Okay since it’s Free For All Day I
decided to open the old vault, okay piggy bank, and share the only murder
mystery I ever wrote with you. I have posted it before, but it’s Free for All
Day!
It is Hint Fiction…what is Hint
Fiction? Hint Fiction is a form of writing where the story must be 25 words or
less, really. Apparently Ernest Hemingway invented it. It's fun and
challenging to do but what I did here was to cheat a little and create a Hint
Fiction Cozy Murder Mystery Novel. It has 25 words or less (counting chapter
titles) in each of the 25 chapters.
Fair warning, I did some research
and pulled out every cliche, red herring and totally incongruous plot twists
and characters. In other words, everything you should not put into a Murder
Mystery. You like a good whodunit? Look at the creations of the other fine
authors here. But it might be good for a laugh, as long as it's under 25.
Chapter 1
— Murder Most Fowl
A rich man murdered. Suspects galore. A police detective stumped. Then he meets a pampered parrot. The bird did the deed?
Chapter 2 — Pernicious Parrot?
The evidence is mounting. The bird inherits a fortune. Blood is on his talons. But how did he escape his cage? An accomplice?
Chapter 3 — Crime Scene Revisited
The victim is a bloody mess. Could a parrot have done all that? Polly isn't talking. The detective is baffled.
Chapter 4 — Things Look Bad For The Bird
A discovery is made. The parrot can unlock his own cage. Will the detective arrest a bird?
Chapter 5 — The Obligatory Plot Twist
Someone tries to dispose of the parrot. The plot is foiled, but the perpetrator remains at large.
Chapter 6 — No Prison Time For Polly?
A discovery is made. A knife wound is found among the carnage? The parrot must be innocent!
Chapter 7 — A Humorous Interlude
Who framed the bird? Perhaps the cat? The detective is not amused. Round up the suspects!
Chapter 8 — The Suspects
The disinherited daughter, her beefy husband, a questionable doctor, a butler who was a knife thrower. One must be the killer.
Chapter 9 — The Requisite Amateur Detective
The daughter sent for a Private Investigator. A party girl with a Chihuahua. The detective may have a stroke.
Chapter 10 — Introducing Marseille Starwood
Marseille Starwood will review the evidence and solve the crime. Just as soon as she gets off her cell phone.
Chapter 11 — The Great Detective Is Ready...No She's Not
She’s done. Marseille will interview the suspects…now she’s texting.. Can’t it wait? We have crime here.
Chapter 12 — Finally...
She’s ready now, really. She wants to interview the suspects. Starting with the parrot? But the parrot was exonerated!
Chapter 13 — This Is Not Going Well…
Marseille was joking about the parrot. Someone should warn her that the detective has no sense of humor.
Chapter 14 — Marseille ‘s Questionable Methods
Marseille interviews the suspects. All claim. She insists her dog can determine who did it...Oh come on!
Chapter 15 — A Bad Plot Twist
The dog goes to daughter… her husband…no the doctor…now the butler…then makes a break to the door for freedom!
Chapter 16 — Exit Marseille Starwood
Marseille abandons the mystery and chases the dog. The detective is pleased. What a waste of chapters.
Chapter 17 — The Clue That Should Never Be Used. The Bloody Glove
A bloody glove is found. But who wore the gloves?
Chapter 18 — The Doctor Did It
The gloves belong to the doctor. He lost them weeks ago, and has an alibi. He’s innocent.
Chapter 19 — Do We Have Our Killer?
The son-in-law made threats against the victim and has a black eye. Besides nobody likes him.
Chapter 20 — Not Yet
The maid comes forward. He was annoying her with unwanted attentions when the murder occurred. He's a creep, but innocent.
Chapter 21 — Oh No…
The victim had fired the butler. The butler says he quit. The butler did it? That’s worse than the parrot.
Chapter 22 — The Butler Didn't Do It
The butler was protecting the maid from the son-in-low, I mean law. That explains the black eye
Chapter 23 — The Daughter Did It?
The daughter is the only suspect left, and she may murder her husband for messing with the maid.
Chapter 24 — Not Her Either?
She has an alibi, she had an appointment with the doctor who brought her to the house. Who did it?
Chapter 25 — The Lame Ending
The writer is sick of this story. The parrot did it. The End.
A rich man murdered. Suspects galore. A police detective stumped. Then he meets a pampered parrot. The bird did the deed?
Chapter 2 — Pernicious Parrot?
The evidence is mounting. The bird inherits a fortune. Blood is on his talons. But how did he escape his cage? An accomplice?
Chapter 3 — Crime Scene Revisited
The victim is a bloody mess. Could a parrot have done all that? Polly isn't talking. The detective is baffled.
Chapter 4 — Things Look Bad For The Bird
A discovery is made. The parrot can unlock his own cage. Will the detective arrest a bird?
Chapter 5 — The Obligatory Plot Twist
Someone tries to dispose of the parrot. The plot is foiled, but the perpetrator remains at large.
Chapter 6 — No Prison Time For Polly?
A discovery is made. A knife wound is found among the carnage? The parrot must be innocent!
Chapter 7 — A Humorous Interlude
Who framed the bird? Perhaps the cat? The detective is not amused. Round up the suspects!
Chapter 8 — The Suspects
The disinherited daughter, her beefy husband, a questionable doctor, a butler who was a knife thrower. One must be the killer.
Chapter 9 — The Requisite Amateur Detective
The daughter sent for a Private Investigator. A party girl with a Chihuahua. The detective may have a stroke.
Chapter 10 — Introducing Marseille Starwood
Marseille Starwood will review the evidence and solve the crime. Just as soon as she gets off her cell phone.
Chapter 11 — The Great Detective Is Ready...No She's Not
She’s done. Marseille will interview the suspects…now she’s texting.. Can’t it wait? We have crime here.
Chapter 12 — Finally...
She’s ready now, really. She wants to interview the suspects. Starting with the parrot? But the parrot was exonerated!
Chapter 13 — This Is Not Going Well…
Marseille was joking about the parrot. Someone should warn her that the detective has no sense of humor.
Chapter 14 — Marseille ‘s Questionable Methods
Marseille interviews the suspects. All claim. She insists her dog can determine who did it...Oh come on!
Chapter 15 — A Bad Plot Twist
The dog goes to daughter… her husband…no the doctor…now the butler…then makes a break to the door for freedom!
Chapter 16 — Exit Marseille Starwood
Marseille abandons the mystery and chases the dog. The detective is pleased. What a waste of chapters.
Chapter 17 — The Clue That Should Never Be Used. The Bloody Glove
A bloody glove is found. But who wore the gloves?
Chapter 18 — The Doctor Did It
The gloves belong to the doctor. He lost them weeks ago, and has an alibi. He’s innocent.
Chapter 19 — Do We Have Our Killer?
The son-in-law made threats against the victim and has a black eye. Besides nobody likes him.
Chapter 20 — Not Yet
The maid comes forward. He was annoying her with unwanted attentions when the murder occurred. He's a creep, but innocent.
Chapter 21 — Oh No…
The victim had fired the butler. The butler says he quit. The butler did it? That’s worse than the parrot.
Chapter 22 — The Butler Didn't Do It
The butler was protecting the maid from the son-in-low, I mean law. That explains the black eye
Chapter 23 — The Daughter Did It?
The daughter is the only suspect left, and she may murder her husband for messing with the maid.
Chapter 24 — Not Her Either?
She has an alibi, she had an appointment with the doctor who brought her to the house. Who did it?
Chapter 25 — The Lame Ending
The writer is sick of this story. The parrot did it. The End.
C.L.
Ragsdale was born in California, but does not fit the "California
Girl" image as she does not surf, swims enough to keep herself from
drowning and she and the "great outdoors" have only a nodding acquaintance.
She loves to embroider and knit, with varying degrees of competence, and is a
self-admitted internet junkie who loves to research plot details for her books,
the more obscure the better. A big fan of the old Scooby Doo cartoons, her
mysteries are more fun and humorous than chills and thrills.
THE REBOOT FILES: The Mystery of Hurtleberry House, The Island of Living Trees, The Harbinger of Retribution, and The Wrong Ghost,
What a fun ride - I smiled all the way through each chapter picturing the scenarios! Thanks for the freebie C.L.!
ReplyDelete~Nancy Jill