01
Open the file.
Enter the story and follow the connected acts. Meet the people, explore the setting and examine the exhibits as they arrive.
YOUR FIRST INVESTIGATION
You bring the curiosity.
The book brings the case.
Settle in with a pencil and time to look.
Read at your pace. Play solo or compare notes with others.
HOW YOU PLAY
Read less like a reader.
Think like a detective.
No app to unlock. No outside research.
Just the book, a pencil and your attention.
02
Make the connections.
Compare statements with records. Trace routes and timelines. At each checkpoint, write what you believe—and the evidence that supports it.
03
Finish the investigation.
Identify the killer, test your strongest alternative and complete your report. For Case Zero, open the online resolution after finishing. Future paid books place the final solution at the very end.
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A little stuck? Progressive hints are available with a free verified account. Our hints directory lets you reveal just one at a time.
THE DETECTIVE’S HABITS
Let the records
do the talking.
A statement is a claim. A record is a source. Your job is to work out what each can support.
Find your investigationDo I need any outside tools?
No internet research, app, specialist knowledge, cutting or folding is required. All necessary evidence is in the book. A pencil and somewhere to make notes are enough.
How do the acts and checkpoints work?
Follow the acts in order. Within the act you are reading, compare exhibits freely and return to earlier records whenever you need. At a checkpoint, write your conclusion and the exhibit IDs that support it before continuing.
What if I get stuck?
Write down the exact question you cannot answer. Revisit the relevant sources, then use an optional hint if needed. Sign in to your free account, then in Hints & answers choose your case and checkpoint. Start at level one and stop when you can continue.
Do images contain extra hidden clues?
Atmospheric illustrations establish the setting. Captioned exhibits tell you what an observation establishes, while schematic plans control the routes. You do not need to discover unmentioned microscopic details in the artwork.
How do I know I have finished?
A name alone is not a complete investigation. Explain who was responsible, how the evidence supports your reconstruction and why the strongest alternative fails. Finish your report before opening the resolution.
HELP WITHOUT GIVING IT ALL AWAY
Just enough
to keep going.
Find progressive hints organized by case and checkpoint.
Find hints for your case