Mysteries to Die For is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. All of our stories are structured for you to beat the detective to the solution. Get ready to dive in. Happy hunting, detectives.
Season 7: Games People Play
Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.
It’s my co-creator and co-host Jack versus our authors. Check back to see how he fares. Can you beat the detectives?
E10: Hunting for Clues by Nick Andreychuk
A comic universe convention scavenger hunt games turns deadly. Once there were four, now there are three. Can you deduce who did it?
E9: A Head for Murder by Rick Ollerman
An annual couples getaway turns deadly when one of the gang shows up dead. Detectives Spencer and Flores have a club house classic on their hands to figure out who strangled Lindsay Strauss.
Rick Ollerman’s carefully crafted mystery puts another win on the author’s side of the board! “I should have gamed it more,” said Jack Wolff, gracious in defeat.
E8: Going for All the Marbles by Debra H. Goldstein
The California Projective Bomber has proven no windshield is safe. After a woman died following the last bombing, Chief Rollins has increased securing around the annual Fun Day at the Park festival. Detective Stephens is keeping her eyes open for shady characters who just might be ideal suspects.
Jack sniffed out the prankster turned killer in this one. How did you fare?
E7: Death of a Dungeon Master by Erica Obey
In the middle of a live action D&D game, Darrell “The Dungeonator” Mahoney is dead. The audience saw the virtual Catstaff points his cat staff at The Dungeonator and electrocute him. Mary Watson and her BOT Doyle are investigating worlds real and imagined to see if Catstaff did the impossible or if something else was at play.
With a little bit of logic, a little bit of inspiration, Jack pulls out the win!
E6: A Checkered Past by Frank Zafiro
Part 1
Part 2
Mick Darabont fell in the bathroom, hit is head, and died. It happens at his age. But, is that what happened this time? Investigator Stef Kopriva knows Mick as the gruff park institution with a love of checkers. Others don’t paint such a nice picture. Now Stef is on the case and working to solve a classic locked-room mystery in this two-part story.
With these icon words, Jack secedes the win, “Damnit, Frank.”
E5: A Forced Card by Ed Teja
Bill Garrity, a man at the top of his game, is found dead under suspicious circumstances. First, there’s the hole in his head made by a bullet. Second, there’s the holes in his head made by staple attaching the ace of hearts. Detective Masters and his team take up the question of who forced this card.
If it had been left up to Jack and TG, Bill Garrity’s killer would still be at large. The win goes to author Ed Teja!
E4: Hard Scrabble by KM Rockwood
Misha Soleby-Welkins was looking for some practical experience in geriatric social work. The community center where she was place was the antithesis of its name with an overbearing boss, an unsettled group of clients, a lunch that defied classification, and a dead body. Now she getting a lesson in means, motive, and opportunity.
The scoreboard is giving Jack…the WIN! for getting it mostly rightish. All mystery lovers have been there. TG was also rightish…just in a different way.
E3: Cards Against Jake by Jim Winter
Jake Randall delighted in playing every “vagina” card in his Cards Against Humanity hand. Detective Ana Friedman was not amused and escaped to the bathroom for some reading time. And that’s when someone ended Jake’s playing days. Now Ana has to solve the case or live with the being on the toilet when her vic died.
Jack applied his legendary mystery gaming skills to Jim Winter’s little game of Cards Against Humanity…and put his first win on the board. TG didn’t fare as well.
E2: A Scent of Murder by Paul A. Barra
It’s August, 1968 and the rural community of Titus Town, South Carolina is looking forward to the cow bingo fundraiser. But before Katie Hammet’s Jersey cow can do her thing, Deputy Sandy Buford has to figure out who snuffed out the local hip-pocket lender and emptied his till.
Jack came so close with the cow flop bingo caper, but the nod goes to Paul A. Barra. Once again, Jack as not alone in his defeat, TG was right there with him.
E1: Who Killed the Faro Cheat? by Larry M. Keeton
California, 1849. Captain Rake Caldeen is searching for an army deserter when he arrives at a gold mine camp. What he finds is a dead man who stole from his neighbor, swindled his friend, abused his claim workers, probably killed a woman and, yeah, he cheated at faro. You and Caldeen need to figure which of the victims is now a killer.
While Jack use logic and reason to lock in on his suspect, he was wrong. But Jack wasn’t alone, TG was also wrong and author Larry M. Keeton fooled his grandson, too! Score one for the others.
TG Wolff 