The Vanishing Star: a Murder Mystery Season

The prologue

Every newspaper at breakfast carries the same photograph: the film star Lorna Lamont stepping off the boat at Southampton, with the Sirius at her throat. She has come home from Hollywood to tour Europe all summer, before her new picture, Riviera Nights, has its premiere on the Riviera in September. Below the photograph is a smaller story. A gentleman thief who calls himself the Magpie has sworn to take the Sirius before the premiere. Between the pages of your own newspaper lies a small white card. Someone has drawn a magpie on it in green ink, and under it two words: Watch her.

The chapters

Part 1The tour

Chapter 1FreeTop of the Bill at the Paragon Music HallBeginnerVariety music hall
Chapter 2Last Call on the Silver CometBeginnerLuxury train

Part 2The Magpie

Chapter 3High Note at the Lyric Opera HouseIntermediateOpera house
Chapter 4Slow Boat on the Grand UnionIntermediateCanal lock
Chapter 5Head in the Clouds on Pen y CwmwlIntermediateWelsh mountain railway

Part 3The double

Chapter 6Swan Song at the Blue MothAdvancedJazz club
Chapter 7Dead Air at Linley HouseAdvancedWireless studios
Chapter 8Touch and Go at Purley DownsAdvancedLondon aerodrome
Bonus chapter · 8×8End of the Line at Kingsmead CrossAdvancedRailway terminus
Chapter 9Checked Out at the Hôtel MirabeauAdvancedParis palace hotel
Chapter 10Ruffled Feathers at the Moulin DoréAdvancedParis revue
Chapter 11Snowbound at the EdelweissAdvancedSki lodge
Chapter 12Thin Air on the MeridianAdvancedTransatlantic airship

Part 4The real star

Chapter 13Fade Out at the AuroraExpertFilm studio
Chapter 14Final Curtain at the MarigoldExpertTheatre
Chapter 15Two Left Feet at the BelvedereExpertLondon dance hall
Chapter 16No Laughing Matter at the Big TopExpertCircus winter quarters
Bonus chapter · 9×9Out of the Picture at the ExcelsiorExpertPicture palace
Chapter 17Nothing to Declare at the Col des AiglesExpertAlpine frontier post
Chapter 18Unmasked at the Palazzo ZanettiExpertVenetian palazzo
Chapter 19Running on Empty at the Relais des PlatanesExpertFrench roadside inn
Chapter 20Zero Hour at the Casino AzurExpertRiviera casino

The finale

Star Turn at the Palais Étoile

On 14 September Riviera Nights has its premiere at the Palais Étoile in Cannes. Everyone who has followed the star this summer will be in the audience, and the Magpie has promised to be there too. So will you.

Opens once every chapter is solved.

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