A Featured Detective You Can Bet On

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 Detectives,

Yet another mystery unraveled courtesy of your fine efforts! The Armchair Detective and his daughter can now rest assured of their safety, and that of Mr. Wilson, though other news concerning the missing man will be more displeasing...

Upon receiving word from Wark Mackenzie, many sleuths jumped into action with a thorough investigation of not only the strange obituaries, but also Mr. Wilson himself. This was no doubt complicated by the arrival of Jack Darby, and the subsequent flight of William Wilson and company — Had Wilson become the victim of a crime, or was he fleeing? And if he was fleeing, then what, or from whom, was he fleeing?

The large trunk absent from Jenny Mackenzie’s home was enough to inspire numerous theories, some of which pointed to Jenny as our culprit, and others which considered Madder a murderer (and Wilson a trunk-bound victim.) Still, there was significant evidence suggesting that Wilson and Madder both would have had more than sufficient reason to skip town, and there was no conclusive evidence suggesting either of their deaths. Our network of investigators was quick to hone in on this theory, however, the connections (or lack thereof!) between Joshua, Wilson’s disappearance, Sabini’s obituaries, and Darby’s arrival, eluded most until Mr. Mackenzie’s later two letters.

Detective Barbara H. (of Lapidary Coronary Investigations), based in Rock Hall, MD, was the first to cross the finish line in this race, with a concise breakdown of the most crucial elements. Neatly penned, and bearing an official “Lapidary Coronary” seal, Detective Barbara’s solution shines a light on Wilson’s plot with Madder and Gilbert, as well as the ominous obituaries. Although the red herrings, like Joshua and Jenny, fooled a number of investigators, this detective’s submission sees right through them and “gets to the heart of the matter”.

We should note that there were several remarkable submissions that correctly identified our culprit (shoutout to Detective Michelle N.), not to mention others featuring singularly unforgettable theories (shoutout to Detective Suzanne M.), however, the folks at Lapidary Coronary Investigations were first to hit the nail on the head without any inkling of doubt.

Congratulations from the Dear Holmes Team to Detective Barbara H. — a special reward will soon be on its way!

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.