Residents can play the part of Sherlock Holmes in solving clues at the first Murder and Mystery event being held at the Secaucus Public Library on Oct. 21. from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by a party in the Story Tower.
Did you ever fancy yourself a Nancy Drew type? Or perhaps you were more of a Perry Mason legal problem solver? Did you lose yourself in the thrill of the Steig Larsson novels or perhaps you are an Alfred Hitchcock buff?
Whatever your mystery preference may be, organizers of the Murder and Mystery evening hope to ignite or rekindle your interest in mystery books.
What happened when Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty fought at the edge of a precipice?
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The library is hosting the event to encourage residents to use the library in a non-traditional way, at night during a time most people typically don’t go to the library.
“We want to bring people in the library for a fun purpose [and] to have a good time working together.” said Jenifer May, library director. May said she also hopes the event will attract new visitors. The library will be open to the public and will not alter its look for the special night, but participants will go to the shelves to solve certain clues.
Dress up as a mystery detective for extra points
No one dies or acts out a death during the evening, according to May. It is less of a murder mystery and more like a mystery scavenger hunt through the library.
The scavenger-style evening is based on a murder and mystery event Evanson organized for the advertising agency J Walter Thompson in New York,where he served as one of the media directors. Working together in teams of two, people will attempt to solve 10 clues in the shortest time for a mystery trophy. Teams that dress up as mystery detectives get extra points. Evanson anticipates the event will attract 20 teams of two.
Clues for the Google sleuth
What happened when Sherlock Holmes and his nemesis Professor Moriarty fought at the edge of a precipice? This may be just the type of clue that shows up in the Murder and Mystery evening.
“We will be focusing on famous detectives and or the authors of those detectives,” said Evanson.
Clues could refer to characters like Miss Marple from the Agatha Christie novels or Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
“The [clues] will be in different forms,” said Evanson. “One clue might be the name of a mystery author in an anagram format…or the clue [could be] on the back of a cut up postcard [that players] must put together.”
Participants may also be directed to search for a clue in a paragraph on a specific page in a murder mystery book.
Evanson encourages participants to bring a smart phone.
“They can Google,” said Evanson. “We allow technical detectives.”
May the best sleuth win!
Since the scavenger hunt is timed, people are asked to arrive early. To register, call the Secaucus Public Library at: (201) 330 2083 or call Don Evanson, Secaucus Spectator, (201) 902-9742. Participants must be 18 years or older.
Sidebar
Popular Mysteries for the Halloween season
The Cut by George Pelecanos: A new series featuring Spero Lucas as special investigator for a Washington, D.C. defense attorney following his return from Iraq. Hired by a well-known crime boss to solve a mystery, Lucas grapples with the morality of his mission.
Flesh and Bone by Kathy Reichs: The latest novel in the series that inspired the television program “Bones.” Dr. Temperance Brennan is a North Carolina-based forensic anthropologist assigned to investigate a body found near the Charlotte Motor Speedway during NASCAR’s Race Week.
The Burning Soul by John Connolly: Charlie Parker investigates a series of threatening messages sent anonymously to convicted murderer Randall Haight. To complicate matters, when a young girl is found dead, Haight becomes a prime suspect.
Killing the Blues by Robert B. Parker: When a string of car thefts escalate to murder during the off-season in the seaside town of Paradise, Mass., chief of police Jesse Stone finds himself facing one of the toughest cases of his career.
Pirate King by Laurie R. King: Fans of Sherlock Holmes will enjoy seeing him return as Mary Russell’s husband and partner in this historical mystery. Holmes and Russell travel from England to Portugal to investigate criminal undertakings on the set of a pirate-themed silent movie.
A Trick of Light by Louise Penny: Chief Inspector Gamache investigates the death of Lillian Dyson in a tiny Quebec village. Dyson was the childhood friend of rising artist Clara Morrow, which has Inspector Gamache delving deep into the art scene of modern Montreal.
Adriana Rambay Fernández may be reached at afernandez@hudsonreporter.com.