Welcome Back, and Happy New Year!

Loved the comments on the last posts! I have to say, as far as mystery tropes, the “portrait with holes for eyes” is such a good one, and always kinda creeps me out, even in a comedy! And secret passages are the best. At the risk of spoilers, this show doesn’t have a passage, per se, but here IS a hidden spot, and it MAY house a body at some point, and the body MAY or may NOT…ok I’ll stop there!

Great mysteries, too! The historical ones are so fascinating. I used to watch every documentary on television I could about stories like Amelia Earhart, Jack the Ripper, DB Cooper, cryptids…. And Sherlock Holmes is my favorite literary character of all time, ever. I have a necklace in the shape of one of his pipes that I wear for every opening night at the theatre.

Anyhow, enough about me! Here is a Character List for the show, so that when you meet the actors via video and photos, you know who they are portraying. These are the characters and a little bit about them. Can you guess who the murder victim will be??

Clarissa Hailsham-Brown: The second wife of Henry Hailsham-Brown; charming and inventive, her imagination tends to work overtime, with some unexpected consequences. Pretty convinced she can orchestrate any outcome she wants, for anything, anytime.

Jeremy Warrender: An elegant young man and guest at the Hailsham-Brown’s house, the private secretary for a man much wealthier than he. Has a crush on Clarissa.

Pippa Hailsham-Brown: Pippa is 12 years old, and she is Clarissa’s stepdaughter and Henry’s daughter. Very intelligent, talkative, and always hungry, she had a hard time after her parents’ divorce and was mistreated by her mother and mother’s then-boyfriend (now husband). Since living exclusively with Clarissa and Henry, she has improved a lot.

Oliver Costello: He is suspected of shady dealings, probably involving some pretty dangerous drugs. Married to Pippa’s mother, who was Henry’s first wife. Willing to use Pippa as a bargaining chip to get what he wants, even though she is frightened of him and her mother.

Mildred Peake: She is a hearty-looking woman, as though she has grown up in the countryside. Loud, but in a way that not everyone finds irritating (only some people). She is the gardener of the country estate, often very cheerful (or is it forceful?), some suspect that she isn’t all there.

Mr. Elgin: The Butler at the home the Hailsham-Browns are currently renting. Nothing escapes his attention. Entirely uninterested in any notion of loyalty to anyone but himself and his partner (who is never seen, but spoken of).

Henry Hailsham-Brown: Clarissa’s husband. This is his second marriage; the first was awful for him and he fought to keep his daughter after his ex wife became an abusive addict. Always distracted and thinking of something, somewhere else. Works in the foreign office in a high-pressure political career.

Constable Jones: A local constable with somewhat of a flaky air. Probably doesn’t often see anything quite so exciting as murder, but isn’t overwhelmed by it. Has high regard for the Inspector.

Lady Francesca Delahaye (“Frankie” to friends): A distinguished lady with very definite intelligence and charm. Clarissa’s guardian when she was younger; now her friend and advisor. She is very protective of Clarissa and Pippa. Perhaps believes she has a bit more influence over what Clarissa says and does than she actually has.

Hugo Birch: The local Justice of the Peace. A rather irascible type who shouldn’t be involved in business like a murder, and he won’t hesitate to tell you so. Not particularly keen on shenanigans of any kind.

Inspector Lord: The wheels are always turning in his brain. Although he doesn’t let on, he doesn’t miss a thing. Knows there is much more going on than anyone is telling him.

Oh! And here is our poster/graphic for the show. We took the photo of the model’s hands and then added the illustrations afterward. (Fun fact: the hands belong to the wife of the actor playing Inspector Lord!)