Introducing Our Latest Featured Detectives
The Dear Holmes “Featured Detective” Program honors one detective per mystery for their clever and well-thought-out solution to the case. To learn how to send in your own solution, visit Dearholmes.com/solve.
Dear Investigators,
Once again, we thank you for kindly helping Holmes with a client’s curious case. In the end, Mr. Dyer had good reason to take interest in the mysterious seal painting — and its riddle — but without your help, The Pawnbroker’s Tale might have ended sourly.
When Mr. Dyer first wrote for assistance, it was evident that his shop had suffered from an intrusion. What wasn’t evident, however, was the nature of the thieves’ failure. It wasn’t long before they’d struck again, but were they after the supposedly priceless paintings, or was their true mark something still unseen?
First responders to the case theorized that the paintings might have been stolen, and that their original owner was — for some reason yet undetermined — trying to reclaim them in secret. With more evidence in hand, a number of detectives then began to speculate that a clever thief needed the portraits to beat Mr. Dyer to the site of a hidden treasure. Meanwhile, others considered that that thief was actually Mr. Dyer’s new friend, Mr. Cattell, who might have feigned friendship for access to the paintings.
Still, it wasn’t until Mr. Dyer attempted to locate the painting’s original owner that investigators were able to unravel this mystery. With Mrs. Blythe’s identity, and the origin of the paintings called into question, many sleuths began to realize that this was a serendipitous “double” mystery. While Mr. Dyer (and Mr. Cattell) were indeed on the trail of a priceless treasure, the circumstances of Mr. Dyer’s shop intrusions were a different case altogether. In fact, a much less nefarious case than originally assumed.
Detectives Stan and Andrew C. of Gardena, CA, our newest Featured Detective duo, were the first to correctly see through this mystery’s layers, and identify not only our villains, but also the dual nature of this case!
In one fell swoop, Detectives Stan and Andrew deciphered the riddle on the back of the mole painting, located its treasure, and caught the “merry” couple who burglarized Mr. Dyer’s pawnshop. Though some detectives correctly suspected Mrs. Blythe, few were able to point out her unusual knowledge of the pawnshop’s interior layout. And even fewer were able to form a sound case against her and her husband, Mr. Merry, as clock thieves; only one duo was able to do so while explaining the significance of “The Great Seal.”
A special congratulations from the Dear Holmes Team to Detectives Stan and Andrew C. for an expertly solved mystery – a special reward will soon be arriving at your doorstep!
Want to be next month’s Featured Detective? Mail your solution to 1101 14th St NW, Suite 910, Washington DC 20005, or submit online at Dearholmes.com/solve.