Whodunit: A Winter's Tale

The following is a Whodunit by Hy Conrad.  These mysteries are from The Little Giant® Book of Whodunits by Hy Conrad and Matt LaFleur. Can you solve the mystery before you read the solution?

(Image credit: Flickr user Simon Laroche)

In the dead of winter, the citizens of Mountebank, Minnesota, grabbed at any excuse for a party, especially when it was hosted by Ama Wheeler, the richest woman in town. As usual, this one was rowdy and crowded and a huge success—until about 12:30 A.M. That's when Ama noticed that her prized Ming vase was missing from the entry-hall table.

When the police arrived, they found all the revelers herded into the living room, with Ama standing guard like an angry sheepdog. The house was searched. Then the house perimeter. Then the guests' cars. No vase.

"You're going to have to take their statements," Ama told the police chief. "I don't suppose it will do much good. At a party like this, people can barely remember their own movements, much less keep track of others'."

Philip McGlass stepped forward with his statement. "I was one of the first to arrive, about the same time as Julie Becker. I never once left the house. If people don't remember me it's because I spent half the party in a bedroom, watching a basketball game." The chief took down Philip's information, then told him he could go.

Rod Shallowitz was next. "I have to get home," he apologized. "If I'm not there for the twins' two o'clock feeding, my wife will have my head." Rod also claimed never to have left the premises. "Oh," he recalled. "No. I did step out onto a second-story balcony, but it was so bitter cold I came right back in."

Julie Becker was the third to make a statement. She also claimed to have never left and seen nothing. "I spent much of the party flitting from group to group and munching at the various food tables." The chief dismissed her, too, and watched as she went into the hall and grabbed her coat from the top of a crowded coat rack.

"This is going to take all night," Ama complained.

The chief disagreed. "No. I think I have a viable suspect already."  

Who does the chief suspect? And why?

Show Answer

The whodunit above was provided by American mystery fiction author Hy Conrad.

In addition to his work in mystery and crime puzzles, Hy was also one of the original writers for the groundbreaking TV series Monk.

Currently, Hy is working on mystery novel series "Abel Adventures" as well as the Monk series of novels, starting with Mr. Monk Helps Himself (published by Penguin, order from Amazon here)

Check out Hy's official website and Facebook page - and stay tuned for more whodunits puzzlers on Neatorama from the master of whodunit mysteries himself!