sponsor



Letter from the editor

Good day, mystery lovers. *Smile*

This is my thirteenth and final issue as editor of the Mystery NL. With my approaching grandmotherhood and other real life duties, I feel it would be best if I turned this position over to another at the current time.

I've had a wonderful year editing this newsletter. I hope my editorials have been beneficial to all of you and enjoyable. I know I will miss being one of the mystery editors. Perhaps after my hectic life has calmed down some, I can try again. *Smile*

One last piece of advice for all you mystery writers and readers:

On last Friday's episode of Monk, San Francisco was in the middle of a sanitation workers' strike. Garbage was piling up everywhere. Of course, this made Mr. Monk insane. He hadn't been able to sleep for a week. He began shipping his garbage to his psychiatrist. *Laugh*

Right in the middle of the negotiations between the City of San Francisco and the sanitation workers' representative, the representative was found dead in his office. Negotiations screeched to a halt. The City wanted to close the case as a suicide, but the sanitation workers weren't so sure that was true. They contacted Mr. Monk to work on the case; they told him the sanitation workers would not return to negotiations until they knew for sure if their representative had committed suicide or not.

Mr. Monk wanted desperately to close the case so they would return to work quickly. At first, he agreed with official reports that it was suicide even though he found evidence that suggested murder. Pushed by Natalie, he began trying to locate the murderer.

Now, being as sleep-deprived as he was and completely irrational over the mounting garbage, Mr. Monk formulated several absurd theories as to the murderer. One of these was Alice Cooper. Mr. Monk had seen an advertisement for Cooper's concert, depicting him in a wing back chair. Since the murder victim had been found sitting in an expensive wing back chair also, Mr. Monk concluded that Alice Cooper was insanely jealous of the other chair, killed the representative to get it, but since then there was blood on the chair afterwards, decided he didn't want it after all.

I tell this very badly, but trust me, it was hysterically funny to watch.

Anyways, my point is this: Don't be afraid to let your characters go off-the-wall sometimes with absurd theories. If written well, this could give some much-needed comic relief and your readers will love it. *Smile*


See ya around,

MaryLou


Editor's Picks

Here's a few items for your reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to rate and review! *Smile*

STATIC
The Voyage of the Wayfarer  (18+)
"Don't try to talk. I was able to resurrect you. You have been dead for three days."
#1021633 by W.D.Wilcox


 Invalid Item 
This item number is not valid.
#1122782 by Not Available.


 Silence Bell of Marco of Aroania  (E)
Opened your mind to higher thoughts, certain words will be with irresistible force...
#1120879 by SWP


 A Sunny Spell  (E)
Strange things happen at Midsummer Solstice.
#1006168 by Ewe-dee-tea


 NURSERY RHYMES  (13+)
A detective cracks a case thanks to a parrot
#521973 by Joy


 Invalid Item 
This item number is not valid.
#496205 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item 
This item number is not valid.
#879226 by Not Available.


 
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Word from Writing.Com

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Ask & Answer

Feedback


concrete_angel: Amazing newsletter this week! I love the exerpt and the explanation you give. You show that many things can be used to show a person's personality. Thanks for the wonderful newsletter! I'll definitely try to drop by that contest.

schipperke: Excellent point. I will try to remember to use my settings as a way to show more about my character's character!



Answers to the last mini-mystery:

Silver is 2 to the 5th Power : Solution to the Mini-Mystery:
The busboy is the murderer. The last time Hottleman was seen alive was when he returned the sunglasses to the old people. They had just finished eating, yet when the body was discovered, only Hottleman's table was dirty, all the other tables were cleared. Someone had to have been in there to clear the tables between the time the old couple left and when the body was found. That someone would logically have been the busboy, who also had the cleaning materials available to wipe his prints from the knife. And honestly...who really notices the busboy?


Robert Waltz : The most invisible person in a restaurant is the busboy.

David J IS Death & Taxes : Since only one of the five tables was dirty when they found the victim, someone had to have entered the room to clean the old couple's table and that was the busboy. Others would not have noticed since his actions would be expected.

Congratulations on your first year; I'd like to say it gets easier but it never does. Keep up the good work.

AL : It must have been the busboy.

Since Hottleman went and gave the elderly lady her sunglasses while she was leaving, this must mean that the busboy haden´t cleaned the table.

When they found him dead, the only table that wasen´t cleared was Hottlemans, so the busboy must have been there AFTER the elderly couple left, but no one noticed him. I guess because people don´t usually think about the busboy, or something.

How many guesses do we get? *Laugh*

nomlet : Mini-Mystery: The Busboy did it, in the side Dining Room, with the Steak Knife! The busboy had to have been in the room after the elderly couple departed in order to clear their table since only Hottleman's table remains unbussed. In a restaurant, a busboy is next to invisible.

Nimue : Mini-Mystery: Obviously, someone is lying. When Walker and Stanwick first enter the smaller dining room, there is mention of dirty utensils on just one table. So the busboy must have entered to clear the table of the older couple after they left and before the victim got stabbed. My money is on Mr. Evans.
Nimue


Chewie Kittie : The busboy entered the room or there would be dishes on a table from the elderly couple. Ergo, the busboy did it. *Smile*

Nighala a.k.a. Doxie Do-Right : The Busboy, the elderly couple's table had been cleared sometime after they left, thus making him the only person who could have killed Hottleman.

Great NL, thanks,

Nighala


Ghostwriter : The murderer was Kris, Hottleman's waitress. Being a staff of the restaurant would have granted her 'invisibility' as it wouldn't seem odd for Hottleman's waitress to be in and out of the small room. The owner wouldn't have considered his own staff capable of such a thing, therefore, when questioned, he was thinking only of strangers/other guests capable of this murder.


karabu: Mini Mystery - Mini-mystery answer:
I think the busboy did it. If no one had been in the room between when the older couple left and Hottleman went back in then there should have been two dirty tables, not one. The busboy cleared a table, and most people probably wouldn't notice him.

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