At the 10th Annual Mystery Writers’ Conference, it’s not just creative juices that are flowing – it’s blood. Red herrings and plot twists leave these authors sorting fact from fiction when one of their own is found dead.
The discovery of literary agent Margaret Rush’s body provides them with a perfect opportunity to apply their skills of deduction to a real case. With the scant police force waylaid by inclement weather, and the writers stranded in a remote lodge with an all-too-dead corpse, three teams – the Whodunits, the Lawyers and the Dicks – compete to see who can solve the case first.
Theories pile up as the teams search for clues. There is no lack of suspects; after all, most of the writers can kill off a character before breakfast, and they literally know how to get away with murder. As for motive, possibilities abound – the agent had offended more than a few in the crowd. The Whodunits, led by writer Kaye Crimson, are sure they’ve got things figured out, but when their number one suspect is found dead, they’re back to square one.
In the meantime, Kaye unearths a hideous secret from Margaret’s past and deduces that a woman has come to the conference to heap revenge upon her – but who is she? It is only when Tamara Flaherty’s report does not appear on the evening news as she claimed it would that Kaye makes the connection.
In the final scene, Tamara has set her sights on Mitchell Best, Kaye’s friend and literary agent, and, as it turns out, Tamara’s birth father. Armed with a knife and a gun, she’s a formidable threat. Kaye manages to get the upper hand, but in an unexpected turn of events, Mitchell turns a gun on her. In a struggle, Kaye snatches it up, takes aim and fires.
The wounded Tamara faints dead away, and Mitchell confesses that he simply could not shoot his new-found daughter. Kaye and Mitchell comfort each other as sirens and flashing lights come closer. The police have finally arrived.
Murder, Anonymous delivers the suspense, rivalry and black comedy of a classic mystery.
Performed by Theatre Ancaster's Classics Company (a programme for senior adults 55+ of age) in 2023, Ancaster, Ontario.
Reading performed by VOS Theatre Company in Cobourg, Ontario, October 2024.
Keywords: Murder mystery game, writers
Genre: Mystery
Acts: 2
Run time: 80 minutes
Content notes: Some swearing, murder, contact with birth mother/father. Also contains loud noises - gunshot, sirens
Cast size: 16 actors
Male roles: 4
Female roles: 10
Casting notes: The roles of Tamara, Tannie, Sheila, Kaye & Margaret must be female. The roles of Carter, Dillon and Mitchell must be male. All other roles are non-gender-specific so they can be cast as needed with just a name change.