MINI MYSTERY: The Case of the Vanishing Violin
A Mystery Review Crew mini-mystery to test your sleuthing skills. Nothing is quite what it seems.
Can you solve the case of The Vanishing Violin?
Read the scene. Study the details. One clue reveals the truth.
It was early morning when stage manager Nora Bell stepped into the community theater. Few people had keys, so she wasn’t surprised the door was unlocked, especially with an early rehearsal scheduled. But the silence that greeted her was unexpected. Normally, she’d hear voices and the sound of instruments being tuned.
She rounded the corner and froze. The large hallway window that overlooked the side street was shattered, with only a few small pieces clinging to the frame. A light breeze whipped through the broken window, stirring the dust bunnies along the wooden floor.
What made her heart lurch, though, was the sight of her office door, which she’d locked before leaving. Someone had busted it open. Nora dodged the broken jamb and rushed inside. Drawers hung open. Papers and file folders littered the floor. On a small table, a velvet-lined case for a valuable antique violin sat open and empty.
Liam Hart, the lead violinist, stood in the middle of the room, staring at the case with wide eyes.
“The violin. It’s gone! Someone broke in and stole it,” he said, his voice tight with dismay. He quickly added, “I came early to warm up and found everything like this.”
Nora frowned, her thoughts circling what she saw. The drawers. The scattered papers. The damaged office door. The empty case. The broken window.
Something didn’t add up.
What clue reveals the truth?
Musical mystery books to go along with The Vanishing Violin
Murder on a High Note
Author: Jennifer Lamont Leo
Series: Music Shop Mysteries Book 1
In the charming mountain town of Timber Coulee, Idaho, music shop owner Amanda Parrish’s harmonious life strikes a discordant note when a beloved townsperson is murdered during the town’s annual summer music camp. As Amanda seeks for answers, she uncovers a web of long-buried secrets, including a mysterious violin and a charismatic newcomer with a hidden agenda. With the help of her spirited niece and a cast of colorful locals, Amanda must compose a solution to this deadly sonata before the killer’s next movement brings her own story to a premature finale.
Murder, Music & Mischief: A Delightful Music Row Whodunnit Cozy Mystery
Author: Greta Sinclair
Series: A Hattie and Moose Cozy Mystery
A dead country legend, a missing Yorkie, and a honky-tonk hiding secrets.
PI Hattie Leiper figured her new Nashville office above the country bar The Crooked Note came with bar brawls and barking dogs, not collapsing country stars and rhinestone collars streaked with blood.
When living legend Ruby Dean drops dead mid-performance and her famous Yorkie turns up in Hattie’s office looking guilty as sin, the mystery hits too close to home.
Alongside her grumpy Chow Moose, and crime-magnet British Shorthair, Cecil, Hattie questions a jealous ex, sketchy songwriters, and a psychic who swears she saw it all coming.
With gossip swirling and her bestie, retired vet Gracie, caught in the crosshairs, Hattie’s chasing clues through concerts and recording studios.
She must crack the case before time runs out and another note turns deadly.
Murder, Music & Mischief is a Southern-fried cozy mystery filled with sass and a sleuth who knows how to keep her boots on the ground, even when the stage lights dim.
On Goodreads, Amazon, and Bookbub.
THE ANSWER
The shattered window.
If someone had broken the window from the outside, glass would have fallen into the building. There was no broken glass on the hallway floor, only dust bunnies. The window had been broken from the inside.
Liam staged the break-in to cover up the fact that he stole the violin.
Did you enjoy this Mini Mystery? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
