Chris Belknap’s sleuthing skills topped all others Saturday at the Iola Public Library.
Belknap was the first to correctly surmise the perpetrator — Dusty Tomes — in the dramatic conclusion of a dinner theater hosted by Iola Reads.
The production, “Murder Overdue,” capped this year’s Iola Reads celebration of the Agatha Christie book “Body in the Library,” and drew a capacity crowd to the library.
Tickets were cut off to limit the crowd to 50, all of whom feasted on homemade soups and cakes provided by various Iola Reads Committee members.
After that, the crowd migrated to the other side of the library, where Deb Greenwall directed the 10-man production.
The story revolved around the murder of Will Webster, portrayed by Felix Noviel, an unscrupulous online bookseller who makes off with a valuable library book in order to sell it for a hefty profit.
Sheriff Dalton Law, otherwise known as Sam Terhune, followed the clues offered by the other cast of characters on possible motives and alibis before announcing who did the dastardly deed.
In the end, the clues pointed to a few prime suspects.
Jeanne Cloud’s Debbie Webster, Will Webster’s ex-wife, had plenty of motive, thanks to back child support payments. Likewise, Church Grundy’s Mattie Pryor, who lived next door to the victim, had let it be known she didn’t appreciate her neighbor’s loud TV at night.
But in the end, the Law arrived at the aforementioned Dusty Tomes, played by Jacob Cooper, a rival bookseller revealed to have surreptitiously arranged a deal to buy the stolen book before a scuffle broke out and he inadvertently murdered Webster.
Before the big reveal, audience members were asked to identify which character they believed committed the crime.
Belknap was first. His prize, aptly enough, was the board game “Clue.”
Others taking part in the production were Melissa Smoot as the narrator; Abigail Musser, who played Page Turner, the library cat; Gracie Campbell as Agatha Book, the librarian. Greenwall also played a small, but pivotal role, as a library patron, who inadvertently distracts the library staff, opening the door for Will Webster to steal the valuable library book. Noviel played a second role as well, Albert Pennyworth, who owns the apartment complex in which the murder victim lived.
The story was adapted by a play developed at the Eureka Public Library, Smoot explained, with a few modifications to change the location to Iola.
Correction
An article detailing the Southeast Kansas Library System in Wednesday’s Register incorrectly reported the number of libraries served by the system.
