We re-opened the Newcastle Library at 6pm on a Saturday in late October to host a special murder mystery event! After arriving, our well-dressed guests hung up their coats and enjoyed some cheese, chocolates, and other light refreshments while they sized up each other. Outside, autumn wind and darkness helped create the right mood for a murder. Four actors from the Murder Mystery Company set the stage and helped transform the library into the grand estate of Sir Warren Peace. Detective Ness, Sleazy McQueen, and a hired maid named Ooh La La then helped some of our guests get into costume and become suspects!
There were some exceptional performances from Newcastle residents who really got into character, making the night even more fun for all. As unexpected events took place and clues were revealed, everyone shared theories about the murderer’s identity. Library staff were even unwittingly involved in the staged murder of one of the suspects. One of our guests got a phone call while Detective Ness was questioning everyone, and in a hilarious moment told the man’s son that he would have to call back because his father was a murder suspect! Thankfully, he immediately clarified that it was not a real situation.
By the end of the night, almost every section of the library played host to the kind of drama that normally can only be found on the pages of the books in our collection. Everyone who attended said that they would come back to the library for this kind of event again.
