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Whodunit - You Decide! Mini-Mysteries for You to Solve by Hy Conrad
Would you like to serve on jury and decide whether someone accused of a crime is guilty or not? Who doesn't love a twisty mystery--a locked room, a seemingly impossible crime, a pivotal piece of evidence that seems to make no sense. Here are 15 diabolically clever crimes that made the author smile and say, "You'll never untangle this one"; but you'll want to keep looking till you find the simple twist that lets you sneer and reply, "I fooled you!" These little murders and other crimes hark back to old-fashioned whodunits--you don't need special police knowledge or have to engage in chases and fights. There's not even a complicated logic involved, just good use of your imagination. 96 pages, 12 b/w illus., 5 3/8 x 8 1/4.
- GenresMystery
Paperback
First published December 31, 1996
2 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Hy Conrad
46 books165 followersHY CONRAD has made a career out of murder, earning the 2022 Independent Press Award for Best Mystery (“The Fixer’s Daughter”) and 2022 NYC Big Book Awards for Best Mystery Series (“The Fixer’s Daughter,” “Sins of the Family”), a Scribe Award for Best Novel (“Mr. Monk Helps Himself”) and garnering three Edgar nominations from the Mystery Writers of America (for the “Monk” TV series). Along the way, he developed a horde of popular games and interactive films, hundreds of short stories and a dozen books of solvable mysteries, published in over 15 languages. Hy is best known for his eight seasons as writer/co-executive producer for the ground-breaking TV series, “Monk.” Other shows include “White Collar” and “The Good Cop.”
As a novelist, Hy authored the final four books in the Monk series, the Amy Travel Mysteries (“Toured to Death,” “Dearly Departed” and “Death on the Patagonian Express”) and the Callie McFee Mysteries (“The Fixer’s Daughter,” a Barnes & Noble bestseller and “Sins of the Family”).
In the world of theatre, his produced works consist of “Home Exchange” (a mystery), “Ta-Dah!” (a musical), and “Quarantine for Two” (a socially distanced dark comedy about the pandemic).
When he looks up from his keyboard, Hy sees either the hills of Vermont or the palm trees of Key West, depending on the time of year. He also sees Jeff Johnson, his partner of 43 years, now his husband, plus Nelson and Stella, the latest in a dynasty of mini-schnauzers.
www.hyconrad.com
Facebook: hyconrad
Instagram: hyconrad1
As a novelist, Hy authored the final four books in the Monk series, the Amy Travel Mysteries (“Toured to Death,” “Dearly Departed” and “Death on the Patagonian Express”) and the Callie McFee Mysteries (“The Fixer’s Daughter,” a Barnes & Noble bestseller and “Sins of the Family”).
In the world of theatre, his produced works consist of “Home Exchange” (a mystery), “Ta-Dah!” (a musical), and “Quarantine for Two” (a socially distanced dark comedy about the pandemic).
When he looks up from his keyboard, Hy sees either the hills of Vermont or the palm trees of Key West, depending on the time of year. He also sees Jeff Johnson, his partner of 43 years, now his husband, plus Nelson and Stella, the latest in a dynasty of mini-schnauzers.
www.hyconrad.com
Facebook: hyconrad
Instagram: hyconrad1
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 12, 2016
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11837352
I liked the idea behind this book, and the stories were actually pretty clever...but I think it missed on the delivery. It has a story and a part of the trial...then you have to find the story near the back for Jury deliberations, and then you have to find the story at the back for the verdict. I think it could have been better if all of the story was together...it got to be a pain to have to go searching.
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11837352
I liked the idea behind this book, and the stories were actually pretty clever...but I think it missed on the delivery. It has a story and a part of the trial...then you have to find the story near the back for Jury deliberations, and then you have to find the story at the back for the verdict. I think it could have been better if all of the story was together...it got to be a pain to have to go searching.
May 28, 2024
Solved most of them, I'm happy to say. My plans of morphing into a sexy Miss Marple are coming together nicely!
April 26, 2024
Great lateral puzzle style mini-mysteries (4.5 stars)
Hy Conrad has produced numerous books with mini-mysteries over the years, and the more challenging mysteries in this volume are among my favourites. It is a stand-alone sequel to another of his books, entitled Almost Perfect Crimes.
Like its predecessor, it contains a number of mysteries (in this case twelve), which are arranged in the style of court-cases, consisting of several parts:
1. Opening statement: each case begins with the prosecution's accusation, and basic background story.
2. Witnesses & evidence: typically this involves around five items giving you further information necessary to solve the mystery.
3. Jury deliberations: some initial analysis and conclusions.
4. Verdict: the solution of the case.
Essentially it's an exercise in lateral thinking; some subtle hints that point you in the right direction, but the cases are quite hard to solve, which makes them quite satisfying to try to unravel, or even entertaining just to read. I've used this book in several different ways, including just reading it for my own enjoyment, but also in a larger group, where we read the case and clues, and tried to solve it together, which was a great deal of fun - having more heads together produced more ideas and helped us come up with some of the solutions.
Some of the mysteries features some implausible or unlikely elements that made them much harder to solve and made them less satisfying, but overall, the cases are very well done and well thought out. Among my favourites in this volume are The Haunted House Murder, The Vanishing Verrocchio, No Brake for the Wearys, and Will-o'-the-Wisp (this is an easier one and good to start with).
You don't want to rush things; the first book recommends not doing more than one a day, and I agree - these are the kinds of mysteries best enjoyed if they are savoured. The arrangement of the material Whodunnit also makes it easier to use than Almost Perfect Crimes, but that title is also recommended.
Hy Conrad has produced numerous books with mini-mysteries over the years, and the more challenging mysteries in this volume are among my favourites. It is a stand-alone sequel to another of his books, entitled Almost Perfect Crimes.
Like its predecessor, it contains a number of mysteries (in this case twelve), which are arranged in the style of court-cases, consisting of several parts:
1. Opening statement: each case begins with the prosecution's accusation, and basic background story.
2. Witnesses & evidence: typically this involves around five items giving you further information necessary to solve the mystery.
3. Jury deliberations: some initial analysis and conclusions.
4. Verdict: the solution of the case.
Essentially it's an exercise in lateral thinking; some subtle hints that point you in the right direction, but the cases are quite hard to solve, which makes them quite satisfying to try to unravel, or even entertaining just to read. I've used this book in several different ways, including just reading it for my own enjoyment, but also in a larger group, where we read the case and clues, and tried to solve it together, which was a great deal of fun - having more heads together produced more ideas and helped us come up with some of the solutions.
Some of the mysteries features some implausible or unlikely elements that made them much harder to solve and made them less satisfying, but overall, the cases are very well done and well thought out. Among my favourites in this volume are The Haunted House Murder, The Vanishing Verrocchio, No Brake for the Wearys, and Will-o'-the-Wisp (this is an easier one and good to start with).
You don't want to rush things; the first book recommends not doing more than one a day, and I agree - these are the kinds of mysteries best enjoyed if they are savoured. The arrangement of the material Whodunnit also makes it easier to use than Almost Perfect Crimes, but that title is also recommended.
January 28, 2021
This was a buddy read with my husband <3
I read this before when I was a teenager and I was really into Whodunits. But it's been so long that I forgot all of the stories and it was So fun solving them all.! (Well not solving them because I was wrong 90% of the time lol)
I read this before when I was a teenager and I was really into Whodunits. But it's been so long that I forgot all of the stories and it was So fun solving them all.! (Well not solving them because I was wrong 90% of the time lol)
February 21, 2022
A fun read! I solved probably 3 out of 12 crimes.
June 12, 2024
apparently this guy wrote monk wtf
July 4, 2025
Clues are there to solve the crime but generally not obvious.
February 14, 2017
I feel like this one deserves 3.5 stars for me, but since that isn't an option, I rounded down on this one.
The mysteries are good, and I liked that they're framed as the court cases taking place after the crime has been handled by police. However, I didn't like how it was organized. The evidence being given after the fact that you have to pick through and the Jury Deliberations/Final Verdicts being in alphabetical order when the stories themselves were not was frustrating. Still, they were well written mysteries. I would also clarify which country's laws apply to this, because England and America have very different rules.
I'd feel comfortable recommending this to a friend, but in future editions I'd definitely recommend NOT alphabetizing things because you wind up catching glimpses of other answers for stories you haven't read yet.
The mysteries are good, and I liked that they're framed as the court cases taking place after the crime has been handled by police. However, I didn't like how it was organized. The evidence being given after the fact that you have to pick through and the Jury Deliberations/Final Verdicts being in alphabetical order when the stories themselves were not was frustrating. Still, they were well written mysteries. I would also clarify which country's laws apply to this, because England and America have very different rules.
I'd feel comfortable recommending this to a friend, but in future editions I'd definitely recommend NOT alphabetizing things because you wind up catching glimpses of other answers for stories you haven't read yet.
March 8, 2015
Read in Spanish
August 25, 2020
Cuentos cortos de suspenso que llevan a conjeturas y conclusiones por parte del lector.
November 7, 2016
Hah these were impossible and ridiculous. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews