h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yes, I noticed. When I rang the doorbell it was like the doorbell from "Murder By Death". Very confusing. But it's not that difficult to make something like that. Just have a random selecter item be connected to the bell. What at first seems like just a technical confusion may in fact be a simplistic masterpeice designed to confuse us.

Or perhaps the last doorbell repairman was a tad crazy.

Pleased to meet you too, Miss Lil. I'm surprised we haven't run into each other more often, as we seem to share so many aquaintances.

Yes, Mr. Wolf, I often stalk deer. I rarely catch them, however - they run a bit faster than I do. The challenge is in seeing how close I can get before they smell me. After a good curry, that's usually no better than about quarter of a mile...

*Stavro, to Peet*

I'm sorry, Master Peet, for not directing you earlier. Master NYC, if you would like to excuse yourself, I believe some more casual clothes have been laid out for you, as well. Some of the guest rooms are not yet ready, and therefore I would not encourage the entire gathering to investigate their rooms at present.

*Lord Reflection*

Stavro, this salad is wonderfull. Please send Monsieur Capote, the chef, my compliments. And bring some Dr. Pepper out for Master Afgncaap5. Is there anyone else who needs to make a dietary note?

Minos, I believe I saw "Murder by Death". Wasn't that the one with the spoofs on all the famous detectives?

Garius, thank you so much. I do enjoy getting dressed up for a special occasion.

"Murder by Death" is one of my favorites. Some of you may remember that a screening was held at Celery's party.

*sips the martini she brought to the table*

*UH, having been absent from the meal, enters hurriedly*

I'm sorry I'm late, but I couldn't find the dining room.

*He bows to the assembled comany, before sitting down*

Greetingage, UH.

Yes, "Murder By Death" is the movie that spoofs pretty much every one of the greatest detectives who would have been around at the time. Sam Diamond instead of Sam Spade, etc. Anyway, despite the doorbell and the bringing together of several people, I don't see that this is quite Murder By Death yet. As WM pointed out, so far it seems more like "Clue" than MBD.

*Sips the Dr. Pepper*

Thank you for the soda.

I liked the movie "Clue". If you see the TV or (non-widescreen) video release, watch the part where Tim Curry is explaining the plot near the end (or one of the ends, anyway ) - there's a very obvious boom microphone struggling to follow him around the hall which was cut out of shot in the cinema release...

[Peet - a question. How did you get that picture onto your page?]

*Wanders into the dining room*

Um hi..

The butler kinda left me in the lobby, erm, does anyone mind if i join you? Im starving. I may well work at Patel's Curry Palace, but i never get given any to eat myself...

*waits for a reply, gets none*

oh well i will take that as a yess

*pulls up a char*

*Reflection beckons to Stavro, Stavro walks over to Reflection, Reflection whispers in Stavros' ear, Stavro nods and walks over to the Curry Delivery Boy, and whispers in his ear. Stavro is tactfully explaining to the young man that if he stays much later than, say, dessert, there may be some, well, trouble. By way of further explaination, he motions to the centrepeice.*

*shunning the curry delivery boy* You are all evidently much more well-watched in the mystery movie genre than I am. But I have read quite a few mysteries and even belong to the book club. I think Minette Walters and Michael Dibdin are among my favourite authors.

*sips her muscadet*

Reflection: Well, if you haven't guessed yet, I'm an Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Connan Doyle man myself. Tell me a bit about your favorites, won't you Mme Lil?

Well, sure, if you want *traditional* detectives, sure. However, has Marples ever prevented the ghost of an alien from destroying all life on Earth? Has Holmes ever deduced why a couch could suspend itself in the middle of the walls of a staircase, despite the fact that it was mathematically impossible? Has Spade ever discovered the mysteries of a time machine? I'm not saying that they couldn't mind you, I'm just pointing out that there's no record they did.

I like Dirk Gentley and Nick Danger.

Affy, do I really look like I have a favorite detective to discuss?

I suppose my fondness is for the psychological thriller, the kind of thing Ellery Queen did so well. On one level there's the murder and the "procedural stuff", and on another level there is the dissection of the killer's mind.

Not that I shy away from straight procedurals. Ed McBain's 87th precinct, Laurence Block's ex-alcoholic detective, or the modest heroics of a Dick Francis protagonist -- I like them all.

Lord Reflection, why have you presented us with such a strange centrepiece? If you don't mind my asking? I was thinking perhaps you were commemmorating greate mystery stories, but I can think of none involving a mace!

[To Affy]
Dirk Gently is good, admittedly, but I prefer the works of Kinky Friedman, the singing Jewish Cowboy who writes detective stories about a fictional singing Jewish Cowboy called Kinky Friedman...

I can think of a Sherlock Holmes mystery that involved a mace. Or rather, a Wattson mystery.

It's actually a game released by Infocom, really. You play the role of Wattson, and because Sherlock deduces that whatever mastermind is behind the theft of the Crown Jewels has planned out everything that Holmes would do, Holmes instructs Wattson to solve the mystery for him.

In any event, a mace is the weapon used to smash open the display area where the Crown Jewels are kept. I believe it was a mace, wasn't it Affy?

*inclines her head civilly* I bow to your superior knowledge.

*to Peet* You bring up another kind of mystery that I enjoy reading. Those are the comedic or witty ones. Although he appears in the mystery section of the stores I frequent, I don't really think of Elmore Leonard as a mystery writer. Rather, he does crime fiction. I mention him because his characters are also damn funny.

I'm not familiar with comedic stories (other than the movies, Nick Danger, and Dirk Gentley). I still remember the first thing I heard Nick say:

"I was in my office, listening to the light rain go pitter-patter on my desk. It was a slow day, and the only thing to do was read my name on the glass window of the door to my office: regnaD kciN..."

Oh, and Minos, there was a mace in Sherlock and the Riddle of the Crown Jewels, but wasn't the mace used to open the tankard of ale?

*Thinks*

Wait, nevermind. It was used for both. You're right.