The Library’s Murder Mystery Spring 2019: Clue!

The library hosted its annual Murder Mystery Event on Friday, March 29. This year’s theme was the classic board game Clue, and students definitely had their share of clues to decipher that were hidden throughout the library building! For people not familiar with the library’s murder mystery event, every year a theme is picked and the library opens its doors afterhours to students who have lined up to solve the mystery. Clues are scattered throughout the library and students have to use library resources to uncover who committed the murder, with what, and where!

Since this year’s theme was Clue, the library hosted a very sophisticated dinner party with delicious treats provided by Oak Leaf Catering. When the doors opened at 8 p.m. students were welcomed into a redesigned main floor. Furniture was moved to feature salon styled areas and students snacked on food as they interacted with our cast of suspects, I mean “characters.” There were the fabulous, and fabulously hilarious and haughty, Mrs. Peacock, played by Jean Rick, and Miss Scarlet played by alumna Jennifer Williams. Both ladies brought a lot of flair and feathers to the evening as they tossed their boas, and personalities, around. Professor Plum, played by Jake Vaccaro, and Mr. Green, played by Gabriele Cibelli brought an intellectual, and international, bent to the evening as they discussed current topics in Italian. On Mr. Green’s arm was the always social and fashionable Mrs. White played by alum Sam Cibelli. Last, but not least was Colonel Mustard, played by Jess Jackson, who ended up not only bragging about her big game kills, but also the killing of Mr. Boddy!

The students helped our investigator, Ms. Quinn Ostendarp, solve the mystery by following their clues that took them all over library. After about an hour, the first group finished their last clue and correctly solved the murder mystery! They got to pick out prizes from a table laid out with mugs that said, “She Believed She Could, So She Did” and notebooks adorned with flowers reading “Girl You Are a Boss.”

Along with the students, the night wouldn’t be possible, or as much fun, without everyone’s help.  Rounding out our cast of characters, Lina Chaarwari and Dean Laura Davidson took on the role of “maids”, but title of the role does not do them justice as they kept everything rolling along and helped to keep the host, yours truly, on task. Our new administrative assistant to the dean, Rachel Porter, took it all in for the first time and helped to hand out clues. Brian Thornburg added a wonderful and scary dynamic to the evening with music stylings of creepy noises placed strategically throughout the library to give everyone goosebumps.

Next year’s theme is Malice in Wonderland, since it’s an Alice year, and students were already expressing excitement of putting on their investigative caps again!

Photos by Quinn Ostendarp, library student worker