Murder on the Lego Express

[WesternOutlaw]

Just to let you all know some of your mistakes re. clues, what you missed, and some funny inferences.

1) You did have a chance to interrogate Rosa before she was killed. You would have found out information re. Bloody Jay that you found elsewhere. Instead, you just watched her mop the floor and smile at you...

2) When she left the broom closet of the dining car taking off her jacket, someone questioned why she had two but never looked at them. In one of the jackets was the picture of the green passenger car 10015 which prominently displays the number 514. Not sure if you would have gotten this clue or not, but I would have led you to it by mentioning the number. Rosa would have told you that she found this nearby the lockboxes if asked. (Bloody Jay had slippery fingers...)

3) I thought it was funny how you thought Wolf may have committed a murder during a full-moon. The Werewolf book, Lego pieces, and the bloody shirt meant very little but I probably would have said one of the victimes was missing a shirt if you had looked at the bodies.

4) Someone thought Paladin, Have Gun Will Travel was a radio talk show. It was in fact a 1958-1959 B&W western series that starred Richard Boone. I've only seen a few episodes but I didn't even realize that Gene Rodenberry (Star Trek) wrote a few scripts of the show.

5) The name of the security officer was Pete Falklin from the actor who played Columbo Peter Falk. Thought it would be funny/quirky to have him retire every evening to watch different detective shows.

6) The train's operation manager Mike Lall was named after the actor Mike Lally who (from recent reading during this mystery) played in a number of Columbo episodes as different people. Thought this was neat.

7) Jipay had no links to organized crime but wrote this in and the Godfather movie to be silly. I think of a Maffia-type with his nick name "Big Wig".

8) The M in Mr. M. stood for MURDER, not movie, muskateer, mastur#*^!, or all the other M words that you came up with. He was never intended to be in the story as a character but was added in later. I thought his old sea story was rather clever and help fill in the gaps of the story. In addition, I was thinking of having him steal the sword and add some clues that would point to him, but was tired of the pirate thing.

9) After I wrote in the gun type as a Smith & Wesson .44 long barrel, I went to the Have Gun Will Travel website and discovered that Paladin carried a Colt .45. I considered writing in Brickster saying, I have a Colt .45, not a S&W .44 and possibly having two murder weapons or another missing gun, but I didn't think any of you would pick this us, so just left it. And I actually have never been to San Fransisco or Northern California.

10) If you had tried searching "Solvang 6574" under Google, you would have brought up Nordic Knives. Bloody Jay figured this out a few days ago.

11) It was ironic that 4756 (#6574 reversed) is HP's Shrieking Shack. I didn't realize this.

12) Someone kept thinking that the cell phone was used to call someone else on the train. If you had found the letter and got the whole number of Nordic Knives and tried calling, I was prepared to give you some info re. a trade with the two swords.

13) Have any of you ever heard of a cell phone that only displays the last four of a number? I had enough notes in the story already.

14) I thought is was funny how Athos had to defend being a muskateer vs. a cowboy. I never thought he looked like cowboy but it added one more suspect.

15) Did any of you wonder why Sarg Kulo carried a deer-hunting rifle on the train. No one bothered to ask him but don't you find this a bit odd. Just thought I'd make him out to be a hunter but none of you questioned it.

16) Who carries little bags of Lego bricks around with them? Well, never mind, I guess this isn't odd compared to adults who write Lego Train Murder Mysteries.

17) I actually ordered the 1974 Murder on the Orient Express after a week of writing this story. It wasn't a bad movie, but not a real good one either (despite an all-star cast). If any of you have seen it, Albert Finney who plays Poirot almost acts "mentally challenged" in the first few scenes. He gets better once he starts investigating, but he acts pretty silly in the 1st few scenes (esp. when he's getting ready for bed).

18) Interesting that many of you said "Oh What A Circus" was a Madonna song. The song is sung by Antonio Banderas in the movie.

19) This story had a lot of "Red Herrings" to get you off-track. You did a pretty good job at piecing the clues together to link the murders to Bloody Jay.

20) This was a lot of fun. I hope you all enjoyed reading it and helping solve the clues. If any of you have questions remaining or wonder the significance of other clues, just reply to this message and I'll answer.

Look for the next Eurobricks Murder Mystery soon...

Brickster :^^D

[The Middleman]

I too wondered why Sarg hadn't had his rifle confiscated. Can't wait for the next installment (assuming everyone's been properly resuscitated and released!).

[Akkhraziel]

Just my two cents:

I had peiced together the Antonio Banderas link a ways before I actually posted anything about it, but a combination of school and a sense of wanting to let others play delayed me. I also had noticed the Nordic knives connection, which is why I obliquely referenced the Knife show that was occuring when the whole murder mystery started. I didn't want to be the know it all that did everything.

Anywho, thanks Brickseter, it was fun.

And Bloody Jay...we should talk steel at somepoint.

;)

Akkh

[xwingyoda]

TheBrickster,

Thanks for this little mystery story, it was really nice and fun!!!!!!! Cannot wait for your next EB bestseller ;)

This time I'll make notes along the way hehe ;)

[Athos]

Nice mystery Brickster. It was very entertaining, if a bit complex and baffling at times.

I knew it was Bloody Jay. I'm surprised I was offed for knowing it though, for two reasons: (1) No one ever listened when I said it, at least twice, and (2) I didn't realize you weren't working from a static script.

Good work,

Steve

[Mr.M]

I must concur with my distinguished collegue above... My is he an intellegent guy, and handsome, witty, and charming as well. Though I must say, I'm not liking being only an after thought |-/

Mr. M (the M stands for Marlon Brando)

[WesternOutlaw]

I'm surprised I was offed for knowing it though, for two reasons: (1) No one ever listened when I said it, at least twice, and (2) I didn't realize you weren't working from a static script.

I hoped it would give one more clue to Bloody Jay. At the time, no one seemed to be getting it and I was running out of clues. I almost thought about doing the same to Mr. M. but was running out of characters as well. I figured that they might question or investigate Bloody Jay a little more thoroughly including his link to th 13th warrior movie.

In re. to a static script: it's pretty hard to stay static when all of you react and investigate differently. I had the basic story in my head very early but planned to build and change it according to what you did. What's nice about doing a story this way is that it never comes out the same and spontaneity is a lot more fun.

Almost had Mr. M. steal the sword to make the story more interesting but the number of posts were dwindling and it was time to wrap up this mystery.

[xwingyoda]

It was good to brake the whole story in different parts!!!

I admit I was kind of lost at the end and was stupidly lazy to re-re-re-read everything.

You really did an excellent job!!!!!!

What is the next mystery going to be ???

[WesternOutlaw]

A CLUE-like "WhoDunIt". Still developing the story-line and working out the logistics.

[brickfreak99]

Wow, nearly four whole years since the last post Anyway, excellent mystery, I only just got around to reading it. Can't wait for the Emerald Night one.

[WesternOutlaw]

Wow, nearly four whole years since the last post Anyway, excellent mystery, I only just got around to reading it. Can't wait for the Emerald Night one.

Interesting observation. I can't believe four years have already passed since EB's first mystery - Murder on the Lego Express.

What's uncanny is the fact that this mystery was also in May, four years ago. I didn't do this on purpose in the least.

[brickfreak99]

Hehe^. And will the Emerald Night mystery be pictorial? Or just text?

Edited May 8, 2009 by brickfreak99

[WesternOutlaw]

Hehe^. And will the Emerald Night mystery be pictorial? Or just text?

Definately pictures & text this time around the track! And this Train Mystery will also have a strange twist.

[brickfreak99]

*Claps repeatedly in a strange manner* That's excellent! I am dying with excitement!