The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

First hand completed? :D

Current Standing
Points: 975
Ranking: 1
Hands Complete: 1

Cards to be filled:
4 Green
8 Yellow
1 - 2
2 - 6
3 - 3
4 - 3
5 - 7
6 - 3
7 - 2
8 - 2
9 - 3
Skip - 3

This is a great start, keep those books coming 😊

Amazing work everyone! I'm still on my first book, my school week was a lot more busy than I expected but I hope I can finish it this weekend.

It's a Crime! February Mini Challenge

It consists of two parts: first we have to complete the tasks and then we have a crime to solve :-)

◈ Books can be started at any point since the start of the UNO challenge (Feb 1)
◈ Books need to be read after the start of this mini challenge on February 14, 7pm AEDST (Countdown) and before March 1 at 7pm AEDST (Countdown)
◈ Each book may be used for one UNO Card and for one task/letter in the mini challenge
◈ The usual book length rules apply
◈ For each task/letter we will receive 10 points.


Tasks
1. Read a book with a housekeeper, maid or servant in the story
2. Read a book where the main character works in the medical field
3. Read a book tagged MPG science
4. Read a book where a murder occurs
5. Read a book tagged MPG mystery
6. Read a book based in Sweden or by a Swedish author
7. Read a book with an alliterative title

Spell-it-outs
Livingston ESQ
Attending Nurse
Forensics

Spell-it-out rules
For this mini-challenge, you are using the same rules that apply for UNO. So a letter needs to be the first letter in the book title, author first name or surname, character name or nickname, or setting. Articles (a/an/the) can be ignored in the book titles. For this spell-it-out, you can also use the first letter in the series name.

The book I'm Reading at the moment, Royally Matched, has servants in the story.

Looks like a fun mini challenge :)

Tina wrote: "The book I'm Reading at the moment, Royally Matched, has servants in the story."

Perfect

February Mini Challenge Tracking
Tasks

1. Read a book with a housekeeper, maid or servant in the story

2. Read a book where the main character works in the medical field

3. Read a book tagged MPG science

4. Read a book where a murder occurs

5. Read a book tagged MPG mystery

6. Read a book based in Sweden or by a Swedish author

7. Read a book with an alliterative title

February Mini Challenge - Tracking
Spell- It - Out
• Livingston Esq (13)

• Attending Nurse (14)

•Forensics (9)

A - 1
C - 1
D - 1
E - 4
F - 1
G - 2
I - 4
L - 1
N - 6
O - 2
Q - 1
R - 2
S - 5
T - 3
U - 1

February Mini Challenge - Tracking
The Mystery

◈ BONUS 50 points: Solve our original mystery "The Corpulent Corpse"
To solve, your team must first complete all tasks and spell-it-outs on the spreadsheet. Then the captain / co-captain needs to PM the Pixie account with answers to the following questions (don't forget to include your team name!!):
- Who killed Faustus Dutton?
- How was it done?
- What was it about the killer that gave him or her away?
Your team get up to three guesses

Story - The Corpulent Corpse
~writer unknown~

Donna Livingston, Esq., rushed into Detective Tubert’s office like a charging bull. “I know. I’m late.” She plopped herself on his torn leather chair. “Elaine Dutton was an hour late dropping the letter off at my office. Some sort of evening gown emergency… she’s a seamstress, you know.”

“Donna Livingston, I presume.”

“Gosh, I never heard that one before.” Tubert felt foolish as she pulled an envelope from her purse.

“It’s been a year since their father’s death,” said Tubert.

“Why did it take so long for this letter to surface?”

“The day Faustus Dutton died, his three kids started fighting over how to split up his autograph collection, which is probably worth about $25 million.”

Tubert whistled. “What’d he have? A posthumous Elvis?”

“A love letter from George Washington to Martha, an original Beethoven score, an alleged Shakespeare poem, a smattering of Kings and Czars… that sort of thing.”

Tubert whistled again.

“One of them wants to sell the collection immediately,” she continued, “another insists it’ll double in value if they hold onto it for a few years, and the third one doesn’t want to sell the it at all. And of course they’ve all got favorites they want to keep as mementos.

“As the executor, I’ve been trying to work out a solution ever since. In the meantime, they decided to padlock his room and give me the key for safekeeping to make sure none of them could slip anything out of the collection until matters were settled.

Yesterday, they finally came to an agreement. When we opened the room to retrieve the collection, I found this letter in his desk.”

Tubert pulled the folded page from its envelope. “To Whom It May Concern,” it began in a jagged scrawl, “In the event of my death, I, Faustus Dutton, hereby formally request a police investigation. The reason for this is simple: I know that one of my children murdered me.”

Tubert looked up. “You think this is true?”

“His kids do. They just don’t know which one of them did it, so they asked me to turn the matter over to the police.” After a year, Tubert knew the trail would be colder than an Eskimo’s sole, but the dead man’s plea intrigued him. “I guess we’ll have to exhume the body.”

Tubert lifted the heavy bronze knocker on the massive oak door and let it drop.

Donna answered. “Welcome to Dutton Manor.”

She waved him into an enormous foyer and led him into a two-story library where he found two men and a woman waiting.

“Lieutenant Tubert, allow me to introduce my clients,” she said, “Sam, Jack and Elaine.”

Tubert made the rounds to shake hands, noting that the siblings were sitting as far from each other as possible. There was no love lost in this family.

“We were so pleased that you decided to dig up the body,” said Elaine. I know Daddy’s letter was bizarre, and the police are so busy…”

“Cut the crap, Elaine.” Jack said impatiently.

“No need to get snippy,” she chided.

Sam interrupted, “Can we just get on with it?” Tubert was only too happy to.

“I called this meeting because the autopsy results came back last night and confirmed your father’s fears: he was murdered.”

The three siblings exchanged glances.

“The body was significantly decomposed,” Tubert continued, “but they were still able find evidence of succinylcholine.”

“Succi-what?” asked Donna.”It’s like a synthetic curare,” said Sam, “paralyzes the muscles. We use it in anesthesia.”

“Sam’s an ICU nurse,” explained Elaine.

“Which makes Sam the only one with access to the stuff, eh nursie?” Jack sniggered.

“It’s not a controlled substance like narcotics are,” interjected Tubert. “Someone motivated enough to commit murder wouldn’t have much trouble lifting the stuff from a hospital.”

Sam pounced on this: “Especially someone with a history of shoplifting like Jack.”

“I was a teenager, for chrissake.”

“I hate to interrupt the lovefest,” said Tubert, “but I’d like to see where your father died.”

They mounted the stairs to the fourth floor.

“This was Faustus’ bedroom,” said Donna. “It’s been locked since the police broke in except for when we came in to get the collection and found the letter.”

She took a key out of her purse and unlocked a massive padlock that sealed the room. As she swung open the door, she said “They found him in bed, on his back. It looked just like a heart attack — he had a history of angina.”

Tubert surveyed the room. It was octagonal in shape, with windows looking out in all directions, not only locked but double- bolted.

He checked for signs of tampering on the windows. He rummaged through the bedside drawers. He knelt and examined the bed, lifting the sheets to check the mattress. He looked through the dresser and the closet. He stood on a chair to check the swag lamp hanging over the bed. Nothing unusual anywhere.

Turning to examine the door, Tubert saw three arrays of splintered holes on the doorjamb.

“There used to be three deadbolts there,” explained Donna.

“The police had to use a battering ram to get in.”

“Daddy locked himself in every night,” said Elaine.

“Bastard didn’t even trust his own kids,” Jack muttered.

“He apparently had good reason,” remarked Tubert.

“What was it?” “Money. What else?” said Jack.

Elaine explained, “The Friday before he died, Daddy told us he was going to Donna’s office on Monday to give his entire autograph collection to The Smithsonian.”

“We all knew he’d been thinking about it,” added Sam, “but this was the first time he’d actually told us he was going to do it.”

Jack scowled bitterly. “Just like the old weasel to tell us before he did it so he could watch us beg for our inheritance.” “So someone tried to stop him by slipping the poison into his food that weekend?” Donna asked.

Tubert shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Succinylcholine is poorly absorbed in the intestines. Someone had to inject it. Depending on the dose, death could have occurred within seconds.”

“But that’s impossible!” said Denny. “How could someone have done that if the room was securely locked from the inside?” “That’s the question, isn’t it?” replied Tubert. “But I’m pretty sure I know who did it and how. And a simple search will prove it.”

woah :O
I will have to read that when my brain isn't half dead xD

Is it right that we can use books that we have started reading before the 14th?

DoodlePanda wrote: "woah :O
I will have to read that when my brain isn't half dead xD

Is it right that we can use books that we have started reading before the 14th?"
Yes, you can use books that you have started after February 1st.

Thats good! Looks like an interesting challenge! :D

Should we all read the mystery and come with suggestions, then we can compare and see if we all have the same result?

So as to get a chance to solve the mystery we need to complete the tasks and spell-outs. We can get up to 3 extra clues for completing tasks.

If you are able to read for any of the tasks let us know.

I can cover task 2 with The Doctor's Christmas Proposal and task 7 Killer Karaoke

What even is MPG science?

MPG Science are non-fiction books where Science shows on the main book page.

This link may help Books tagged Science

I'll read for task 6: Read a book based in Sweden or by a Swedish author

Louise wrote: "MPG Science are non-fiction books where Science shows on the main book page.

This link may help Books tagged Science"

Ah ok, thanks!

February mini challenge has begun, all books finished from this point on count.

So how does this mini challenge work? Do we do the spell-it-out as individuals or as a team?

As a team, when you post your books please also include if it fits 1 of the 7 tasks, and the letters it Works for.

Sorry, I've been slow in posting my last couple of reads, it's been a crazy week...

Should I edit my Thursday books read post (The Princess Diaries) to include letters/tasks from the mini challenge?

Carlie wrote: "Should I edit my Thursday books read post (The Princess Diaries) to include letters/tasks from the mini challenge?"

No it's fine, if you can include for future posts :)

Current Standing
Points: 2030
Ranking: 2
Hands Complete: 10

Cards to be filled:
4 Green
8 Yellow
2 - 2
5 - 1
6 - 1
Wild - 1 (to fit 6,8,9 or skip)

Mini Challenge
Not claimed:
Book tagged MPG Science
Book where a murder occurs
Book tagged MPG Mystery

Update is posted, we have nearly completed our main hands. If you are able to cover any of the coloured cards remaining or mini-challenge task cards let us know.

Nikki how is your book coming on 😊

Is it still murder if you kill someone in self-defense?

Unfortunately not, Murder is defined as a premeditated killung of another.

Louise wrote: "Unfortunately not, Murder is defined as a premeditated killung of another."

Thats what I thought

Louise wrote: "Nikki how is your book coming on 😊"

Should be finished today! I've had such a busy time in school, my days were super long so I was all out of energy by the end of the day. But I've read little bits here and there and it's another 50 pages and then it's finally finished. Good thing I have a week break now, so I'm aiming to finish another 2 books during this time!

Great stuff

would work for 8 Yellow?
I could try to read that if it does :)

Yes it's set in London and Yorkshire so would work for England. Would also cover the MPG Mystery in the mini challenge. :)

Reading for green 4

Louise wrote: "Yes it's set in London and Yorkshire so would work for England. Would also cover the MPG Mystery in the mini challenge. :)"

Cool, I'll start it tonight then :)

Current Standing
Points: 2315
Ranking: 2
Hands Complete: 13

Cards to be filled:

8 Yellow - Doodlepanda


Mini Challenge
Not claimed:
Book tagged MPG Science
Book where a murder occurs
Book tagged MPG Mystery

Letters Needed:
• LIVINGSTON ESQ:
I, Q

• ATTENDING NURSE:
T*2, E, N*3, G, U, R, S

• FORENSICS
R, E, N, S*2, I, C

I guess I can claim the MPG Mystery if The Monastery Murders counts :)

I got back in town yesterday evening from vacation. I didn't get a chance to read much at all (maybe like 30 pages) during the trip. Read most of a book when I returned (it's a good one!), so am still in catch-up mode.

I can read for MPG Science and for the letter Q.

Current Standing
Points: 2415
Ranking: 3
Hands Complete: 13

Cards to be filled:

8 Yellow - Doodlepanda


Mini Challenge

Book tagged MPG Science - Rina
Book tagged MPG Mystery - DoodlePanda

Letters Needed:
• LIVINGSTON ESQ:
I, Q (Rina)

• ATTENDING NURSE:
D, I, N, U, R

• FORENSICS
R, E, N, S, I

8 days remaining until end of round.

At the moment I'm reading Heart-Shaped Hack which will work for the following letters:
G - author
I - character Ian
T - author

In case you want to know the letters we can already cover when planning what to read next.

Great Tina, I'll earmark, this for I

I'm currently reading the Handmaid's Tale and from what I've read so far, I have characters covering D, N, R, E and S from the letters left above.
If I find any other characters that fit more letters, I'll let you know.

If I don't finish a book I'm currently reading until March it can count on the March challenge, right? I don't think it works on any of the letters left on this months challenge.

That's right

I guess we can ask for clues to the mystery story now?

moved to group