MobileRead's Winter Contest Winners Revealed!

[crich70]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yeah but that's the point we need to pluck him and re-arrange them.

You know........for what he did.

Well if they gave him the chair for his murderous holiday hijinks he'd end up as fried chicken.
I imagine he'll get quite the exit in whatever sequel is written. I'll be looking forward to reading it when the time comes. I never did understand why Mr. Jellby was so helpful in getting claims settled in favor of the policy holder. Hmm, maybe I should re-read the mystery again.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by crich70

I never did understand why Mr. Jellby was so helpful in getting claims settled in favor of the policy holder. Hmm, maybe I should re-read the mystery again.

I said the same thing to "Agatha" as "she" was writing it. That is very out of character... insurance agents/adjusters will do whatever they can to deny claims, not approve them.

BOb

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I said the same thing to "Agatha" as "she" was writing it. That is very out of character... insurance agents/adjusters will do whatever they can to deny claims, not approve them.

BOb

Yes, that's their job!

[orlok]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I said the same thing to "Agatha" as "she" was writing it. That is very out of character... insurance agents/adjusters will do whatever they can to deny claims, not approve them.

BOb

I assumed it was a red herring/false clue - we are led to believe that Alex and Jelby are conspiring to claim all the insurance money as a motive for the murder.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by orlok

I assumed it was a red herring/false clue - we are led to believe that Alex and Jelby are conspiring to claim all the insurance money as a motive for the murder.

Possibly, but it didn't fit. Insurance agents can't work a case where they are personally involved I wouldn't think. I mean a lawyer can't be involved in a will where he/she stands to inherit and I would imagine the same would apply to insurance as well. That would be like putting a fox in charge of a hen house.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by crich70

Possibly, but it didn't fit. Insurance agents can't work a case where they are personally involved I wouldn't think. I mean a lawyer can't be involved in a will where he/she stands to inherit and I would imagine the same would apply to insurance as well. That would be like putting a fox in charge of a hen house.

I assumed we were meant to think that Alex was the beneficiary, and that Jelby was going to get a share of the insurance payout from Alex, not that he would benefit directly.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I said the same thing to "Agatha" as "she" was writing it. That is very out of character... insurance agents/adjusters will do whatever they can to deny claims, not approve them.

BOb

Some folks just can't appreciate irony! Or a really slimy red herring disguised as an insurance agent. Mr. Jellby both put a spotlight on the clues, while at the same time dismissing them - oft times literally. Just a wee bit of misdirection.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Some folks just can't appreciate irony! Or a really slimy red herring disguised as an insurance agent. Mr. Jellby both put a spotlight on the clues, while at the same time dismissing them - oft times literally. Just a wee bit of misdirection.

Didn't work though in the end. When he opened the microwave door and 'fragrant' steam came out I knew something was bogus. Heated plastic has a smell that's anything but fragrant and of course it does take a while to prepare a chicken for cooking, and one roasted chicken looks much like another. Then there was the way HarryT got it. The umbrella being used as a fulcrum = mechanical advantage which means the killer had to find a way to push the bookcase over besides brute strength. In fact all the victims got it via ways that weren't really physically demanding. Finally all the victims were easy to identify except Poohbear_nc. So I was pretty sure he was the guilty party. Not 100% sure but he was the one I chose as the killer. And the Agatha Christie similarities also seemed to point to you (in my mind) of course.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Some folks just can't appreciate irony! Or a really slimy red herring disguised as an insurance agent. Mr. Jellby both put a spotlight on the clues, while at the same time dismissing them - oft times literally. Just a wee bit of misdirection.

And Jellby had some of the funniest lines in the story!

[crich70]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

And Jellby had some of the funniest lines in the story!

Yep. One of my favorites is:

"You chose not to purchase the 'MobileRead Holiday Homicidal Havoc' package...so a murder is not covered under your policy."

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Some folks just can't appreciate irony! Or a really slimy red herring disguised as an insurance agent. Mr. Jellby both put a spotlight on the clues, while at the same time dismissing them - oft times literally. Just a wee bit of misdirection.

Sure, so now it's the readers fault. I guess I wasn't sophisticated enough to understand the nuance of the characters.

BOb

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

And Jellby had some of the funniest lines in the story!

And unfortunately I cannot attribute them to myself

I always though that my character was acting as an interested party, he's after all part of the mod team as well...

[red_phoenix]

Originally Posted by Jellby

And unfortunately I cannot attribute them to myself

I always though that my character was acting as an interested party, he's after all part of the mod team as well...

So he was demonstrating loyalty to MR and not to the insurance company where he worked.

Very admirable.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Sure, so now it's the readers fault. I guess I wasn't sophisticated enough to understand the nuance of the characters.

BOb

Didn't I kill you already?

[It's always the readers' fault!]

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Jellby

And unfortunately I cannot attribute them to myself

I always though that my character was acting as an interested party, he's after all part of the mod team as well...

Since mods aren't paid, Jellby had to moonlight as an insurance agent!