Sunday, September 25, 2016

Shot in the Dark Mysteries - The Halloween Party Murder Mystery

Shot in the Dark Mysteries
New Mysteries

The Halloween Party Murder Mystery
It’s the night of Ben and Aria T ate’s annual Halloween party and they go all out to impress their guests. Then, the arrival of a video, which shows the gruesome slaying of one of the party guests, turns this innocent Halloween party into a murder investigation! Who killed Jules Parker? Why? What motive did they have to video the murder and address it to one of the party guests? The killer is among them, it’s up to the guests to find the murderer and uncover his or her psychopathic motives!

♡♡ Aria Tate – Hostess of the annual Halloween party, Aria is a Halloween enthusiast. The parties she throws with her husband, Ben, are legendary among their tight-knit group of friends, and Aria has gained a reputation not just for her Halloween party, but also among those in the neighborhood for her realistic Halloween yard “haunts.” Of course, the neighborhood kids love her because she hands out the most “good” candy. Aria insists everyone attend her parties in costume, whatever the costume may be.
♡♡ Nicole Wolf – Sister of Kieran Wolf, Nicole is fun-loving and outgoing, and these traits often get her into trouble. A thrill-seeker to the core, Nicole is a ball of energy, rarely sitting down for long enough. This fire-cracker of a woman wakes up at dawn, goes to bed late and is usually too busy climbing rock faces or racing motorcycles to answer her phone. Regardless of her adventures though, she never misses her weekly lunch date with her best friend, Africa Meadows.
♡♡ Africa Meadows – Born to eccentric parents, Africa’s name sounds far more glamorous than this down-to-earth woman feels she deserves. The kind woman of the group, she’s considered the “peace-keeper” and is quick to resolve any differences between members of this group of friends. Grounded and peaceful, Africa knows nothing but diplomacy and tact, and laughs when her friends tell her that she’s a saint. Africa is not a huge fan of Halloween, but is never one to pass up a chance to hang out with her friends.
♡♡ Leona Moonstar – A new face in the group, most have not met Leona before tonight, and her reasons for attending the party are a bit of a mystery in themselves. A soft-spoken woman, Leona has not revealed much about herself to the others, and has generally kept to herself instead of mingling. When others have spoken with her, she is polite but not forthcoming about herself or who else she knows at the party.
♡♡ Kayla Kingsley – Wife of Trevor Kingsley, Kayla is a new face for the group – most haven’t met her until the Halloween party. Still, Kayla is friendly and outgoing, and clearly loves having a good time. With a loud, infectious laugh and a smile that could knock someone off their feet, Kayla is new, but has quickly become a favorite to the other guests at the Halloween party.
♡♡ Nora Stone – A new face in this tight-knit group of friends, Nora is a bit of a mystery. Spirited and independent, Nora’s mere presence commands attention. This stranger’s class and style is apparent even as she is dressed in a classic costume, and while she doesn’t give much about herself away, she is quick to question others, and easily draws information out of anyone with whom she speaks. Nor is strong yet elegant, and clearly sticks out from the rest of the laid-back Halloween party guests.
♡♡ Gloria Rodriguez – Wife of Will Rodriguez, Gloria is a stranger to this group of friends, and is not very forthcoming about herself or her reasons for wanting to attend the Halloween party. A skittish woman with shifty eyes, she stays close by Will’s side and does not seem keen to make many friends at the Halloween party tonight. Regardless, she is a keen sleuth and quick to ask many questions of the others at the party, regardless of whether they are considered proper and polite or not.
♡♡ Maddy McBride – Maddy is attending the party alongside Dylan Webber. Fun-loving and lively, this young-at-heart woman still lives her life as though she’s a college student, partying every night and waking up at noon. Ben and Aria’s Halloween party is a detour from her usual evening out (and Dylan a detour from her usual date). Maddy has a tendency to gossip about others, and has been told on more than one occasion that she needs a “filter.”
♡♡ Paula Gleeson – Wife of Oscar Gleeson, Paula lives next door to party hosts Ben and Aria Tate. She is calm, patient and soft-spoken – and she ahs to be, living with Oscar as she does! While her husband is aggressive towards neighbors about following the rules, Paula likes to “kill them with kindness”, so to speak. Paula often stops over at the Tate’s with a casserole she has baked, and can always be relied on for a cup of sugar, whenever a neighbor is in need.
♡♡ Ben Tate – Husband of Aria Tate, Ben is co-host of the annual Halloween party, and his technical knowledge of machinery has translated perfectly to creating realistic front yard Halloween “haunts” that grow more and more elaborate each year. A Halloween enthusiast, Ben begins planning and building elements of the Tate’s yard display in March each year, and his creations have been featured on the news and in the newspaper for the past three years running. Ben wears an elaborate Halloween costume, and prides himself on having the best costume at the party.
♡♡ Kieran Wolf – The “player” of the group, Kieran is a serial dater – at least, he was until recently, when he met a woman named Jules Parker and swore off his playboy ways. Arguably the glue that holds this tight-knit group of friends together, it’s ultimately Kieran’s approval (or lack thereof) that decides the fate of “outsiders’ – whether they end up being accepted by the others. Good-looking, charismatic and aware of how much even strangers adore him, Kieran is also the brother of another guest, Nicole Wolf.
♡♡ Brett McKnight – Genuine nice guy Brett McKnight was the best friend of the victim, Jules Parker, and joined the group when Kieran Wolf began dating Jules Parker. While not much is known about him, he is generally kind, unassuming and usually the butt of most of the group’s jokes, owing to the fact that he was in the “friend zone” with the victim. Brett is unlucky in love, and come to mention it, career and life in general as well. Brett enjoys having fun, and Halloween is his favorite holiday.
♡♡ Blaine Higgins – Best friend of Kieran Wolf, Blaine prides himself on being a man about town. Single and loving it, Blaine spends his weekends picking up women in bars and drinking with his friends. Blaine is very opinionated, and loves to “explain the world” to those he believes are less intelligent then he is. He loves watching sports, UFC and playing X-Box, and brags about how, without a woman around, never has to fight over the remote.
♡♡ Trevor Kingsley – Husband of Kayla Kingsley, Trevor is a new face to the group, as most have never met him before the Halloween party. He keeps his wife and everyone else in the area, laughing with hilarious stories and jokes, and has even helped with keeping the guests drinks full. Trevor is not only a guest, but could be considered the life of the party.
♡♡ Chris Long – Long-time friends of Kieran Wolf, Chris makes up the trio of best friends. He is generally quiet when he does speak, it’s usually to tease his friends or crack jokes. With a sharp mind for statistics, Chris runs the groups sports pools each year, and has organized an on-going inter-group betting system, giving odds on when certain things will happen within this tight-knit group of friends (the announcement of Ben and Aria’s engagement won a few in the group a good chunk of money!) Chris goes with the flow of the social events, preferring to just show up and enjoy rather than be an organizing force. Easy-going and amiable, Chris’s presence is all that is needed to make any social event complete.
♡♡ Will Rodriguez – Husband of Gloria Rodriguez, Will is a friendly, yet serious man. Unknown to most at the party, he was invited by Aria personally, and is an old friend of hers. While they haven’t seen each other in years, Will was excited to attend the Halloween party, even if that meant he had to dress up. Will is a great conversationalist, and has quickly earned new friends tonight at the Halloween party.
♡♡ Dylan Webber – Dylan has been an acquaintance of Kieran’s for years – however while they played together in sports leagues (or, sometimes, on opposite teams), they have a love-hate friendship, and are very competitive with each other – not that it’s much of a competition, because Kieran has always beat Dylan in everything from sports to careers and even relationships; Dylan’s girlfriends have a tendency of leaving him for Kieran. Dylan has not been around the group lately, and many are surprised to see him at the party tonight.

♡♡ Oscar Gleeson – Gruff and abrasive, Oscar Gleeson is hard man who commands respect, even with those who don’t know him – and at this party, that’s much everyone. Neighbor of the hosts, the Tates, and self-proclaimed “Neighborhood Watch”, Oscar always has an eye on what is happening in the houses around his, and considers it his duty to ensure that everyone on the street is behaving, as well as living up to their duties in keeping the neighborhood safe, clean and attractive – for the sake of neighborhood property values, he insists.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

A Vampire Murder from Shot in the Dark Mysteries

A Vampire Murder

The Suspects

Sophie – A newer vampire, Sophie began her undead life about fifty years ago, turned by Frederik Antonov, the victim, himself. While she is still a relatively new vampire, Sophie is vicious and can be ruthless at times – not a vampire to be trifled with! Sophie is excited about her immortality though, and has grown to enjoy being a vampire. A few years ago she met Pike, and has since allowed him to join the Antonov clan.

Alena – One of the oldest vampires known in the world, Alena is considered “Vampire Royalty”. Nothing important happens in the vampire world without the knowledge and permission of the royal family of vampires, including a change of the head of a coven. Alena lives in Romania, but has traveled to Casillero de la Sombra to meet with vampire clan leader Frederik Antonov about a private matter. She is immaculately beautiful but one of the most dangerous creatures to walk the earth.

Melise – A visitor to Casillero de la Sombra, Melise is a quiet traveler who tends to keep to herself. A mysterious vampire, Melise claims to come from New Orleans, and her reasons for passing through the area are not known. Vampire etiquette states that a vampire must extend refuge from the sunlight to another in need whenever necessary. Because of this, Melise has been invited to stay at Casillero de la Sombra. She arrived the day before yesterday, and planned to continue her travels tonight at sundown.

Camille – Camille is a coquette kitten to the max. Originally from France, she still speaks with a heavy accent and laves to dress the part! Her words are peppered with French expressions like “Je ne sais quoi”. She arrived at the castle with Cass months ago, as the two of them met on a boat from France. When they arrived in the area, they instantly sought out the famous Antonov clan to find companionship and the victim, Frederik Antonov, accepted them into the clan. Camille is light-hearted and enjoys laughing, finding hilarity in even the smallest amusement.

Claudette – A vampire almost as old as the victim and clan leader, Frederik Antonov, Claudette has been Frederik’s companion for over one hundred years. An elegant and stately woman, Claudette is graceful and stern, demanding a certain amount of order within the walls of Casillero de la Sombra. Over the years, Claudette has traveled the world, and is considered a confidante of the older members of the “vampire elite” – the royal family.

Gracie – A stranger in Casillero de la Sombra, no one in the Antonov Clan seems to know where Gracie came from or how she came to be here! Gracie is shy and introverted and seems quite nervous. She is reluctant to speak with anyone else, and when she does, she answers quite plainly. A true mystery herself, Gracie has everyone in the castle stupefied.

Renara – A long-standing member of the Antonov clan of vampires, Renara was turned by the victim and clan leader, Frederik Antonov, personally. While most members of the Antonov clan are not exactly cheerful, Renara is by far the most prickly of the clan, and she seems only truly happy when she’s hunting humans. Renara generally keeps to herself and prefers solace over spending time with the rest of the clan. When she does speak, it’s usually when spoken to, and her responses tend to be curt and unfriendly.

Sirena – A companion of Mikelo, Sirena is staying at Casillero de la Sombra, and has been for three days. While taking rest and refuge from the sunlight, Sirena has endeared herself to the clan with her soft voice and kind nature. In spite of this, she has also proven herself to be a vicious hunter, which has commanded the respect of those in the Antonov clan. Sirena is just as mysterious as her partner, Mikelo, and her knowing grin suggests she is a vampire who has been around for many centuries.

Glenna – Around 160 years old, Glenna was turned by the victim, Frederik Antonov, during the time he was turning all his victims into vampires to create the Antonov clan. While initially she wasn’t happy about being turned into a blood-thirsty monster, over the years she has come to terms with her afterlife as an undead. Glenna is unique from the other vampires in that she has even more heightened senses than the others, and can easily hear and smell approaching visitors, even other vampires, sometimes days before the other vampires can hear or smell them. Glenna is sophisticated and graceful in both her movements and speech.

Pike – Pike is an older vampire who has only recently joined the Antonov clan. In his human life he was charming and debonair, qualities that serve him well as a vampire, especially while hunting humans. A few years ago, while Pike was traveling without a coven, he met Sophie, a member of the Antonov clan, and she has since allowed him to join the family, much to the clan leader, Frederik Antonov’s chagrin.

Cirrus – A young vampire, Cirrus is erratic and unpredictable. With a piercing stare and startling good looks, he tends to remain silent unless he has something to say, and when he does, it’s usually scathing and relentless. While most new vampires tend to act this way as they are adjusting to their new undead life, Cirrus is taking langer than most to adjust. In spite of this, he is a born leader, and clan leader and victim Federik Antonov believed that with a good mentor, he would one day be a great clan leader.

Montrose – A traveler, Montrose arrived yesterday at Casillero de la Sombra and is staying here for the night as he passes through the area. As vampire etiquette dictates that a vampire must extend another hospitality, Montrose is staying at the castle to pass the daylight hours before continuing his journey at sundown tonight. Montrose is strong, fierce and slightly jumpy. There is something about his disposition that tells the vampires in the coven to keep their distance from this mysterious night walker.

Cass – Cass likes extravagance – everything for him must be the biggest and the best. While the others in the coven play down their wealthy and immortality, Cass chooses a life of blatant opulence. He has only recently joined the Antonov clan, and did so with Camille, a French vampire he met on the ship over from France. Cass is serious and no-nonsense, and speaks very eloquently, showing a human life of high-breeding.

Arnauld – Arnauld is a guest at the mansion, staying with the vampire coven as he passes through town, as it’s in the vampire code to extend hospitality to another vampire in need of shelter. He claims to be a sort of vampire historian, visiting the clans and documenting their history before moving on. He’s proper, well-mannered and very well-spoken, and is considered the authority on vampire lore, past and present. He is also a long friend of the victim and clan leader, Frederik Antonov.

Gabe – A member of the “vampire elite” – the Royal Family in Romania, Gabe has traveled to Casillero de la Sombra with his cousin, Alena, to meet with the victim and clan leader, Frederik Antonov. One of the oldest vampires in the world, Gabe is polished, well-spoken and charming. There is not much that happens in  the vampire community worldwide that the royal family does not know about, and Gabe is one of the most adamant advocates for maintaining the hierarchy, to ensure the safety and continuation of the vampire bloodline for eternity, and when speaking on these matters, he does so with zero levity.

Harrison – The only known non-vampire inside Casillero de la Sombra, Harrison is a part of the clan, and uses his magic solely for the clan leader and victim, Frederik Antonov’s benefit. Whenever the clan needs something done that requires magical intervention, Harrison is who they turn to, and he aids them without question. As such, he has earned both the trust of Frederik Antonov, as well as his own home on the castle grounds, though it’s unclear why, with his otherworldly powers, he remains loyal to a clan of vampires.

Mikelo – A newcomer to the area, Mikelo and his companion, Sirena, have been staying at Casillero de la Sombra for three days. Though his reasons for traveling are unknown, he has been welcomed by the Antonov clan, whose hospitality has included shelter from the sunlight, food and wine as well as a hunting companion. Mikelo is mysterious, and no one seems to know who he is or how he came to be at the castle. He is serious and stately – all indicative of an older vampire, although his movements are labored, indicating he has been through some sort of physical trauma that has not yet healed – a rarity, as usually vampires’ wounds heal immediately.


Fabrice – A member of the Antonov clan, Fabrice is 160 years old, and has spent all of his vampire life in Casillero de la Sombra. Originally turned by the victim, Frederik Antonov, Fabrice values the clan unit, and works hard to try to maintain peace and harmony inside the castle walls. An avid hunter, Fabrice specializes in finding lost humans in the forest on which to feed. He is cordial and amicable, and enjoys the peace that the forest surrounding Casillero de la Sombra affords.