Alas!: A Complete Mystery Novelette in 26 Installments

Alas Header

Introduction/Apologia

I wrote Alas! for the 2015 April A To Z Blogging Challenge.  Every day in April (save Sundays), over a thousand bloggers posted something for this challenge.  For more information, click here.

Every day in April, I dressed up as a different character in my story.  Each post (found in the Table of Contents below) includes at least one picture of me in costume, along with the latest installment of Alas!  Each installment is told (to some extent) from the point of view of the character in that day’s photograph.  I worked an average of 10 hours a day on Alas, every day, for the whole of April.  It was a lot of fun, in a way.  And I think the story is a lot of fun, too.  I hope you like it!

But the really vital question is:

Who Killed Lord Cadblister?

To find out, start with the Introduction in the Table of Contents below, and read on!

Table Of Contents (Click on a Chapter to read it! Click on a picture to look at that picture!)

Introduction

In Which The Great Theme is Revealed; Christmas Eve At Cadblister Hall;  Unhappy Families; Lord Cadblister Goes To The Meeting

Chapter One: The Aunt

The Aunt in FrameIn Which Aunt Theodolinda Wanders In A Snowstorm; She Meets Three Ghosts; Aunt Theodolinda Remembers Who She Isn’t

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Chapter Two: The Bastard

Bastard In FrameIn Which We Meet The Grudges; A Mother’s Appeal To Her Son; Randall Is Unmoved; A Key In The Lock; Conflagration!

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Chapter Three: The Constable

Constable in FrameIn Which Constable Wilkins Goes on Patrol; He Discourses Upon The Village Meeting; Sin In High Places; A Companion Upon The Road; A Warm Bed

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Chapter Four: The Doctor

The Doctor TitleIn Which Doctor Brandwood Receives a 3 A.M. Summons; He Finds A Body; Breaking The News To Lady Belinda

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Chapter Five: The English Rose

In Which Miss Verity Meadows Does Her Duty to Womankind; Mr. Grudge Asks A Question; Fisticuffs!; Organ Practice

English Rose

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Chapter Six: The Foreigner

The ForeignerMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Seven: The Gossip

The GossipMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Eight: The Heir

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Chapter Nine: The Inspector

The InspectorMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Ten: The Journalist

The JournalistMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Eleven: The Kitchen Maid

The Kitchen Maid

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Chapter Twelve: The Lady

The LadyMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - BordüreChapter Thirteen: The Murder Investigation

Murder Investigations Alt 2Muster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Fourteen: The Nephew

The NephewMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Fifteen: The Other Woman

The Other WomanMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Sixteen: The Postmistress

The PostmistressMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - BordüreChapter Seventeen: The Quarreling Couple

Quarreling CoupleMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Eighteen: Richard Crabtree

Richard CrabtreeMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Nineteen: The Sergeant

Sergeant MugMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Twenty: The Tomboy

The TomboyMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Twenty-One: The Unwilling Investigator

The Unwilling InvestigatorMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Vicar

The VicarMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - BordüreChapter Twenty-Three: The Witch

The WitchMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - BordüreChapter Twenty-Four: X, The Identity Of.

xMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Yeoman

Yeoman twoMuster 43e Vierarmiger Stern gestreckt - Bordüre

Chapter Twenty-Six: Zebadiah Sneakfork

Sneakfork

EXTRAS!!!!

Dramatis Personae

Ask Constable Wilkins: If you don’t remember who a particular character is, or have other questions about the facts of Alas!: A Complete Mystery Novelette in 26 Installments, why not ask Constable Wilkins?

 

 

 

A GALLERY OF ADDITIONAL CHARACTER PHOTOS

Map Of Cadblister Parva

Cadblister Parva Map

 

15 Comments

  1. I like the title you’ve chosen 🙂

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  4. I can’t begin to tell you how incredibly cool this is… !!!!

    • Melanie Atherton Allen

      Hello Natalie! My apologies for the belated reply; somehow I did not notice your comment until just now… I feel extra-silly about this, because I appreciate comments so much. Anyway: Thanks! And, sorry about the delay!

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  6. This looks amazing. How clever–like the old-style installments. I’m looking forward to more.

  7. I know this isn’t this years A to Z, but just had to say that I love the photos. they look like you had fun 🙂

  8. Ambitious series, Melanie. It shows much more preparation and planning than mine 🙂

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