Let's Hunt a Killer

by Kim D.

Recently I've been enamored with the subscription industry and the cool things it offers. It's no longer just for magazines. Last year I purchased Little Passports for my son. Each month he receives a package in the mail which introduces him to a country and offers a tangible experience to help him explore a different culture. For Christmas I bought Food with Love for my parents, and each month they are thrilled to receive their snack box. Due to, well just life, I got burnt out on the weekly grind of meal inspiration and have found Blue Apron is making my life simpler and way more interesting. It's really nice to hear my husband compliment a meal because he hasn't yet again been served the same old, same old.

Now that I'm firmly rooted in the subscription world, a new idea showed up in my email inbox - Hunt a Killer. Basically, this experience brings a mystery to your doorstep, an interactive one which provides just enough clues to draw you in and capture your attention. 

So let's look at the first arrival, Season One, Episode One. The box arrived with a journal, a manilla envelope, a welcome letter, and a lapel pin. Inside the envelope, other items were found: a crushed cup, a swan illustration, a letter from my "friend," a constellation card, and a redacted article.

The first thing you will most likely do is Google "hunt a killer" which will give a wealth of results from Reddit, Facebook, and blog pages devoted to solving the mystery. You get theories and spoilers, which kind of negates the reason for subscribing to a mystery. If you are searching for hints on how to start, you have to be careful to not stumble onto solutions.

So, here's what we will do in this hunt. We will look at every item and inspect it thoroughly giving only nudges toward what I believe is the right direction. The first item is the welcome letter from  . . . Listening Friends of America (LoFA). It explains that it is a community of isolated people and the volunteers who listen. The letter ensures your privacy and details the inspection process for each package received. It is signed by George Madson, Vice-President of LoFA. The last part of the signature includes a web address for the organization, so the most logical place to start is here. 

I inspected every page of the site and signed up for the newsletter and to "volunteer." Two days later I was rewarded with a clue. While waiting to see what would result from signing up with LoFA, I wondered two things: why was the organization's name preceded with an ellipsis (. . .) which indicates missing text.  With every mystery there are actual clues that lead toward a solution or red herrings which can lead one down a rabbit hole. This is where the journal comes in handy to record questions as they arise as other clues can determine whether they are valid.

Another question I had at this point was about George Madson. Is he a fictional character? Is LoFA a real non-profit or simply part of an illusion? The Facebook page looks convincing and worth a complete examination which mainly highlights employees at numerous locations in the United States. Go to Maps and try to find the locations which answers these questions. Or does it? 

The clue I received directed me back to the manilla envelope which has four basic elements: sender name (LoFA), postage stamp, and inspection sticker. The first question I had was if this envelope were actually mailed, would it have reached me and if rejected for incorrect postage would it have been returned to the sender? Looking at images of other postage marks reveals quite a bit and led me to wonder about the inspection sticker. I removed it and nothing was hidden underneath. 

If you've just received the first box and are looking for clues, I'll end here and let you catch up. Like I previously revealed, signing up at LoFA will reward you with a clue that shows you how to use the inspection sticker to find out about your "friend." 

At this point, I don't know if my "friend" is a killer or a wounded soul bringing me a mystery to solve in order to find a killer. Scratching the surface - until next time, happy hunting.