S7E11 Marco! Mayhem!

Mysteries to Die For

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.

I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.

This is Season 7, Games People Play. Games are about competition conducted according to rules with participants working toward a goal. Games are a part of every culture and are one of the oldest forms of social interaction and engagement. Games can be fun, challenging and exhilarating. They can also be intense, cutthroat, and lethal. This season, our authors have fashioned deadly games and unscrupulous villains to test your detection skills.

This is Episode 11, Marco Polo is the featured game. This is Marco Mayhem by Karina Bartow

PRE-ROLL

Today's author is Karina Bartow. “Marco! Mayhem!” is part of Karina’s Unde(a)feated Detective Series, which follows deaf detective, Minka Avery. Minka’s always striving to rise above her deafness—as well as her family’s antics—to crack the case. To catch up on the Avery family, check out Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, and Accidental Allies, available now. For further information on Karina and her books, visit KarinaBartow.com.

DELIBERATION

Minka needs our help to get Marco to his Polo. Here are the pool characters affiliated with Xavier Maccabbee:

• Hope, the girlfriend who kissed and made up with Xavier

• Clinton, pool manager and Hope’s ex who defended her

• Leon Fleming, bounty hunter who worked an alternate deal with Xavier

• TC, possibly Tanner Cowen, Xavier’s boss who wasn’t happy with Xavier’s work.

Here are the facts as Minka and her partner Cael know:

• Hope and Xavier went into the pool for a game of Marco Polo. In the middle of the game, Xavier left the pool and was later found dead in the pool shed from a blow to the head with a crank handle.

• The facility video showed something off camera drawing Xavier out of the pool. It also showed a male in a hoodie sneaking around, later leaving, taking Xavier’s car.

• Clinton defended his ex, Hope, when she argued with Xavier. He later spied on the couple when they were “making up” in the hot tub. Other than that, he was working.

• Clinton claims he had no linger affection for Hope. They had both moved on.

• Leon Fleming recognized Xavier as a skip and approached him to apprehend him. Xavier supposedly offered him a better pay day. A dead Xavier wasn’t worth any thing.

• TC made demands for Xavier to finish a job. The addresses in the text chain were locations where cars were stolen from.

Who should Minka and Cael set their sights on?

PRINT & E-BOOKS

A reminder to mystery readers, check out our print and e-books. The companion book for Seasons 4, 5 and 6 are available in e-book and trade paperback from online retailers. This season’s book is being released in two parts. Part one released in March 2024 and Part two in September. Buy one for you and one for a mystery lover you love. The dimes and quarters from books sales do support the podcast and keep Jack in tacos and headphones.

Season Anthologies on Amazon

ABOUT Marco Polo

Marco Polo, as you got from today’s story, is an aqua “blind man’s bluff” – the tag game, not the poker game. According to Wikipedia, the origin of the name isn’t known. It isn’t related to horse-and-ball game or the people-and-ball game. There isn’t any reported connection between the explorer Marco Polo – Venetian explorer, born 1254, died 1324. Intriquing, isn’t it? The land version, Blind’s Man Bluff, dates back to the 16th century. Playing in water was a natural I’m sure. The game was referenced by this name in a late 1960s survey asking respondents to name a water game. More than a few said “Marco Polo.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo_(game)

ABOUT Karina Bartow

KarinaBartow.com

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Accidental Allies, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

WRAP UP

That wraps this episode of Mysteries to Die For. Support our show by subscribing, telling a mystery lover about us, and giving us a five-star review. Check out our website TGWolff.com/Podcast for links to this season’s authors.

Mysteries to Die For is hosted by TG Wolff and Jack Wolff. Marco Mayhem was written by Karina Bartow. Music and production are by Jack Wolff. Episode art is by TG Wolff. Join us next week for a Toe Tag, which is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, or thriller genre. Then come back in two weeks for our next original story, A Tarotfying End by TG Wolff where tarot cards are the featured game