Mysteries Among Us #2

Welcome back to "Mysteries Among Us," one of our rotating Thursday features. In this feature, our sleuths share mysteries that have caught our attention or intrigued us recently. They could be mysteries we've uncovered in the news or heard about in our own communities. They could be mysteries from the past that continue to haunt us. Mysteries are everywhere! Maybe some of what we've found will spark ideas for fictional mysteries. We'd love to know what mysteries you've come across lately too!




Laura Ellen:  The Nazca Lines found in the Nazca Desert of Peru have always intrigued me. These lines were created between 400 and 650 AD by the Nazcan people, for unknown purposes. From the ground, the lines look like long roads, but from the air, the geometric shapes are unmistakeable. Many people have theorized on why and how these lines were created, but no one truly knows for sure.



Kristen Kittscher:  Unsolved or puzzling crimes always get me thinking. It seems I'm not alone. Hobby codebreakers have been especially fascinated by the case of Ricky McCormick, who in 1999 was found murdered in a field in St. Louis. The FBI's most promising clues were two encrypted notes found in McCormick's pocket. Even twelve years later, not a single person has been able to crack the codes. Maybe you'd like to try your hand?

Diana Renn:  In my town, an intriguing pedestrian walkway can take you beneath a bridge and railroad tracks. Its walls are completely covered with murals. There's a smattering of graffiti too, but the murals overpower it. They are beautiful in their raw designs, striking in their color choices, an unexpected vibrant splash hidden in a gray stone wall. And the art tunnel adds a dash of gritty, urban atmosphere in a quiet New England town. (I used the backdrop for part of my author photo shoot, and people thought I'd gone to NYC). High school students did the murals several years ago, I'm told. The mystery to me, though, is why there's never anyone in this tunnel. I find it peaceful. I go out of my way to pass through there and admire the pictures. You'd think kids would flock there to skip school or whatever. Nope. You only hear the echo of your own footsteps. Maybe our kids are just studious, or too engaged in extracurricular activities. Maybe there's a deeper reason. I don't want to know too much about the tunnel, because I prefer to let my imagination run wild every time I walk through alone.

Talia Vance:  I have an irrational fear of cruise ships.  It's partly because the idea of being out at sea with no land in sight terrifies me, but my paranoia is fueled by the occasional news story about people disappearing from ships in mysterious circumstances. In the middle of the high seas, there are no witnesses, no bodies to find, and often no explanation for a passenger's disappearance.  Do you know who you're cruising with?

What mysteries intrigue you??

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We are giving away a copy of COLD CASE autographed by Julia Platt Leonard! (Our Interrogation Room suspect interviewed 10/7/11). To enter the contest, simply comment on any of the Sleuths Spies and Alibis posts between Tuesday October 4 and Friday October 14. Contest closes October 14 at midnight, EST. The winner will be announced on Monday, October 17. One comment = one entry in our drawing; limit one per day. CONTEST CLOSES TOMORROW!!