The Wandering Cup: a Murder Mystery Season

The prologue

A letter waits for you at breakfast, in a small, upright hand on stiff cream paper. "For a hundred years the Wandering Cup has gone wherever luck took it. This year somebody is taking it. Please keep an eye on it for me. Wherever your cases take you, it will be there." It is signed only: The Keeper. You know the cup, as everybody does. By its old rule, whoever wins it must offer it as the prize at the next feast or match they go to, and so it has wandered from village fêtes to grand finals since 1835. The papers report each Saturday where it has got to.

The chapters

Part 1The cup

Chapter 1FreeBah Humbug at the Frost FairBeginnerFrost fair on a frozen river
Chapter 2Caught Out at the Oakley PavilionBeginnerVillage cricket pavilion

Part 2The steering hand

Chapter 3Up in Smoke on Bonfire NightIntermediateVillage green on Bonfire Night
Chapter 4Last Laugh at Ravensgill LodgeIntermediateShooting lodge at Christmas
Chapter 5Bowled Over on the EsplanadeIntermediateSeaside bowling club
Chapter 6Love All at the Lawn ClubIntermediateLawn tennis club
Chapter 7Tossed Aside on Pancake DayIntermediateShrove Tuesday pancake race
Chapter 8Round the Bend at NorwoodIntermediateGood Friday cycle races

Part 3The sealed letter

Chapter 9Old Acquaintance at the Hogmanay BallAdvancedHogmanay ball in a Scottish castle
Chapter 10Midsummer Madness at Applecombe FarmAdvancedMidsummer barn dance
Chapter 11Hole in One at Gorsemoor LinksAdvancedGolf clubhouse
Chapter 12Dark Horse at the Wexcombe DerbyAdvancedRacecourse
Chapter 13No Love Lost at the Assembly RoomsAdvancedAssembly Rooms, Bath
Chapter 14Mallet Aforethought at Dunsford ParkAdvancedPolo club near London

Part 4The hare

Chapter 15Dead of Winter at the Ice PalaceExpertWinter carnival
Chapter 16Checkmate at the Grand TournamentExpertInternational chess tournament
Chapter 17Bad Apple at Coldicott CourtExpertCotswold Hallowe'en party
Chapter 18Down for the Count at the Albion HallExpertSouth London boxing hall
Bonus chapter · 9×9Cold Comfort at the Christmas MarketExpertChristmas market in a cathedral close
Chapter 19Last Orders in Inkerman StreetExpertJubilee street party
Bonus chapter · 9×9Chequered Past at the Hatherley Grand PrixExpertMotor-racing circuit
Chapter 20Early Bath at Tanpit LaneExpertNorthern football ground

The finale

On Midsummer Day the Wandering Cup turns a hundred, and at noon a sealed letter will be opened in front of whoever holds it. Everyone who wants that letter will be at Revell Court the night before. So will you.

Coming in an update.

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