MYSTERY MAN'S MOTIVE

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  • LL88LL88 Sofiya, Bulgaria
    edited October 2013

    PS Anyone else entered for the 1st chapter of "write your own Christie"?
    ;;)


    Yes, me - I managed to do it at the very end. And later I find out my chapter is full of mistakes. :(

    Anyway, great theories, guys! I liked how Pat_september managed to find connection between the seven deadly sins and the murders. :) And I like anamraia.ciop's explanation for the order of murders - almost like mine (which I did not submit, due to the motive I sent - it follows).

    So, my theory is different than those posted as of now. :D Here is what I sent:

    The Mystery Man according to my findings is reporter N.K. (I believe that a reporter can have information about the past crimes of six people; it was also strange that Fern got arrested after the death of Jessica - I am sure it was set up so that J.S. can die in the hospital when Fern was on duty; I will describe in more details these below.) As I do not know if it is a man or a woman, I will describe him/her further as “the murderer” or simply “N.K.”.
    To start with, I have to say that it was very strange to me why someone would want to murder that many people and, as it seems not enough, they also announce it in advance. There must have been a really strong motive for the murderer of doing so. So, after all, we have indeed eight murders and one suspect – nurse Fern Porter, who was arrested and if evidence is found that she has done it, she will go to prison (and maybe get a death sentence). What I have noticed, also, is one particular statement of Fern. In one of the interviews with her, she said: “What's my past crime you ask? I honestly don't know, maybe I do deserve this, maybe it's all my fault.” All her behavior during the whole game was indeed strange. After the last interview with her, I was sure that she believes that everything is happening because of her. And having the fact that she was left alive, and not murdered, as foreseen at the beginning, and adding to it that she was blamed for the murders, especially the last one – of Jessica, made me conclude that this is what the Mystery Man wanted to achieve. N.K. wanted Fern to be blamed for all of this. N.K. wanted her to suffer.
    Then I asked myself why someone would want to make someone else bear all the blame. Why would they bother do all this and be satisfied with Fern not dead, but rather accused of murdering eight people? And the only possible explanation I found is because that person suffered a great pain in the past, caused by Fern. And she has not done some kind of a crime – no, if it were so, then N.K. would simply go with murdering her and get the sought revenge. She has done something not against the law, but rather unsuitable and incorrect for somebody else. So, I came to the point where I had to find what Fern has done that made N.K. suffer and seek later vengeance in such a way. I am not sure if this is the correct explanation, but the only thing I came up with is: she was a juror once for a trail and because of her, someone was condemned. They were innocent, but her opinion was the root cause for announcing that person guilty. And that person was someone very close to N.K. Maybe a family member – parent, sibling, or husband/wife (the latter – depending on the gender of N.K.). I think they got a life imprisonment and no one was ever able to prove they were innocent afterwards. So, N.K. and the close relative suffered because of these events. That is why N.K. wanted to do the same with Fern – blame her for something she has not done, so that she can go to the prison and understand what the feeling is to be innocent, but everyone else to think you are guilty. And she had suspicions that someone could be planning all because of her past action – at that time maybe no one thought that person be guilty, until she told her idea and lead to a different ending of the trial. (Actually, she did not commit a crime, but had an opinion that changed the events for the person in question.) With time going by, she was thinking whether she did the right thing. Was justice served correctly? After the murders indeed took place, the word “justice” again appeared and made her think all is because of that past. But she did not know that N.K. was close to that person from the past. Thus, after thinking more, she put up with the events happening and waited for her end.
    As for the eight victims N.K. selected – well, I think that due to the fact that N.K. is a reporter, N.K. knew about the past crimes of each of the six victims murdered before Margot. Maybe The Gazette once wrote about these crimes and their perpetrators, but no one believed them at that time (and there could have been lack of evidence, too, to support the newspaper words). Coming up with the motive for justice (the opposite of what happened to N.K’s relative in the past), N.K. decided to get the clairvoyant’s help – these murders had to be announced in advance. Then, Margot had to tell that one of the eight victims was the Mystery Man. And after everyone sees that these murders are indeed happening, they would believe that the last one standing is the murderer. Maybe N.K. promised Margot money for the help, maybe just told her that she will get famous and people will believe her words after the events. However, what Margot was not aware of, was that N.K. was planning to murder her, too, because she is the only one to know who was pulling the strings. So, Margot played her role very well. She did not give any sign of regret or give away what she knew. Until after the sixth murder. Then she was about to tell the truth. N.K. was planning to murder her anyway, but now was more than sure that it had to be done. And finally – why Jessica? I suppose she was starting to become aware of what might have been going on actually. Maybe she was the one who interviewed Margot for the last time. N.K. thought Margot might have told Jessica more than she tells she knows. And then N.K. came up with the idea to murder her, too. Being close to her, N.K. knew what could cause asthma attack to Jessica. The murderer decided to play craftily by making Jessica go to the hospital when Fern was on duty. And then, it was the perfect time to murder her, and give it one last chance for Fern to be accused of the murders. The fact that Fern was scared of the dark cloud over her head, the fact that she was the one that remained alive and everyone thought she was the murderer were not enough for N.K. With murdering Jessica, too, the initial plan was fulfilled. Fern was arrested and is about to go to prison for having murdered eight people, without even imagining she would do such a thing.
    So, this is my theory. The motive of reporter N.K. was pure revenge – N.K. wanted Fern to bear what someone very close of the reporter experience in the past because of her.

  • Pat_septemberPat_september Gauteng, South Africa
    Maria said:
    I re-read my post and saw the ending was missing... I think it was long, so here comes part 2...

    All our suspects, but one, died in the hands of the Mystery Man. I belive the nurse, Fern Porter, was let alive to be the one to take all the blame, that was her punishment. She was ready to die, she said so in her last interview, she wasn't afraid anymore. So, she was spared only to be thrown in jail because "last man standing must be Mystery Man" in the eyes of the police. But, after Margot's death, the police had to let her go because they couldn't find something linking her to the murders, there was no evidence. Which is why Mystery Man (N.K. Reporter) strikes again, this time killing his colleague J.S. Reporter, aka Jessica Smith.

    I believe Jessica Smith's murder was a crime of opportunity. She was getting all the attention in this ordeal because she was the one sent as a correspondent of the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette overseas. This must have made N.K. Reporter jealous, he was doing all the work but she was getting all the glory. So, her faith was sealed; her death was the one last piece of the puzzle to incriminate the nurse, Fern Porter. She died in her hospital, during her shift, and of an overdose (of oxycodone that you can't go around and buy without a prescription). It was perfect, from a point of view. This way he took revenge on Jessica (who made all the spelling mistakes posting the news as if they where written by him) and got away for murder letting the police have a culprit in custody. Or, at least, that was his plan.

    Finally, I belive N.K. Reporter is a man because of the murder methods he used: he killed and then dismembered Henry and sent him to the police in bags; he killed and dressed up Patrick many times to get the snapshoots in the photobooth; he pushed Guto into fresh concrete in a construction site (the mall); he killed and set up a clock with Ted as a battery, and he was a strong man and a trained MP; he set a fire on the hotel where Stephen was hidding himself and prevented him from escaping; he killed Margot's cats to leave them with her in a way to remind us of the three monkeys (speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil); and he left Roberta with a bible, posing as if taking an oath in a courtroom, which meant he stayed with her until rigor mortis began.
    oh, wow, Maria, you rock!
    =D> =D> =D>
  • AgathasmykidAgathasmykid British Columbia, Canada
    Great stuff everyone.  Pat, I think you may have come close with connecting it with the seven deadly sins.  Can't wait to hear the official answer.
  • Pat_septemberPat_september Gauteng, South Africa
    @ Lyubomir: I like your theory, yes, I also have the feeling there was some sort of connection between NK and sister Fern. One way or the other, some energy was bounding them - for worse in this case.
    Sad, yes, how can somebody murder eight people and announce it as well! cruel.

    RE: "write your own Christie", we have nine more chances. Hard but exiting work lies ahead. 
    :)>-
  • MariaMaria Pichincha, Ecuador
    @ Lyubomir: I like your theory, yes, I also have the feeling there was some sort of connection between NK and sister Fern. One way or the other, some energy was bounding them - for worse in this case.
    Sad, yes, how can somebody murder eight people and announce it as well! cruel.

    RE: "write your own Christie", we have nine more chances. Hard but exiting work lies ahead. 
    :)>-
    I did think about the deadly sins too, but at the end, I got lazy and wasn't able to "wrap it up" like you did (good job by the way =D> ), so I left it out. I also left our my theory that, as you said, Fern and NK were related... I thought his real name could be Kern Porter, and NK Reporter was an anagram, but Kern is more a last name than a name (at least from what I researched on the web  ;) ) so I decided to leave it out too...
  • Nice job everyone, amazing I must say! I will just copy/paste my theory below (I've sent this in a hurry and it was full of mistakes that I saw after)
     
    the Mystery May is reporter N.K.
     
    First I have to tell that I think you were adjusting the game according to the comments on FB and forum (i.e. always making the opposite of what we were thinking) because you wanted to be really, really hard for us :) which I completely understand.
    Therefore you have used names in the game with the same letters and that was clever.
     
    And now for the motive in this case:

    Margot Greer, old lady living with cats, desperate for attention got a proposal from the reporter N.K. (who was eager to became a world known journalist) to play a role of Mystic in the upcoming fair. She accepted and he (reporter N.K.) gave her the instructions of what to do and what to say. As St. Mary Meeds is a small village, everybody knew everybody, so it was not hard to be familiar with the past of most of the residents.

    N.K. was also crazy in love with the nurse Fern Porter and she rejected him many times because he was not her type and was not romantic at all. So he planned to punish her in such a terrible way. First he planned to kill her, but later he found it would be better to accuse her for all of the murders.
     
    And then N.K. picked up important residents of St. Mary Meed like the hotelier, architect, artist, retired MP, village diva Roberta Greatrex, and poor and non important gardener Guto and of course included Margot to be more interesting.
     
    Margot Grees never dreamed that she will become an accomplice in the murders. She wanted to have a little fun, but when all went out of the way, after the first murder, she wanted to back off. N.K. have threatened her to publish that she is the real killer and than she must stick to the story.
    After the 6th murder, she finally said she is going to the police and then N.K. killed her as well.
     
    N.K. first killed Henry Birthwistle because his statement in the news about the Gazette was all truth. N.K. didn't want readers start to think in that direction.
     
    Than he killed Patrick Noakes, same reason, he was too suspicious about Margot and her mystic skills.
     
    Third victim Guto most probably was a witness of the second murder and that's why he was next.
     
    Ted Anderson's statement in the news that this must be the act of a mad man or woman provoke N.K. and therefore Ted went fourth.
     
    Fifth victim was Roberta. She must knew something about N.K. and her statement sounded so threatening that he must get rid of her immediately.
     
    Stephen Barron was just a another victim, there is no firm explanation why he was sixth in the row.
     
    After this, Margot was next for the same reason given above, i.e. she was terrified and would go to the police this time for sure.
     
    In the meantime, Jessica Smith was reporting about those mysterious murders, and she became well known and famous. So N.K. killed her just because of the jealousy.
     
    And then he framed to Fern Porter, that was his goal.
     
  • Nice work everybody. The idea that nurse Porter and NK were related bugged me too for a little while, but then why frame her? And I thought too about the deadly sins, but I still think that Guto did not sin. I can't wait to learn the truth.
  • MariaMaria Pichincha, Ecuador
    Nice work everybody. The idea that nurse Porter and NK were related bugged me too for a little while, but then why frame her? And I thought too about the deadly sins, but I still think that Guto did not sin. I can't wait to learn the truth.
    Well, I think maybe Fern might be a relative but by a failed marriage... Maybe NK was her brother-in-law and knew she poisoned her first husband... I also thought they could be siblings and NK accused her of letting his beloved mother/aunt/fianceé die (or provoking her death)...
  • MariaMaria Pichincha, Ecuador
    Here in Ecuador is still Wednesday 30th; but in England is already Thursday 31st! So I'm just getting very, very anxious!!!  :-S
  • LL88LL88 Sofiya, Bulgaria
    edited October 2013
    Nice theory, anamarija.mladosic! I am happy there is another one close to mine :D I like the part you describe the sequence of the deaths. I also had to do it, but thought it was irrelevant. And the motive for love is great. I had it in mind but the opposite way - Fern is killing them because of love (five men who rejected her and one woman who married her lover). But it appeared that Fern is not the murderer.
    Here in Ecuador is still Wednesday 30th; but in England is already Thursday 31st! So I'm just getting very, very anxious!!!  :-S
    I guess we will have result no earlier than 10 am GMT. ;)
  • Happy Halloween!
  • LL88LL88 Sofiya, Bulgaria
    Nice theory, anamarija.mladosic!
    Sorry Anamarija Mladosic. At first I wrote just Maria and thought of Maria from Ecuador, until I saw the post I refer to was yours.
    So, there are three Marias, two of which - Anamaria. Is this some kind of a conspiracy? :D This gives me again the idea next year the Mystery Man to be one of the fans. :D With you three (and maybe more, too) it would be interesting to find the true identity. :D

    Happy Halloween!

    Happy Halloween! :)
  • HuilangHuilang Durham, United Kingdom
    Great job, everyone!

    My story is quite similar to Delicious Death's, just phrased in a much clumsier way, so I will spare you the pain of reading it! :)

    Do you know where the real story will be posted? Here or on Facebook?
  • LL88LL88 Sofiya, Bulgaria
    edited October 2013
    Huilang said:
    Great job, everyone!

    My story is quite similar to Delicious Death's, just phrased in a much clumsier way, so I will spare you the pain of reading it! :)

    Do you know where the real story will be posted? Here or on Facebook?
    On Facebook or the official site (the winner will be announced on both, but the end of the story - either one of them, or both).
    And I have been refreshing both all morning long with expectation to see the end of the story... I usually skip such cliffhangers when reading, but now we have to experience it. :D
  • edited October 2013
    wow, great work guys! sadly, I had so much work, I couldn't submit my theory, which was close to Lyubomir's. anyway, meanwhile Maria won, well-deserved, so I'm happy. and also, I think I have all the Christie books anyway. :p :) I hope I will meet you all again in 11 months :)
  • LL88LL88 Sofiya, Bulgaria
    Now we have the real events and the true motive of the Mystery Man, and after re-reading it more than once, I think everything makes sense. All explains what we knew - Henry's body sent into pieces, murdering that many people, killing Jessica instead of Fern, after the former gets promotion and acknowledgement for her work - all these lead us to the fact the murderer was an impetuous, violent, ill-tempered and mad man, which were his shortcomings in my opinion. They could also lead to his revelation, after a deep cogitation, and even without the hidden links.
  • MariaMaria Pichincha, Ecuador
    I believe the links were placed for 2 reasons, the first one, to get us on the track of the killer, the second, to deceive us until the last minute.
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