The Mystery of Ridge Manor
November 3, 2021
During the week leading up to Halloween our skilled nursing facility ran a murder mystery game for our residents to get everyone into the Halloween spirit. The scene was set and the victim was announced on Monday. Throughout the week the list of potential suspects were revealed so the detectives quickly got to work! They poured through the clues and were asked to submit their verdicts by noon on Halloween day! The names of the community sleuths who collared the correct suspect were entered in a raffle for a themed prize. Everyone had so much fun sifting through the clues to try and discover "whodunit!"
Put your deductive reasoning skills to the test to see if you can solve The Murder of Ridge Manor...
Oh my! Something horrible has happened at Ridge Manor, an upscale bed & breakfast in Mentoria.
The team was bustling to make the manor extra inviting for all of the holiday guests who have been clamoring for the opportunity to stay at this gorgeous state-of-the-art establishment. Everyone was working well together. Then, alas… A MURDER OCCURRED!!!
Read on for the grisly details about the poor victim and to introduce yourself to the suspects.
Be on alert as you get to know the suspects and collect clues.
Say hello, then say goodbye to Nico the Wonder Kid.
Nico was a summer intern at Ridge Manor who continued to work in the reservation department after his supervisor, Monica, mysteriously disappeared.
Nico was a well-liked hometown boy who was very popular in high school, especially with cheerleaders as football quarterbacks are known to be.
At Ridge Manor, he had garnered a reputation as being a nice quiet young man. He was a favorite of many of the guests for various reasons.
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This is the last picture we have of Nico. It was on his desk beside an appointment card for Ben’s Barbershop when his body was discovered. Nico, hard-working to end, clutched the phone receiver in one hand, a half-eaten Reese’s cup in the other, and a stapler lay at his feet. |
Suspect #1 Suspect #2 Suspect #3 Suspect #4 Suspect #5
 | Dave is a quick-talking guy with boundless energy, a big heart, and perhaps a few secrets.
Dave was properly saddened by Nico’s demise & not just because he now has to hire someone to fill that space. “Such a
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shame,” said Dave,
“the kid was good. Well-liked. He will be missed.”
However, a few days before Nico’s weird murder, he and Dave were observed having a heated discussion. Dave wants to add a shaved head clause to the dress code for all of the male employees. Why?
“Just looks sharp,” he says,
“especially when wearing a pork pie hat.”
We don’t quite know what Nico thought of the new rules. However, it turns out that Dave and Nico attended the same high school, albeit more than a few years apart.
Dave was a pitcher on the baseball team (and can still throw a pretty mean fastball). Nico played football. And as everyone in this small town knows, the feud between football players and baseball players never ends.
Suspect List
 | Jill is the one that guests call on if they have any questions or problems. Want to know where to find vegetarian seafood kabobs at 12 a.m. on a Tuesday? Ask Jill. Need a softer pillow, a firmer mattress, a blanket that’s not too heavy, not too light in a color different than the standard blue? Go ask Jill. She’ll
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handle it with good nature, speed & efficiency.
Where she gets her energy, people wonder. When asked, Jill gives a wink then slowly opens a bottom desk drawer that’s filled with all kinds of candy – Hershey’s, Snickers, candy cigarettes, Reese’s – you name it, it’s probably in her Sugar stash.
“So sad about Nico,” she says with a tremble in her voice.
“I mean, he had a lot to learn, but he was becoming a really good reservationist. We had our differences, but The Manor is stressful sometimes. How hard is it to save the rooms with non-blue blankets for special requests? He’s not the one who runs for blankets,” she says with a sigh.
“But a nice kid though. Really a sad thing. Would you like some candy? Here have a Butterfinger. Oh, you want a Reese’s? O.k. Just one though"
Suspect List
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Eileen, or Deb, as her friends call her, is the mean money machine of Ridge Manor. Woe is to the guest who tries to skip out on their tab, or claim that they took only one Diet Shasta from the |
mini-fridge. Eileendeb makes sure that Manor money is deposited safely and securely.
Those who know, know that Eileendeb herself and her office are kind of like a vault. Need to vent? You can deposit your secret irritations at Eileendeb’s desk without fear of her sharing that wealth of information. In fact, according to witnesses, Nico allegedly spent time in the “vault” a few hours before his demise. Sources say that while they don’t know what was being said, Eileendeb’s expression belayed anger & a tinge of disbelief. When questioned about this interaction,
Eileendeb shrugged then shooed us out of her office.
“The vault is closed”, she said as she shut and locked the door.
Suspect List
 | Kathy has been working at Ridge Manor for “forever and a day.” She was one of the first people to join the team. Hers is the first face that guests see when checking in.
To say that Kathy’s job is a busy one is an understatement. She balances so many tasks throughout the day. What with answering
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phones, giving directions, keeping track of luggage, ordering office supplies, and anything else that comes her way, people sometimes wonder if she has the arms of a Hindu goddess.
Kathy is known as the Nancy Drew of the Manor. Need to solve the mystery of the missing bell cart or find the housekeeper for room 103 Kathy Drew is on the job. But when asked if she had any insight about Nico’s untimely demise, her expression turns hard and quizzical.
“How would I know anything? I barely knew the kid. He only talked to me when he couldn’t find office supplies, which was quite frequently actually. I mean, there are only two cupboards back there. He could never find anything. You have no idea how many times I had to get staples for him. What the heck was he stapling all the time anyway?” She gives an exaggerated sigh and answers the phone.
Suspect List
 | Mike is the mean-mugged maintenance guy. His tongue is as sharp as a box cutter blade. Most people are confused by his demeanor and usually, just leave notes on his desk and hope for the best until they get to know him. They realize that his snark is just a crusty
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cover for his warm marshmallow center soon enough, much to Mike’s dismay.
When asked about Nico, Mike said
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.” After further explanation, he said,
“Oh. That kid? I thought his name was Rico."
"Really? Why are you asking me about this? Aren’t you the detective? I’m not going to do your work for you. Weren’t there clues or something? I can’t do everything around here. Go find Rico’s killer yourself. Is there anything else you need?
No? I didn’t think so. Byeeee."
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The Ridge Manor Murderer Reveal