Can You Solve The Case of Lady Ashcroft’s Last Toast?

It was a crisp autumn evening at Ravenswood Hall, where Lady Margaret Ashcroft had invited a small circle of acquaintances to celebrate the launch of her memoirs. The grand drawing room was filled with candlelight, laughter, and the scent of spiced wine.

But as the clock struck ten, Lady Margaret suddenly collapsed mid-sentence, her glass slipping from her hand. By the time the doctor arrived, she was gone. The cause? A swift-acting poison.

Inspector Hale was summoned, and he wasted no time in questioning the four people present that night:

1. Edward Ashcroft (her nephew) – Young, ambitious, and rumoured to be deeply in debt. He claimed he had been outside on the terrace making a private phone call.

2. Clara Whitfield (the secretary) – Efficient, meticulous, and always at Lady Margaret’s side. She insisted she had been busy arranging the signed copies of the memoirs in the library.

3. Dr. Lionel Graves (the family physician) – Called immediately to the scene. He said he had been reading quietly in the study when he heard the commotion.

4. Vera Blackwood (the rival author) – Invited as a “gesture of goodwill,” though her feud with Lady Margaret was well known. She had been chatting amiably with the guests only moments before the collapse.

On Lady Margaret’s writing desk, Inspector Hale noticed something peculiar: her favourite fountain pen lay snapped clean in two, as though broken in sudden anger—or as a desperate clue left behind.

The Clues

• The poison was fast-acting and must have been added to Lady Margaret’s drink shortly before she collapsed.
• The fountain pen, broken in her hand, might be more than a coincidence.
• Edward’s alibi placed him outside, but no one could confirm his phone call.
• Clara was in charge of the drinks earlier in the evening.
• Dr. Graves had medical knowledge—and access to poisons.
• Vera Blackwood had motive enough, but was she reckless enough to act so publicly?

The Solution

Inspector Hale studied the broken pen. Why would Lady Margaret snap it? Unless… she hadn’t snapped it at all. She had bitten down on it in her final moments, leaving behind a silent message.

Inside the pen was not ink—but residue of the same poison found in her glass. The killer had coated the nib with the toxin, knowing Lady Margaret had the habit of dipping it absentmindedly into her wine while writing.

And only one person would know this peculiar habit: her secretary, Clara Whitfield.

When confronted, Clara’s composure cracked. She had discovered that Lady Margaret planned to dismiss her and leave her nothing in the will. Desperation had driven her to plan the perfect crime—except she hadn’t counted on Lady Margaret leaving a final clue with her beloved pen.

“Clara Whitfield,” Inspector Hale declared, “you are under arrest for the murder of Lady Margaret Ashcroft.”

Did You Solve It?

Did the broken pen give the game away, or did you suspect another guest? Share your theories in the comments, and join us again next month for another fiendish mystery…