William Shepard

A Dream of Old Salem

Sarah woke up screaming: “Help! Help! I didn’t do it!” As an older brother, I had become accustomed to teenage tantrums from time to time…

1,277 readers · 37% solved it

Chief Inspector Japp Solves a Case

Hercule Poirot drummed his fingers on his desk, trying vainly to control his impatience. He stared at the telephone, willing it to ring. It…

1,194 readers · 33% solved it

Did The Vicar Solve The Mystery?

Whenever Miss Marple returned from a vacation away from the little hamlet of St. Mary Mead, in southern England, she always enjoyed catchin…

1,260 readers · 31% solved it

Dr. Watson and the Thwarted Engagement

Mrs. Hudson, the housekeeper at 221B Baker Street, had served me delicious hot tea with scones and jam, and I then settled in to reading so…

1,601 readers · 50% solved it

Is it a Wonderful Life?

It was the mystery of the year. Or rather, it would have been -- if old James Cartright had the sense to die on a slow news day. But he pas…

1,940 readers · 29% solved it

Lestrade Solves a Case

The Brighton police were baffled. And, I must admit, it was a troublesome case. Fortunately, I was taking my August fortnight holiday in Br…

1,378 readers · 55% solved it

Lost (Stolen) and Found

Who would have thought that this intolerable job would give me the chance to show my skills as a detective? Not me! The paper is sending so…

1,830 readers · 42% solved it

MILES ARCHER SOLVES A CASE

I get pretty tired of playing second fiddle to Sam Spade in our own detective firm. Sure, the clients come in, when they do, and play up to…

798 readers · 45% solved it

Mystery on the Moor

Bill Morris was in an expansive mood after the fine dinner we had just enjoyed. After the dishes were cleared, we sat by the fireplace. His…

1,419 readers · 44% solved it

Perry Mason and the High School Crush Murder

It didn’t take much sleuthing, much less the investigative talents of Perry Mason, to figure out that something had gone very wrong at the…

3,147 readers · 41% solved it

Stealing Second Base

That spring, the Westbrook Black Sox – out of nowhere – had a winning season. Correct that – they had a spectacular season! They led the A…

1,786 readers · 57% solved it

The Crusader's Robe

We were taking back to England, for installation at Canterbury Cathedral, a precious and ancient robe, said by some to have been worn by sa…

1,757 readers · 21% solved it

The Geneva Summit Goldfish Mystery

The library lecturer, Matthew O’Leary, was enjoying himself. He was a good, informal speaker, full of funny anecdotes about famous people…

1,563 readers · 26% solved it

The Gourmet Mystery

I got the call from an excited Lawrence Horton at about 1:30 on Monday afternoon. Horton, an old movies fan, is the owner of The Blue Parro…

1,720 readers · 33% solved it

The Haunted Portrait

It was one of those Gothic tragedies, I suppose -- or quite possibly a practical joke gone terribly wrong. Here in Scotland, one must be pr…

2,231 readers · 37% solved it

The Miser's Hoard

I know the value exactly because when he found the miser’s hoard, honest Sam made two telephone calls immediately, the first to Bob Parsons…

1,158 readers · 49% solved it

The Pilgrim Thanksgiving Puzzle

It was Mr. Torrington, our seventh grade American history teacher at Weaver Middle School, who came up with the idea. Instead of the usual…

754 readers · 38% solved it

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - Box Office Nightmare

The current show, “Lehar’s Merry Widow”, was a perennial favorite. It made no difference that half the audience knew all of the song lyrics…

989 readers · 33% solved it

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - Casting Call

Each woman knew that playing opposite Hollywood’s most bankable leading man could launch a career, or jump-start a stalled one. Janice Star…

916 readers · 53% solved it

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - Final Curtain

The last performance of “Murder by Design,” a classic 1930s Broadway thriller that had once been a vehicle for Tallulah Bankhead, was going…

1,083 readers · 56% solved it

The Straw Hat Theater Mysteries - On Stage!

The accident happened on Opening Night, before a full house. It was in the Third Act, when Mrs. Danvers enters from stage right for a bit o…

1,019 readers · 32% solved it

The Twelfth Night Mystery

It all started when my parents went back to the old country, Poland, for a summer visit. They enjoyed themselves and came back somewhat enl…

1,287 readers · 41% solved it

The White House Ghosts

The four ghosts took a look around the East Room before beginning their monthly card game. Invisible to all but themselves, they left no tr…

1,818 readers · 26% solved it