Daily case of October 14, 2026
A genteel provincial department store cooperative, late 1950s. Polished walnut, hushed boardroom rivalries, and the quiet ruthlessness of commerce on the eve of a crucial launch.
Open this fileMr. Arthur Preece — Pricing Director, an old-guard family member and keeper of the cooperative's traditional discount structure. Found dead in his locked office the night before the 'Summer Spectacular' launch.
Venerable Chairman — Cousin and lifelong business partner
Ambitious, numbers-driven nephew — Preece's protégé, but they clashed over modern pricing models
Elegant Head of Customer Relations — Preece was her mentor and had secured her position
Old-school Merchandise Manager — Long-time colleague, but recently passed over for promotion in favour of the nephew
Shrewd external auditor — Audited the cooperative's books; Preece was his main point of contact
The culprit, the alibis and the clue logic are locked before your first chapter. The narrator does not know the solution: it can neither leak it nor rewrite it when you close in.