Hello there, and welcome to your murder mystery. 

Before you begin your journey with Inspector Piper, there are some things you will need to know first. 

To solve your mystery, you will have to follow Pipers journey across Sheffield to interview all the relevant suspects. 

At each location you will have to solve a clue in order to open up the information you need to solve the crime. 
 
The answer sheet to all the clues has been forwarded to you in your purchase email. However we recommend only looking at the sheet if you are well and truly stumped. All the answers can be found by keeping your eyes open and looking around. 

You will have to self navigate through Sheffield in order to find you locations: so if Piper goes to the The Town Hall, you will have to work your own way there in order to find your clue and work out your evidence.  The locations you choose to go to will be in a (relatively) ordered fashion....so as long as you don't go and chase a dead lead. 

At each page you will get some information from an individual or suspect; and we do recommend taking a pen and paper with you to make notes to help you on your quest. 

If you still are feeling stuck getting towards the end there are hints you can call on in order to give you a little extra nudge before you come up with your decision. These will be on the last few pages and you will have to click on the hint button to unlock. You can go back and forward in between pages (previous and next button) however do try not to close the page as you will have to restart from the beginning. 

Hints will be prompted when they are available - they are worth taking as they may provide you will some extra information that will lead you to solve this sneaky crime. 

When you make your final guess; that is the end of it. Once you press complete you will be taken through to the results page....and only then will you work out if you have the brain power of Holmes or the critical thinking of a gnat. 

We wish you the best of luck; and when you are in your start point of Sheffield City Hall, Barker's Pool, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2JA, start your investigation. 

Inspector Piper, fresh from solving a recent murder in the nearby village was hoping for some respite from the intense pressure brought about by intensive crime scene investigation. Unfortunately this was not to be the case as no sooner had he entered his office and taken off his coat he was informed of a serious incident at the Manor House, the home address of Lord and Lady Richards. It would appear that their youngest son, Hubert, had been kidnapped and a ransom demand had been made. Piper knew that the pressure would be on him once again as Lord Richards was a personal friend of the Chief Constable.

 He slowly rose, grabbed his coat saying…"Here we go again” and left the station.

Characters

Inspector piper

Lord Richards

Lady Richards

Hubert - son of above

Henry - elder son of above

Gladstone - butler

Eric - post office boy

Sven - Pipers informant

Charles - artist/actor

Peterson - criminal

In order to access the first information you need you must find the ‘Women of Steel’ statue by the City Hall  and answer the three following questions to give you a three digit number.

1. How many rear trouser pockets are on the statue?
2. How many columns are on the City Hall?
3. How many archways are on the City Hall?

Piper attends near the Manor House, the home of Lord and Lady Richards, after being summoned by Lord Richards. His Lordship informs Piper that they believe their son has been kidnapped and a ransom note delivered to the manor.

The note stated, ‘We have your son Hubert. We want £5000. As proof find enclosed the ring he wears on his little finger. If you call the police you will get the finger next time! We will be in touch’.

 
Piper - “How did the message arrive?”

Lord Richards - “The boy called Eric from the post office rode up here and handed it to Lady Richards this morning. He said someone asked him to deliver it to me and gave him a shilling.”

Now facing away from the City Hall walk to your left down Barkers Pool until you locate Pinstone Street and find the Town Hall. Looking to the right of the main archway which animal is depicted between the 13th and 14th person on the frieze on the wall?

Piper establishes that the family had breakfast as usual and then Hubert stated he was going for a walk which wasn’t unusual. The message was delivered about 11.30.

Piper requested to know where everyone was this morning. Lady Richards was sewing in the lounge and Lord Richards said he was doing his monthly review of the kitchen and was remonstrating with the cook as to why the fridge stock was so low.     

Now walk to your left as you look at the Town Hall. Find Surrey Street. There is a green police box situated there but how many of them were in Sheffield?

Piper establishes that all the family have touched the letter.

Piper - “Has anything unusual happened in the last week with regards to Hubert?”

Lord Richards - “No, he’s always been a mummy’s boy, not like Henry, his older brother, who’s just like me.”

Piper goes to Hubert’s room. Nothing unusual to note for a 16 year old boy except a couple of things that attracted Pipers attention. Lots of detective novels and pictures of family tree lines from Lord Richards lineage. Piper noted that Lord Richards brothers name was circled in red pen.

Now walk back past the front of the Town Hall to the Peace Gardens. Can you find the next two clues to help you progress?

1. How many water fountains surround the gardens?
2. How many silver balls are displayed in the gardens?

Piper then returns to the lounge and asks about the family trees. Lord Richards stated that Hubert became interested in family lines after a school trip to an art gallery. Lord Richards stated that he had a brother called Charles but he and Charles were like Henry and Hubert in that Charles was a waster and became an actor/artist and inherited nothing. Lord Richards felt that Hubert may go the same way and as Henry was exactly the same as his Lordship it was he would inherit the business.

He also stated that they had had a report from school that Hubert had been unofficially absent in the last month during a couple of morning sessions. When questioned he stated that he had gone for a walk in the village.

Lord Richards also stated that Lady Richards always had a soft spot for Charles.

Well done so far but to proceed you must turn left at the Mecure Hotel in the gardens and then right onto Surrey Street. Walk towards Tudor Square and spot Graves Art Gallery and Library. What has been added to the picture below? Can you spot the difference? 

Knowing he has to keep this quiet Piper goes into town to see an informant of his called Sven. He also requests a discreet search be made of the manor grounds by two plain clothes police officers.

Sven states that he has not heard of anything out of the ordinary however a well established criminal called Peterson has been in town for three days and no one knows why. He is staying at the Bull and Cart public house.

To the left of the Art Gallery is the Lyceum theatre. Can you work out the next clue?
Start at the main doors (the doors below the word Lyceum). Each window is numbered 1 to 18 going from top left to bottom right.
Start again at the footsteps at the beginning of each row. 
Follow the arrows moving from window to window. If you land on the top left window, that would give you the number 1; if ti was the second one over you would get a number 2 etc. 
Follow the arrows to get your code. 

Piper goes to the pub and finds Peterson in the bar, on his own. He introduces himself but doesn’t disclose what he is investigating. He says he wants to know why a major league criminal is in town. Peterson is vague but states he is in effect hiding from a rival faction until the heat has gone from the situation. He said he expected to come into some money soon and then his problems would disappear.

 Piper leaves the pub and makes a call to the Manor House. Before he can ask a question he is informed that another note had been delivered which said:

“£5000 in used notes soon. Here is a lock of Hubert’s hair”.

Now walk past the Lyceum Theatre onto Arundal Gate. Cross the road and then walk left. You will pass the O2 Academy on the right. Walk down some steps at Forge House onto Esparanto Place and see the Bingo Hall.

What is the first number?

What is the last number?

Piper goes back to the house and ascertains that the method of delivery was the same as before. He decides to interview young Eric and sets off for the post office.

Piper -“Right lad; tell me how you got to deliver those two letters to the Manor House today”.

Eric - “A man stopped me outside the post office and offered me a shilling to deliver the first letter which I did.  Couple of hours later he stopped me again and did the same thing. I made two bob for me mam for doing that.”

Piper - “Can you describe him?”

Eric - “Not really. He was old, about 50 and white. To be honest I didn’t really look at him as I was looking at the shiny shilling. He was dressed in black though and well spoken sir.”

Congratulations for getting this far. Now turn right and then left onto Pond Hill and walk down. You will see the oldest surviving domestic building in Sheffield but what is its use today?

The next day Piper goes back to the Manor House and has got no further with the investigation. He is informed that a further letter has been received saying

‘Take the bag with money and drop off at The first Pately Bridge in the town. Drop the bag onto the last carriage of the train as it passes under the bridge. It should be about 2pm. Any messing and you won’t see Hubert again”. Lady Richards has to plead with her husband to find the money. He initially did not want to but eventually gave in to Lady Richards perseverance.

Lady Richards - “I just want Hubert back in one piece. My husband can be a hard man and has brought Henry up in his own image. Hubert is more gentle, rather like my husbands brother, Charles”.

Walk back up to Arundal Gate and turn right onto Market Place. Walk down the hill to Castle Street. You will find a wall mural of a steel worker made up of 30,000 painted bricks but what is around the workers neck?

Piper decides to speak to the butler, Gladstone. During the course of the conversation Gladstone states that his Lordship and brother were estranged and that Charles had been written out of the family line. It was rumoured that her Ladyship had had an affair with him several years before.

 Whilst waiting for the money to arrive from the bank the bell goes at the front door. Gladstone answers it but Piper is stood behind him believing another letter may have arrived. At the door is Peterson who appears shocked to see Piper. When he recovers his composure he states that he has heard about the kidnapping and was wondering if there was a reward as he feels that with his contacts he could resolve this matter to everyone’s satisfaction. Lord Richards, ever intent on saving money, was prepared to listen but Piper dismissed Peterson’s offer and told him to return to the pub. He replied “If you change your mind you know where I am”. Peterson has a broad Birmingham accent.

From the mural cross the road and head up Bank Street. Turn left at Church Street and find the Cathedral. There is a prominent statue in the grounds. What is the name depicted on it?

Piper has arranged for his detectives to be on the train when it starts its journey and to be on the platform of the first station after the Pateley Bridges.

 At 2 o’clock the bag is dropped off the bridge onto the last carriage of the train and it moves slowly through town as it travels under the second bridge. By the time it reaches the first stop the bag has gone and there are no suspects aboard the train. The detectives in the last carriage didn’t see or hear anything.

 Piper makes his way back to the Manor House and finds that Hubert is already there and appears no worse for his ordeal. He states he was blindfolded from the start and can’t really help them as to any locations. He states he was bundled into a car and then placed in a house somewhere.

 Piper has detectives scour the train track but all they found were two ladders and some rope under the second bridge.