When you read this I will be in the woods east of Jackson, MS, working on my next Natchez Trace book. Wish you all were here!
Oh! Guess what?? Our Summer of Suspense may actually make the USA Today Best Seller list! Thank you all who have preordered! If you know anyone who loves Suspense who hasn’t preordered, I would be so happy if you steered them to this set. It’s only$.99 right now–sixteen stories by well-known suspense authors. Once it releases it will go to $9.99.
Now onto last week’s Mystery Question: Three of the following crime stories are true. One is false. Which one did I make up?
- Thieves stole $98,000 worth of ramen noodles from a trailer park which brings a couple of questions to mind. Why was there $98,000 dollars worth of the noodles in a trailer park? And just plain, why?
- A man caught his cousin stealing a bottle of Lysol and some soap, but when he saw that he’d stolen his cheese grater, he called the cops.
- It was Black Friday and only one parking spot was available. Just before the driver who had arrived first pulled into the spot, a small BMW sportscar whipped into the space. Instead of exchanging angry words, the driver who had his spot stolen waited until the other driver went into the mall. Then he hooked a chain to the bumper of the BMW and attached it to a concrete piling. Unfortunately, video was grainy and could not identify him.
- While an elderly man waited patiently in line for a free cheese sample in a grocery store, another man swaggered up and snatched his sample. When he did it a second time at another kiosk, the elderly man had had enough. Instead of brushing it off, angry words were exchanged and soon fists were thrown and the cops were called.
And believe it or not, #1 is true! I’m still trying to figure out why anyone would steal that many ramen noodles! And the story said it was a trailer park, Tim, so I’m taking them at their word. They must have had a storehouse there. And the one I made up is #3.
Now onto this week’s Mystery Question. Three of the following insurance scams really happened. One didn’t. I made it up. Can you guess which one?
- A man planned to fake his funeral and collect the $500,000 dollars. He involved his wife and a friend, but at the last minute, the wife and friend actually killed her husband and set it up to look like an accident. The insurance company paid off, but an insurance investigator smelled a mouse and dug into the case. The victim had bragged about scamming the insurance company to a drinking buddy and eventually the wife was arrested.
- This rock band wasn’t particularly successful but its members, unlike most starving musicians, weren’t prepared to suffer for their art. Instead for quick money, they decided to stage a car accident and deliberately inflicted vehicle damage in an underground garage, then they told a tale of pain and suffering that started the claim money rolling in. to the tune of more than $150,000. Then, their music career took a sudden upward turn when they scored a great gig. And therein lay the problem. Some of their claims coincided with their music gigs where they were jumping up and down on stage.
- Maybe Joe (not his real name) was jealous of the checks his friend was receiving or maybe he simply saw an opportunity. Either way, his scheme was inspired by his friend’s car accident and the prospect of a claims payout for himself as well. Joe declared that he, too, had been in the car, filed a claim and began receiving checks. It all seemed to be going well until the driver of the other car involved in the collision pointed out to investigators that no one matching Joe’s description was in the friend’s car.
- An adjuster interviewed a man at his house on a routine stolen boat claim. The insured said his 21-foot vessel was stolen from his locked garage. It didn’t take a high-tech tool to discover this fraud with just a measuring tape: The garage was only 18 feet long.
Okay, Mystery Sleuths, which claim did I make up? Leave your answer in the comments and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library or a coloring book.
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Comments 48
3. What crazy stories!
Author
Yes, Mindy, they are crazy and three of them are true! We’ll see next week if it’s #3.
I think it’s number three. I have to laugh at myself because my attempts at reasoning never seem to work well on these things, but here I go again. I think you made up number three because you wrote that one in a different style prose than the others.
Author
I agree, Priscilla–reasoning doesn’t always work. We’ll see if it’s #3 next week. Thanks for stopping by.
I think number 3.
Author
Another one for #3. Thanks for dropping by, Monique!
Going with #2
Author
We’ll see, Rosalyn, we’ll see. Thanks for commenting.
I’m going with #2.
Author
We’ll see, Carole…#2 seems popular. Thanks for stopping by!
I think it’s #3
Author
We’ll see, Mary. Thanks for stopping by!
I think #4 🙂
Author
Three and four seem to have the most votes. We’ll see, Diane. Thanks for commenting!
Wow, these are tough ones, Pat. I’m going to say it’s #1. It’s a nice, elaborate plot worthy of a short story. I was torn between that and #3, but 3 really sounded like something easy enough to pull off, and someone dumb enough to think he could do it.
Author
I like your reasoning, Tim. We’ll see next week how well it works. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
These are wonderful and I want them all to be true (in a weird sort of way). While I doubt you’d use #3 two weeks in a row, that’s my choice this time. Great job, as always!
Author
We’ll see, Delores. And I might be diabolical enough to use the same number twice in a row! lol
I’ll say 3. Best of luck in writing that book we are waiting for!
Author
Jackie, our brainstorming session was awesome! I came away with many of the plot points fleshed out. Thanks for stopping by.
I’ll say you made up #2
Author
We’ll see, Alicia. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Pat, regarding #1 last week, I just think the driver lived in a trailer park and probably had a place there that was large enough to park a tractor-trailer. On to this week, I think #1 is “made up” because there seem to be some things that don’t “add up.” Where were the police? Didn’t they investigate the “accident?” Why was the wife the only one to be arrested if she and the friend pulled off the job? I think I smell a rat in this one.
Author
So the two men in the group think it’s #1. We’ll see how well your logical deductions work next week, Edward. Thanks for stopping by!
#2
Author
We’ll see, Jeanna. Thanks for commenting.
I’ll go with #4. They are all crazy .
Author
They are all crazy, aren’t they, Paula. We’ll see next week if it’s #4. Thanks for dropping in.
#3
Author
Three is a very popular answer, Patricia. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. We’ll see how it turns out next week!
I am going with #2 this week.
Author
The answers are all over the board this week, Gloria! Thanks for stopping by. We’ll see if it’s #2 next week.
#3 just sounds too crazy to be true!
Author
It does sound crazy, doesn’t it, Shelia. I never cease to be amazed at how crazy some people are. We’ll see next week if it’s true or false. Thanksf or stopping by!
#1 is false.
Author
You’ve joined the men, Caryl. We’ll see how well you three do next week. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Love these quizzes! And, CONGRATS on USA Today bestseller list!
Author
Thanks, Julie. We haven’t made it yet, but it’s looking good! I made the USA Today Best Seller list for THE GINGERBREAD PONY. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
My guess is #2
Author
We’ll see, Sarah! Thanks for stopping by.
#4
Author
Hey Jessica! Missed seeing you here. 🙂 We’ll see if it’s #4 next week.
I’ll guess 2 this time!
Author
We’ll see, Joan! Thanks for stopping by!
Mr. Random says #3 this week, we’ll see if he’s right 🙂
Somehow I missed commenting on last Tuesday’s post, not sure what I was doing to miss it. Maybe my nose was in a good book or something 🙂 I love this guessing games, it makes you think 😉
Author
Love it, Trixi! Missed you last week. And we’ll see if Mr. Random is correct on Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m gonna have to stick with the guys and with #1
Author
Welcome to my blog, Clay. I will say #1 is in the minority…but we’ll see next week who is correct. Thanks for visiting and commenting!