SOLVED. solve-it-yourself mystery book based on a Halloween-party murder; it was a girl as the lead character, told in first-person singular; and the book follows her along as she gradually realizes which one of her friends is a murderer [s]

[Feliks]

There used to be paperback books which were fully-fledged contemporary murder-mystery stories (corpses, clues, etc) but... the killer was not revealed at the end of the book! You read to the end, and then scratched your head and put together the solution yourself, typed it up, then mailed it in to the publisher. There were prizes of (as much as) $5,000.

I recall one I read which was based on a Halloween-party murder; it was a girl as the lead character, told in first-person singular; and the book follows her along as she gradually realizes which one of her friends is a murderer.

At the end of the read, I thought I had assembled a workable solution but there were some loose ends so I didn't bother sending in my report.

Any idea how to track it down?

[Andria]

Here's a listopia of solve-it-yourself mysteries http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/27...

- it has children's and adult titles. Maybe something will ring a bell.

[Feliks]

Thx!..still hunting..p.s. the book I'm thinking definitely had a cash prize involved.. bright yellow cover with zany font..written by a female..

[Andria]

Who Killed The Robins Family?: And Where, And When, And How, And Why, Did They Die? has kind of zany fonts and a cash prize.

[Feliks]

You know, that very well may be it!! It was indeed something very much along these lines!

You are a wizard! You have the eye of an eagle, the wisdom of an owl, the speed of a cheetah, and the tenacity of a barnacle!

[Andria]

That's why they call me the Resourceress. ;)

Really, I'm happy to help, and I love the thrill of the hunt. BTW, there was a sequel - The Revenge of the Robins Family. The cover had the same wacky fonts on a white background.

[Kerry]

I found it!!! I could have sworn it was about a queen.... But the title is A Princess of the Chameln.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Kerry, are you in the right thread?