Book #81: Clue #11: Death By Candlelight by A.E. Parker
A.E. Parker
Released: December 1st, 1995
My 24th book for 2025 was A.E. Parker's “Clue #11: Death By Candlelight”.
General Summary:
Here's something I'll bet you didn't know, there were a series of books written back in the mid-1990's about the Parker Brother's game Clue. I grew up loving the Clue books. They were set up in a similar manner to Encyclopedia Brown. You would have an introduction where Mr. Boddy would introduce himself and welcome you to the mansion. With the exception of the first book, he would typically explain how he survived death in the previous book. He would then go on to introduce each of the 6 guests (including his maid). Usually this would segway into the first chapter by a loud crashing noise, or some other startling interruption. Readers are treated to 10-13 mysteries per book, and each chapter was a different story. At the end of each chapter, you were given either a Clue list (just like the ones used in the game) or a different format depending on the nature of the mystery.
Way back in Fall 1997, I discovered these books at the Summitview Elementary School library when I was in 3rd grade. They have provided countless hours of entertainment and are great rereads when looking for something to do.
I think the thing I love the most about these books are how it expands upon the story. Biographies aside, the other things I truly enjoy reading are books based on other classic franchises.
Originally, there were only 16 books, but 2 more were published in later years before they finally stopped. There was also a side series known as "Clue Jr.", but I never got into that series. The first 4 books are in the classic 80's illustration of the board game. Book #5 starts the new illustrations based on the 1990's version.
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Book #11 was a solid entry into the series
This was one of the later entries in the series. I got this one off Amazon years ago. It took me a while to find it. I believe I had seen it several times in some book stores before I finally picked it up.
In this book, we see a white elephant sale, the testing of a new security system, a popcorn mystery, a valuable bowl of fruit, a competition to build a fence, a radio drama, a midnight snack murder, a mystery involving various hats, a swimming mystery and a competition to be named Mr. Boddy's beneficiary.
This book features so unique new tales, and showcases some new ways to figure out mysteries other than "who murdered who?"
My favorite mysteries were Creature Features, I'm So Board!, and Saved By The Radio.
In Creature Features, a storm has hit Little Falls, and all the guests are stranded at the mansion with Mr. Boddy. Anticipating this, Mr. Boddy has taken the liberty of renting his favorite monster horror movies from the local video shop. [Blogger's Note: Depending on your age, you may not recall this, but back in the 1980's and 1990's, people would go to stores to rent movies for a period of several days to one week.] While eating some popcorn, Mr. Boddy's gold pocket watch falls into a bowl. The mystery then revolves around who saw it happen, and who ends up with it as the bowls are shuffled around.
In I'm So Board!, Mr. Boddy requests help in building a security fence around the grounds of the mansion. The guests complete against one another to see who can nail up the most boards in the alotted time.
In Saved By The Radio, Mr. Boddy is playing his antique radio, and we determine who stole the valuable by their choice of what they prefer listening to.
Creature Features and Saved By The Radio hold special meaning in my heart because it combines my love of movies with my love of radio. I have loved horror movies (specifically slashers) since I was a teenager, and my love for radio extends back to childhood when I would listen to my favorite disc jockeys, before becoming one myself for 6.5 years.
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I'm intrigued by some of the personality traits of the characters, so here is my running counter of reoccurring traits of Colonel Mustard's Duels, Professor Plum's forgetfulness, and Mrs. Peacock's manner rules. I will also include unique features around the Boddy Mansion.
Mustard's Duel Challenges - 11 (82 Overall):
1. (Mr. Boddy) For not having a good motive for asking the guests to join him in the garage.
2. (Mrs. White) For not handing over the elephant.
3. (Mr. Boddy) For installing a security system.
4. (Mr. Green) For suggesting his home movies of Thanksgiving with his family are "creature features".
5. (Mr. Green) For deceiving him.
6. (Mr. Boddy) For locking away all of his valuables from the guests.
7. (Mr. Boddy) For calling him boring.
8. (Mr. Boddy) For allowing bad food to be served at his mansion.
9. (Mr. Green) For not giving him a book he wanted to read.
10. (Mr. Boddy) For not revealing what is underneath his hat.
11. (Mr. Boddy) For spreading lies.
Plum's Forgetfulness - 14 (110 Overall):
1. Forgot where he left his keys.
2. Forgot where he left his wallet.
3. Forgot where he left his eyeglasses.
4. Forgot where he left his shoes.
5. Forgot where he was.
6. Forgot he had other plans.
7. Forgot where he leaves things.
8. Forgot when the last blizzard was.
9. Forgot the last time he had such a shock.
10. Forgot the last time he did not have such a shock.
11. Forgot what he came to the Lounge for.
12. Forgot where he put his tool belt.
13. Forgot where he put his hammer.
14. Forgot why he should be named beneficiary over the other guests.
Peacock's Manners - 24 (101 Overall):
1. Believes one should apologize for sneezing, even when alone.
2. Sent herself to bed without supper for thinking rude thoughts.
3. Believes it is rude to keep one's guests waiting in the cold.
4. Believes asking guests to join you in the garage is a bad show of manners.
5. Believes it is polite to help a friend.
6. Thinks monsters are rude.
7. Believes the proper thing to do during a horror movie is to close your eyes during the scary parts.
8. Finds it proper of Mr. Green to offer to get more popcorn.
9. Believes a gentlemen keeps his word.
10. Believes fruit and cheese are the only proper dessert.
11. Finds Mrs. White rude for scaring her.
12. Finds Mr. Boddy rude for calling her boring.
13. Finds nothing improper about building a fence.
14. Believes it is rude to bump into someone and not apologize.
15. Believes Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll are rude.
16. Finds the dinner theme of animal body parts to be rude.
17. Believes it is poor manners to raid the refrigerator.
18. Believes it is rude to blame their host for the weather.
19. Believes a proper lady never sweats.
20. Believes it is uncivilized to see others in bathing suits.
21. Finds Miss Scarlet rude for suggesting she is older than water.
22. Believes splashing is a show of bad manners.
23. Believes the only proper thing to do off a diving board is the swan dive.
24. Believes it is bad manners to insult your guests without proof.
Unique features on the grounds of the Boddy Mansion - 12 (42 Overall):
1. Bullet-proof Long Johns.
2. A 12-car Garage.
3. An antique marble elephant with a chipped trunk.
4. A computerized security system.
5. A solid gold coin, retrieved from the wreck of a 17th Century Spanish ship.
6. Several prized suits of armor.
7. A silver bowl of custom fruit sculptures by artist Honey Dew.
8. Gold-handled dueling pistols.
9. An antique radio.
10. Hats that once belonged to a host of historical people.
11. An Olympic-sized swimming pool.
12. A revolver with a silencer.
Cover Counter:
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As I give the information I learned from the book, I will do it by chapter read. This novel contains the following mysteries:
Allow Me To Introduce Myself...
1. The White Elephant Murder
2. Boddy's Byte
3. Creature Features
4. The Fake Fruit Frolic
5. I'm So Board!
6. Saved By The Radio
7. The Midnight Snack Death
8. Hats Off!
9. In The Swim
10. Death By Candlelight
Here is what I learned:
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- For Zachary Harris Simko.
- Mr. Boddy wears bullet-proof long johns.
- Mr. Green has cheated and robbed every last one of his peers.
- Mr. Green’s 3 favorite colors are Green, Gold, and Silver.
- Mrs. Peacock apologizes for sneezing even when alone.
- Mrs. Peacock once sent herself to bed without supper for thinking rude thoughts.
- Professor Plum forgot where he left his keys.
- Professor Plum forgot where he left his wallet.
- Professor Plum forgot where he left his eyeglasses.
- Professor Plum forgot where he left his shoes.
- Professor Plum once misplaced himself.
- Miss Scarlet has never met a mirror she didn’t like.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is very rude to keep one’s guests waiting in the cold.
- The Body Mansion features a 12-car garage.
- Professor Plum does not know the difference between a spark plug and a fan belt. [Blogger’s Note: A Spark Plug is an engine component that ignites the air fuel mixture to create combustion, which powers the engine. A fan belt is a component that transfers power from the engine’s crankshaft to various accessories like the alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor.]
- Mrs. Peacock believes asking guests to join you in the garage is a bad show of manners.
- Colonel Mustard threatens to challenge Mr. Boddy to a duel if he doesn’t have a good motive for asking them to join him in the garage.
- A white elephant sale is a junk sale.
- Professor Plum forgot he had other plans.
- Boddy Mansion: A valuable old marble elephant with a chipped trunk.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is polite to help a friend.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mrs. White to a duel for not handing over the elephant.
- Professor Plum forgot where he leaves things.
- Boddy Mansion: a computerized security system.
- Colonel Mustard nearly challenges Mr. Boddy to a duel for installing a security system.
- Boddy Mansion: a solid gold coin retrieved from the wreck of a seventeenth century Spanish ship.
- Boddy Mansion: A prized suit of armor.
- Professor Plum cannot remember when the last blizzard was.
- Colonel Mustard likes War movies.
- Miss Scarlet likes Romance movies.
- Mr. Green likes rags-to-riches movies.
- Mrs. Peacock likes old fashioned movies.
- Professor Plum likes Musicals.
- Mr. Boddy likes scary monsters movies.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Green to a duel for suggesting his home movies of Thanksgiving with his family are “creature features.”
- Some of Mr. Boddy’s favorite films include Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and Godzilla.
- Mrs. Peacock thinks monsters are rude.
- Colonel Mustard likes plain popcorn.
- Professor Plum likes popcorn with butter but no salt.
- Miss Scarlet likes popcorn with salt and butter.
- Mrs. Peacock likes popcorn with margarine and no salt.
- Mr. Green likes salted popcorn with no butter.
- Professor Plum forgot the last time he had such a shock.
- Professor Plum forgot the last time he did not have such a shock.
- Mrs. Peacock believes the proper thing to do during a horror movie is to close your eyes during the scary parts.
- Mrs. Peacock finds it very proper of Mr. Green to offer to get more popcorn.
- Colonel Mustard nearly challenges Mr. Green to a duel for deceiving him.
- Mrs. Peacock believes a gentlemen keeps his word.
- Mr. Green has a bridge of false teeth.
- Mrs. Peacock believes fruit and cheese is the only proper dessert.
- Professor Plum enjoys Mrs. White’s apple pie.
- Mr. Green enjoys hot fudge sundaes.
- Colonel Mustard enjoys poppy seed cake.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Mrs. White rude for scaring her.
- A silver bowl of custom fruit sculptures by Honey Dew.
- Professor Plum forgot what he came to the Lounge.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Boddy to a duel for locking away all of his valuables.
- Mr. Boddy has gold-handled dueling pistols.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Mr. Boddy rude for calling her boring.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Boddy to a duel for calling him boring.
- Mrs. Peacock finds nothing improper about building a fence.
- Professor Plum forgot where he put his tool belt.
- Professor Plum forgot where he put his hammer.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is rude to bump into someone and not apologize.
- Boddy Mansion: an antique radio.
- Colonel Mustard likes military marching music.
- Mr. Green likes New Orleans Jazz.
- Mrs. Peacock thinks that Jazz and Rock n Roll are rude.
- Mrs. Peacock likes Classical music.
- Every room in the mansion has its own radio except the Hall, Dining Room, and Ball Room.
- Mr. Boddy intimidates the guests with his revolver.
- Mrs. White likes country music.
- Miss Scarlet likes Pop Rock.
- Professor Plum likes the News & Weather.
- Mrs. Peacock finds the dinner theme of animal body parts to be rude.
- Colonel Mustard threatens to challenge Mr. Boddy to a duel for allowing bad food served at his mansion.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is poor manners to raid the refrigerator.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Green to a duel for not giving him a book.
- Colonel Mustard threatens to challenge Mr. Boddy to a duel for not revealing what is underneath his hat.
- Boddy Mansion: Hats that once belonged to Queen Cleopatra, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Queen Elizabeth II, Charlie Chaplin, and Mr. Boddy’s mother.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is rude to blame their host for the weather.
- Mrs. Peacock believes a proper lady never sweats.
- Boddy Mansion: an Olympic sized swimming pool.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is uncivilized to see others in bathing suits.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Miss Scarlet rude for suggesting she is older than water.
- Mrs. Peacock believes splashing is a show of bad manners.
- Mrs. Peacock believes the only proper thing to do off a diving board is the swan dive.
- Colonel Mustard swims in chilly lakes.
- Mr. Green prefers hot tub temperatures.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Boddy to o a duel for spreading lies.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is bad manners to insult your guests without proof.
- Professor Plum forgot why he should be named beneficiary over the other guests.
- The revolver has a silencer.
Recommended.
On to Book #82: Clue #12: "The Haunted Gargoyle" by A.E. Parker.
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