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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
This book contains three stories, several mysterious murders and dozens of fiendish puzzles.
But the Murder Puzzle Mysteries are unlike other books. You can’t simply read them from one chapter to the next.
Instead, you must solve the puzzles. How you solve them will determine where you turn next. Along the way, you’ll discover clues, find pieces of evidence and uncover the truths lurking behind each mystery. You might even catch a killer!
But be careful. The path you take through a maze, the differences you spot, the wire you cut to defuse a bomb – each puzzle you attempt could take you closer to solving the mystery, or lead to a more unfortunate fate!
Don’t be afraid, though. Everything you need to guide you is contained within the pages of each story. The objective of each puzzle and what you need to do will be explained. Some puzzles are
straightforward, while others rely on clues within the story and might require some deduction. It wouldn’t be a detective story without a bit of deduction, now, would it?
So read everything carefully and keep a close eye on the details. If something doesn’t make sense, don’t worry, I assure you all the information you need is right there. And you can always check your answers against the solutions at the back.
Your goal is to find your way to the star endings. But if the worst happens and you come to a dead end, simply go back to a puzzle and try again. Whatever you do, don’t give up . . . or let the murderers get away!
INTRODUCTION
Arlo Banks rose to prominence as an amazing puzzlesolver. His adventures across the globe led him to catching several ruthless murderers and cracking cases that outfoxed some of the smartest experts and boldest criminal masterminds in the world.
After recovering from another successful mission, which took him from the star-studded heights of Hollywood to the freezing mountains of Switzerland, Arlo Banks has returned to the London offices of the British Secret Intelligence Service – SIS – on the Strand. It’s almost Christmas, and while every other child his age is thinking about unwrapping presents, Arlo is under the impression he will resume his training to one day become an agent for the SIS.
But before he can take his coat off and settle back in, Arlo is called to a briefing room by the formidable Madame Silvana. Which can only mean one thing: something has happened that requires his puzzlesolving skills . . .
ARLO’S DETECTIVE’S KIT
Pens and pencils
Swiss Army knife, including a knife, a file, scissors and wire-cutters
A fingerprinting kit
Arlo’s detective’s journal
A box of matches
Evidence bags
Passport, complete with international visas
An SLR camera and rolls of film
Solutiontesting kit
A magnifying glass and compass
THE MAXIMUM SECURITY MURDER
‘Welcome back to SIS, Arlo.’ Bennet welcomes you with a smile as you enter the briefing room. ‘It’s good to see you.’
‘It’s good to be here,’ you reply, pleased to see your friend again.
The briefing room has a long polished table running down the centre. The ceiling is low with glowing lamps casting a secluded light over everything. A snug carpet covers every inch of the floor, turning down the volume of every sound and hushing every word to a whisper.
Madame Silvana is standing at the far end, hands pressed on the tabletop, her eyes focused on a spread of papers.
She looks up as Bennet closes the door and invites you to take a seat. ‘Arlo!’ Her smile glimmers but it
only lasts a moment. ‘Thank you for coming. We could use your help with this one.’
‘Always happy to help,’ you reply, welcoming the challenge.
It doesn’t do much to improve her mood, so this must be serious.
‘Until four hours ago,’ Madame Silvana begins, ‘I was interrogating Dr Ricard Valcro.’
‘Who?’ The name makes you frown.
‘That’s the name of the Chain’s High Commander,’ Bennet explains.
Your frown turns to wide-eyed surprise.
‘Yes,’ Madame Silvana says. ‘Following his capture in Switzerland, he was held in a secure facility in Bern. However, removing him as head of the Chain has led to many of its groups of operatives splintering away and forming plans of their own, creating chaos.’
‘It seems you broke the Chain,’ Bennet adds and rewards you with a wink.
‘Quite,’ Madame Silvana says. ‘But that has presented us with another problem. There’s a power struggle within the criminal underworld, and several groups are now vying to claim the High Commander’s position – to become top dog.’
You draw a deep breath as you take this in.
‘It also turns out, the secure unit in Bern wasn’t secure enough,’ Madame Silvana continues. ‘An attempt was made on Dr Valcro’s life so, with the approval of the Swiss authorities, he was moved here for safekeeping.’
‘The High Commander is here?’ you ask, sounding shocked. Just saying that name tastes like poison.
Bennet nods and Madame Silvana holds you in her stare. The look in her eyes quells your outrage and you sink back into your seat.
‘Don’t worry,’ Madame Silvana says, ‘he is completely cut off from the outside world, unable to do any harm or exact any influence.’
‘Our intention is to keep interrogating him,’ Bennet assures you.
‘Unsurprisingly, he’s not been very cooperative,’ Madame Silvana says. ‘Until today.’
‘What happened today?’ Bennet asks, sitting up.
‘Billy Lynch was murdered,’ she replies.
‘Who’s he?’ you ask. ‘And what does he have to do with the High Commander?’
‘Billy Lynch is a notorious bank robber,’ Bennet replies.
‘Ten years ago, he was hitting so many banks he was responsible for about a fifth of all the money stolen from vaults around the world,’ Madame Silvana explains. ‘Then he was caught red-handed robbing the Bank of England.’
‘And famously claimed he was innocent,’ Bennet adds.
‘Billy was all about making a name for himself,’ Madame Silvana continues. ‘More than the money, he wanted to be a face in the underworld – to get the respect of his peers.’ Her eyes narrow with a beady stare. ‘He got in with the Chain when they began laundering his money.’
You frown, confused.
‘Bank robbers like Billy often hire other criminals to put their money through various shell companies,’ Bennet explains. ‘The companies pay just enough tax so the government don’t ask questions. It covers their tracks and they keep the rest.’
You shake your head.
‘As Billy’s reputation grew,’ Madame Silvana continues, ‘the Chain set him up with bigger scores and hired him to steal to order. He got the kudos and a handsome reward, while they got the lion’s
share of the money to fund their schemes. When Billy was arrested, he left behind a sizable fortune, which the authorities were unable to recover. A lot of people have spent years trying to find the fortune. The only thing that kept Billy alive was knowing its whereabouts.’
‘Why would anyone kill him once he’d given up the location of his fortune?’ you ask.
‘Anyone ruthless enough to go after a fortune like this doesn’t want to be followed,’ Bennet replies.
‘Indeed,’ Madame Silvana says. ‘And now Billy’s dead, it means whoever murdered him knows where it is, and they must have a plan to use it.’
‘Do we have any idea who they are?’ you ask.
‘No. All we have to go on is a photo, taken at the prison, of Billy’s last visitor.’ Madame Silvana slides the photo across the table along with a picture from the crime scene of Billy’s body. ‘It doesn’t show us much besides a tartan hat and an obvious wig.’
‘Well, whatever they’re planning, it must be serious,’ you say.
‘I’m afraid so.’ Madame Silvana’s face turns grave. ‘But who they are and what they intend to do with all the money is anyone’s guess. Right now, we must
focus on finding Billy’s fortune. We only have a matter of hours to solve a ten-year-old treasure hunt before the murderer puts their plan into action.’ Madame Silvana slides a piece of paper across the table. ‘Which is where you come in, Arlo.’
It’s a map of London with four locations circled on it. ‘These are the last four places Billy Lynch visited before his arrest. There’s the Lynch house on Riverside Road in Bow, where his mother lives. A Christmas tree farm in Epping Forest, which made him seem like a nice guy. And Hamleys toy shop on Regent Street, where he went Christmas shopping for his godson.’ Madame Silvana shakes her head in disbelief.
‘We know all this because it was documented at his trial,’ Bennet adds. ‘He left the house in Bow on the morning of Christmas Eve and spent the day working at the farm. On his way home he did some Christmas shopping at Hamleys. Then, at the last minute, he decided to pop in and rob the Bank of England.’
Madame Silvana points at the map. ‘The authorities, all manner of criminals, and Billy’s associates – even a few amateur treasure hunters –have spent years searching for Billy Lynch’s fortune. But it appears X does not necessarily mark the spot.’
‘He must’ve wanted somewhere safe to hide his fortune,’ you say.
‘Yes, and so far it appears to have worked,’ Bennet says.
‘Maybe,’ you reply. ‘Unless someone found it and kept it quiet.’
‘That’s possible,’ Madame Silvana says. ‘But if we’re going to catch whoever is going after it, we should work on the assumption that it’s still out there. The question is: where?’
Look at the map and see if you can find a safe place where Billy Lynch could’ve hidden his fortune.
And remember, this might be a treasure hunt, but X may not necessarily mark the spot.
THE LYNCH HOUSE BANK OF ENGLAND
HAMLEYS TOY SHOP
If you decide to visit:
• The Lynch house, turn to chapter 2
• The Christmas tree farm, turn to chapter 13
• The Bank of England, turn to chapter 7
• Hamleys toy shop, turn to chapter 8
Enfield
Wood Green
Camden
Notting Hill
Hammersmith
Brixton
Woolwich
Barking
Ilford
Romford
Woodford
CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
THE LYNCH HOUSE
‘Under the mattress. I must say, it’s a classic hiding place,’ Bennet says as your taxi stops on the corner of Riverside Road.
‘It’s a classic for a reason,’ you reply, oozing confidence. ‘Nowhere feels safer than your home.’
‘I’m not so sure,’ Bennet says, eyeing the street.
It’s a rundown part of town. The windows that aren’t broken have a layer of sooty grime. There’s no one around, but you both get the feeling you’re being watched.
The Lynch family home doesn’t look like much, but neither do the other houses on this street. They’ve all been crammed into one terrace. A rusty Austin is parked out front that hasn’t been driven in years.
‘That could’ve been one of Billy’s getaway cars,’ Bennet says as you peer inside. The glove box looks like it was ripped open years ago, along with the steering column and the seat covers. If there was any treasure in there, it’s long gone.
A radio is playing inside the house while a couple of vicious dogs bark out the back. ‘They sound nice,’ you say.
Bennet smiles at your sarcasm and knocks on the door. Some of the peeling paint comes off against his knuckles.
‘Who is it?’ yells a raw, gravelly voiced woman from inside.
‘Hello, Mrs Lynch,’ Bennet replies. ‘We’re with the Special Intelligence Service.’
‘Hold on, hold on,’ she shouts over the barking. The lock clicks open but the lady keeps the door on the chain, so it doesn’t open far. ‘What do you want?’ she demands through the gap.
‘I’m agent Bennet. This is my associate, Arlo Banks. As I said, we’re with the Special Intelligence Service. We’d like to ask –’
‘What’s so special about you?’ she snaps.
Bennet holds up his ID. ‘I appreciate it’s a bad time, but we’d like to ask you about your son, Billy.’
‘Oh, OK.’ She smiles and opens the door. But instead of letting you in, she lets her dogs out. With a scuttle of claws on the hallway tiles, two ferocious Dobermanns launch themselves at you and Bennet.
You both turn and run. Bennet dives over the neighbour’s fence, but you’re not so lucky. With one prize gone, both dogs set upon you.
As much as you try to fight them off, you can’t. The last thing you hear above the sound of the snapping and snarling dogs is Billy Lynch’s mother laughing.
THE END
We all know the phrase ‘safe as houses’, but unfortunately the Lynch house was anything but safe, so your investigation ended before it had really begun.
But it’s OK. Look again at the map of London and see if you can find a safe place where Billy Lynch could’ve hidden his fortune. And remember, this might be a treasure hunt, but X doesn’t necessarily mark the spot.
HAMLEYS TOY SHOP
If you decide to visit:
• The Christmas tree farm, turn to chapter 13
• The Bank of England, turn to chapter 7
• Hamleys toy shop, turn to chapter 8
Enfield
Wood Green
Camden
Notting Hill
Hammersmith
Brixton
Woolwich
Barking
Ilford
Romford
Woodford
CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
THE LYNCH HOUSE BANK OF ENGLAND
THE DOLL’S MANSION HOUSE
‘Look,’ you say, pointing to the huge doll’s house.
Bennet squints in the direction of your finger. But he can’t see the telltale detail that has aroused your suspicion.
‘One of the upstairs windows has its curtains closed,’ you say.
‘Oh, yeah!’ Bennet says.
You quickly grab a footstool the staff use to stock the highest shelves and climb up to the doll’s house.
There are so many shoppers swarming around that none of the staff notice as you flick back the catch and open the front of the house. Inside is a treasure trove of rooms, filled with intricate furniture, all handcrafted in exquisite detail. You scan past the dining room, which is set for a banquet, the playroom full of toys, the staircase where the maid is dusting, and focus on the room behind the drawn curtains.
The room contains a little bed and a chest of drawers with a tiny night light on top, and a rug on the floor. You look everywhere, but unfortunately . . .
‘There’s no clue to Billy Lynch’s treasure here,’ you say, climbing down. ‘He must’ve hidden it somewhere else.’
Look back at the train set and the enormous teddy bear and see if you can spot somewhere Billy Lynch might’ve hidden a clue to the whereabouts of his fortune.
If you decide to investigate:
• The enormous teddy bear, turn to chapter 18
• The busy little train, turn to chapter 10
VAULT NO. 7
‘Lucky number seven,’ you say, as you approach vault No. 7 and take hold of its wheel-like door opener.
You summon all your strength and, to your surprise, the wheel turns with ease, matching the smooth line of the spiral symbol in the centre of the opener. The elaborate cogs inside the mechanism are well oiled and, with just a couple of turns, the door is released.
Astonishment rings in Bennet’s voice as he says, ‘That was easy!’
‘Yeah,’ you reply, and together you pull the door open.
Shining golden light bounces off the shelves stacked full of gold bars. You can’t help gasping at the sight. Just one of these bricks could buy an entire house!
‘Eyes on the prize,’ Bennet says, and you snap out of your daydream.
‘Yeah,’ you say. ‘We need to find the bar Billy Lynch hid in here.’
‘I’ll take this side, you start over there,’ Bennet says.
In no time, you’re both busy searching the shelves of gold bars for one that matches the rubbing you found on the man with the tartan hat. You’re so engrossed in your search, you don’t notice the security guard creeping along the corridor towards the vault. You don’t spot him peeking into the open vault either, or see him silently close the door. It only takes the guard a few seconds to turn the wheel-like opener, sealing you inside. So you don’t realize you’re trapped until the door mechanism switches off the lights.
The security guard’s intention was to trap you here until the police can arrest you. Unfortunately, he had no idea the Zacconi gang were also planning to rob the bank. So you remain trapped down here until they break in and blow apart the entire floor.
EXIT C
You fight your way through the crowd only to find a dead end by the gift shop window. So you double back. By the time you get to the Opera House, you see the man in the tartan hat slipping away through the exit that leads to Bow Street, on the far side of the Opera House. You run past the gift shop, closely followed by Bennet.
You make it to the street and spot the suspect hurrying away. As you both go after him, he starts to flee.
You chase him down side streets and across busy junctions, until eventually you reach Trafalgar Square. The crowds here are almost as busy as they were in Covent Garden, and despite the freezing weather, the fountains are gushing away in front of the largest Christmas tree you’ve ever seen. It’s a dazzling sight – every branch is covered in twinkling lights.
You watch as the man in the tartan hat disappears into a small canvas marquee at the foot of the great tree.
‘He’s cornered,’ Bennet says as you both catch your breath.
‘Yeah, but why did he go in there?’ you wonder.
‘I don’t know, but let’s keep watch.’
For the next fifteen minutes, you and Bennet keep your eyes glued to the marquee. With no sign of the man in the tartan hat reappearing, you look up and notice something odd about the fairy lights: they’re flashing in an irregular pattern.
You pull out your detective’s journal and start noting down their pattern and soon realize . . . ‘The fairy lights, they’re spelling out letters!’
‘Well, I’ll be!’ Bennet exclaims.
Quickly, write down the letters and try rearranging them to reveal the message.
As the fairy lights twinkle all over Trafalgar Square, you start to frown. The man in the tartan hat must have something to do with this, but he’s still in the marquee. So, who is out to kill you?
Before you can hazard a guess, a red fairy light picks you out of the crowd and shines a dot on your chest. The moment you spot the beam of light, you realize it’s actually coming from the laser scope of a rifle. You flinch but it’s already too late. The gunman has you in their sights and BANG!
THE END
VAULT NO. 5
The wheel-like door opener on vault No. 5 has a simple square symbol in the centre and the metal handle feels cold against your skin. You ignore that and hold it tight. With all your strength, you try to turn it, but the steel mechanism and the low temperature make it feel like it’s not just locked, it’s frozen solid.
‘Give it up, Arlo,’ Bennet says. ‘I think we need to be smarter.’
‘Yeah, you’re right,’ you say and step back.
Look again at the vault doors and see if anything connects one of them with Billy Lynch – and the gold bar he hid down here all those years ago.
If you think the Speckled Monster is hidden in:
• Vault No. 1, turn to chapter 22
• Vault No. 2, turn to chapter 24
• Vault No. 3, turn to chapter 27
• Vault No. 4, turn to chapter 33
• Vault No. 6, turn to chapter 39
• Vault No. 7, turn to chapter 4
• Vault No. 8, turn to chapter 11
• Vault No. 9, turn to chapter 28
THE BANK OF ENGLAND
‘You said Billy Lynch always protested his innocence,’ you recall.
‘Yeah, it made the story of his trial front-page news,’ Bennet replies. ‘He was a notorious bank robber caught in the vault of the Bank of England. No jury was going to believe he was innocent.’
‘Maybe not,’ you say. ‘But maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he wasn’t robbing it at all. Maybe he broke in to hide his personal fortune in the vault. He must’ve known how many people were willing to kill him to get their hands on whatever he had, and there’s no safer place in the country. So long as his fortune was safe, he was safe.’
‘Are you suggesting he actually planned to get caught?’ Madame Silvana asks.
‘It’s possible.’ You shrug. ‘But now he’s gone, we’ll never know.’
‘So what do we do now?’ Bennet asks. ‘We can’t
just walk into the Bank of England and start asking to see the contents of their vault.’
‘Absolutely.’ Madame Silvana nods. ‘We might be the Secret Intelligence Service, but that would put the rumour mill into overdrive.’
‘Whoever killed Billy Lynch won’t be able to walk in either,’ you say. ‘They’ll have to scope it out beforehand. We should keep an eye on the place, see if we can spot anyone planning an after-hours visit.’
‘That’s a good idea.’ Madame Silvana nods. ‘Both of you, take an unmarked car and go now. See if you can spot anyone who resembles the last person who visited Billy Lynch.’
Twenty minutes later, you and Bennet are sitting in a black Mini Cooper on Threadneedle Street, opposite the Bank of England. It’s an enormously grand and imposing building that rises like a stately home on top of a hill. Pillars guard and barricade the outer wall, which is made of solid stone blocks and was designed to look as impenetrable as a fortress.
Nestled in a darkened archway, just a few shallow steps from the pavement, is the main entrance. It’s like the entrance to a castle, but without the portcullis.
The rain turns to sleet as you and Bennet sit and watch. You bring out your camera and use the telephoto lens to get a closer look at everyone who comes and goes.
‘Do you have any snacks in that satchel?’ Bennet asks.
‘Sorry, just the tools for the job,’ you reply, and focus your lens on the bank.
Within an hour, you spot two potential matches for the man who visited Billy Lynch in prison. Compare them with the photos from the jail and see if you can spot a similarity that makes one of them worth following.
If you decide to follow:
• The man in the tartan hat, turn to chapter 23
• The man in the black hat, turn to chapter 15
HAMLEYS TOY SHOP
‘There,’ you say, pointing to the cross over Hamleys toy shop. ‘No one would look for treasure in a toy shop.’
‘Are you certain?’ Madame Silvana asks.
You nod. ‘It’s where I’d hide my treasure.’
Half an hour later, you and Bennet are stepping out of a taxi on Regent Street. The pavement is rammed with busy shoppers, each one desperate to buy their Christmas shopping and get on their way home.
You and Bennet push your way through the crush and hurry inside Hamleys.
The toy shop is even busier than the street. But while the street is mayhem, this place is magical. Everywhere you look, people are picking games, toys, bears and dolls off the shelves. Even the air is filled with flapping kites, flying saucers and model aeroplanes, while a steam train chugs along a track
suspended overhead, before whistling away through little tunnels.
‘Sorry, Arlo, you can look around another time,’ Bennet says as your eyes try to take it all in. ‘We have to work now.’
‘I know,’ you reply and tear yourself away. ‘Now, everyone’s looking for Billy’s fortune, but what if we should actually be searching for a clue to its whereabouts?’
‘That could be anywhere,’ Bennet says, looking around. ‘And they must’ve sold every toy on these shelves a hundred times since he was arrested.’
‘True, but some of these toys aren’t for sale,’ you say.
‘Really?’ Bennet watches as you point to an enormous fluffy bear sitting on a display stand in the teddy department, a huge doll’s house that looks like a mansion, and the train racing along on its suspended track.
Study them closely. See if you can spot which toy might have something to hide.
If you decide to investigate:
• The enormous teddy bear, turn to chapter 18
• The doll’s mansion house, turn to chapter 3
• The busy little train, turn to chapter 10
EXIT B
Just as you step out of the crowd, the man in the tartan hat rushes out of the gift shop and almost barges into you.
‘Sorry,’ he says in a strong Italian accent.
Most people would accept this and move on, but you’re so surprised to see him that you catch his eye, and he instantly knows something is up.
He grabs you by the collar and shoves you against the gift shop’s window. The people admiring the window display – full of motorized ballerinas and mechanical nutcracker soldiers – immediately recoil in shocked dismay.
‘What do you want? Are you following me?’ demands the man. His face tenses with determination.
You don’t know what to say.
In that moment, Bennet catches up with you and pulls the man away. His tartan hat and wig come off, revealing short, dark hair. He draws a gun from inside his overcoat and starts waving it around.
