Detectives From Other Countries

In One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights, there is a detective story titled The Three Apples.
Read online at http://www.online-literature.com/anonymous/arabian-nights-vol-1/19/

Jules Maigret is a detective from France and here is a link to one of the books in his series on Amazon, which gives a sneak peak of the novel.
http://www.amazon.com/Maigret-Yellow-Dog-Georges-Simenon/dp/0151555648

Detectives in other cultures

    HIT is a Korean TV dram show about The H.I.T. squad which was established to investigate a high-profile serial killer case. This encompassed everything you want in a drama; romance, comic relief, good story, some social relevance. The characters work together to solve different cases. 

     -  HIT TV Drama Show

 

    Once Upon a Time in Anatolia is a murder mystery. The film is about a team of 10 state officials who set out in the evening to search of a burial place of dead body of a person killed by the suspects, in rural landscape of Anatolia. 

   -Turkey Movie: Once Upon A Time in Anatolia

Detectives in other cultures

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Meitantei_Conan

Japanese show about a detective who solves different crimes, there are a multitude of crimes in this drama and it's very interesting.

http://rbth.ru/articles/2012/11/06/russian_film-makers_adapted_the_bbc_sci-fi_detective_series_life_on_19789.html

This is a Russion remake of the BBC detective series "Life on Mars".

Detective Shows Around the World

Germany:  Der letzte Bulle (The Last Cop) is a television show in Germany about a cop who does not know about new technology (cell phones, DNA, etc.) and is seen as an old-school macho cop, who uses his detective characteristics to solve crimes.  

http://www.screenrush.co.uk/television/television-8465/

 

Canada:  Continuum is a series about a struggle between a cop and a group of rebels.  The show is set in 2077, but the rebels attempt to flee prosecution by traveling back in time to 2012, and the cop follows them to Canada and pursues them.
http://www.screenrush.co.uk/television/television-10732/

African Detectives

http://www.eurocrime.co.uk/reviews/A_Deadly_Trade.html

"This is the second book from the team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip and again features Detective Kubu. A DEADLY TRADE is sent in Botswana, but is quite different to the Alexander McCall Smith books (the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series), which are set in the same country. This book concerns two murders in a tourist camp close to the border to neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe. One of the victims (Goodluck Tinubu) has been stabbed through the heart and mutilated while apparently asleep in his tent and the other (Sipho Langa) has been killed by a head injury on the outskirts of the camp. Why have both men been killed? Where is the third man (Ishmael Zondo), a friend of Goodluck who has disappeared from the camp? Is he responsible for the murders? And where is the missing money that Goodluck apparently had? To add to the mystery, the forensic team discover that Goodluck apparently died several years before during the unrest in Zimbabwe. Did he really die, or did he somehow disappear from Zimbabwe into Botswana under a new name, and if so, why? Detective Kubu is sent from the capital, Gabarone, to help a local detective sergeant, Tatwa, find out what happened. They find an interesting mix of characters in the camp, both the guests and the people who run it, some of whom clearly have secrets they are reluctant to reveal.


The story is a complex one and involves danger to Kubu's family, as well as further deaths as the story unfold. But at the same time, we are treated to details of Kubu's everyday life, his weekly trips to his traditional parents with his wife, his food indulgences and interactions with his colleagues. The authors draw on the local history of Botswana and surrounding countries, which, it becomes clear, are important to the plot. Eventually, it becomes clear to Kubu that he cannot solve the crime back in Gabarone, but has to return to the camp with Tatwa to discover what really happened to the murdered men.

This is a delightful book that is a clever mix of a serious crime investigation mixed in with the day to day life of the main character, Detective Kubu. It appears to have been well researched and the depiction of Botswana appears authentic. It successfully manages to convey the feel of the local culture and customs of Botswana while developing the plot. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to the next outing from this team of authors."

Michelle Peckham, England
May 2010

Based on this book, heres a link to the HBO TV series: http://www.hbo.com/the-no-1-ladies-detective-agency/index.html

Detectives in other cultures

http://www.hancinema.net/korean_drama_Detectives_in_Trouble.php

Detectives in Trouble is a Korean TV show that involves different detectives solving crime with varying methods and personality.  

Top 10 French crime movies: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-french-crime-films.php

In the French movie Pickpocket, Michel ends up pick-pocketing a detective’s pocket. 

Detective Stories in other cultures

This is a Russian Detective Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zv-dOGKHmQ

This is a German Detective Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeQUkAAqgrw

Molly Bish
http://www.unsolved.com/murder.html

Molly Bish was a lifeguard at a pond and got abducted. Apparently not many people went to this pond to swim and there was different roads that led into where this lake was located. It is hard for me to believe that a lifeguard would come up missing. It just doesn't seem like the typical person to be abducted. If I was this girl I do not think I would have worked at a sketchy lake but I would work at a normal pool.

Dwayne McCorkendale
http://www.unsolved.com/murder.html

Dwayne loved driving his rig and was murdered at a truck stop. He was on his way to call his wife and got shot in the back. He was robbed and the killer took $25 and his wallet. This mystery does not make sense because truck drivers do not carry any money on them. Other than stopping at truck stops and eating they don't need cash. This person seemed like they were just out to kill.

Unsolved Mysteries

There are many unsolved mysteries, however not all of them are as well known as others.   On one end of the spectrum, there is the assassination of John F. Kennedy, in which Lee Harvey Oswald was suspected, but murdered before he could be tried.  There are many different theories, even becoming books and movies, yet nobody is certain exactly why JFK was murdered, who did it, or why they did it.  There are some people who believe Lee Harvey Oswald actually murdered him under orders for someone else, and was then murdered so he wouldn't talk, while others believe it wasn't Oswald at all, and that he was kept quiet to ensure the investigation ended with Oswald's death.  Either way, it is one of the most infamous unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.  

The second is the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.  While this could also be labeled a myth, there are enough people and enough evidence that has been brought forward to make one wonder whether there is truth to it.  The mystery goes that there have been multiple mysterious disappearances of airplanes and ships in an area generally agreed to be a 500,000 square mile triangle between Miami, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda.  The government has denied any such disappearance, but the fact remains that more ships and planes have disappeared in this area than what should constitute a normal amount.

Unsolved mysteries

The first unsolved mystery that caught my attention is of the Babushka Lady. She is seen in many JFK murder pictures/films. She appears to be holding a camera in front of her face. However, she would not give up her evidence when asked by the police. She is considered to be a fraud. This mystery is fascinating because we do not have a clear idea of what happened the day JFK was shot, and someone who may have the answer will not give up her evidence.

Another unsolved mystery that fascinates me is Bigfoot. I’m not a skeptic but it would be nice to know if big foot is real or not. There are many things on our planet that we don’t know about.

Unsolved Crimes *cue wiggling Jack Sparrow fingers*

 The two unsolved crimes that I found were the Atlas Vampire ^(Not actual picture, little is actually known) and the Black Dahlia Murder.

In the case of the Atlas Vampire, it was a murder that occurred in Sweden. A young girl was murdered, her head bashed in and someone was drinking her blood.

 The Black Dahlia murder is a murder that has had a movie and been had a nod on television (American Horror Story). It's the horrific story of an upcoming actress, Elizabeth Short, who was cut in half, her blood removed, her head bashed in and her face mutilated.

Have fun sleeping tonight!

2 unsolved mysteries

The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer that killed in Northern California. He killed 4 men and 3 women during 1968 and 1969. He got the name "Zodiac" because of the cryptogram letters that he sent to the press. Of the four cryptograms sent, only one has been definitively solved. The Zodiac killer has never been caught or identified. What I find facinating is that he was never caught or identified and that he sent letters out and only one has been figured out.


JonBenét Ramsey was a child beauty queen that was murdered in her home in 1996 when she was six. The case remains unsolved even after many grand jury hearings. Her parents and brother were suspected until 2008 when they were finally cleared. What I find facinating about this case is that media played a huge role in the case. Even to this day they are still searching for her killer and they still write articles about her in magizines.

unsolved mysteries

One of the most well-know unsolved mysteries is the mystery of the lochness monster. Another unsolved mystery is if there is life forms on mars. I find both of these extraordinary mysteries extremely fascinating because they make you wonder and critically think about each mystery. The mystery of the Lochness monster is fascinating because there are theories that it is a prehistoric creature that has survived for many years and is still living today. There have only been a few sittings to help back up these theories, but it is very believable because many species we learn about can live for long periods of time. The mystery if there are life forms living on mars is also very fascinating because you wonder if there really is life forms. We can only make theories, but its fascinating to think that we are planet in the solar system and we are able to survive in the earth's conditions. This makes you think can there be life forms on mars or other planets that have adapted to the different atmospheric pressures? This is awesome to think about because you compare us and how we have adapted and that there a numerous possibilities of life forms on mars and other planets.

2 Mysteries

http://www.unsolved.com/murder.html
This story is an unsolved murder of a girl who was 16 when she died. What i find interesting is that there were no witnesses. A sketch was drawn up of the man who possibly did it and still no one has come forward with information of the man. I finding interesting and frustrating at the same time. How could something like this happen during the day?

http://www.unsolved.com/unexplained.html
This story was interesting because it reminded me of the book we're currently reading. This mans death was ruled suicide, later undetermined, but if he was happy and his life was going in the right direction why would he do such a thing? When the girlfriend handed in a green diary that belonged to the man because it seemed significant, it was returned to her with pages missing and nothing said about it. That seemed questionable to me.

Unsolved mysteries and crimes

An example of an unsolved crime is the death of Blair Adams. What is fascinating about this crime is that Blair was paranoid somebody was after him. He thought his life was in danger and was trying to run away from something imaginary. Ironically in July of 1996, Blair was found dead, beaten, and half-naked in a parking lot in Tennessee. He was from British Columbia in Canada. No one knows why he left Canada, how he got to Tennessee, or who killed him.

An example of an unsolved mystery is the mystery of who Monica Libao’s parents are and what happened to her as a child. Monica found out the woman she thought was her mother had a hysterectomy before she was born. Her mom then told her that her half-sister was her actual mom. According to her half-sister, her real mom sold her for a bus ticket to New York. From overheard conversations, she got the idea she was kidnapped as a baby. This would help to explain why they moved 2 times a year for 15 years and she was never allowed to go to school on picture days. It’s fascinating that Monica always thought she had a regular biological family, until she was sixteen when she found out about her mom’s hysterectomy. I can’t imagine what it would be like stumbling across a fact that would prove that your mom was not your biological mom. It was something she had never even considered before. It’s unsettling to think she was likely abducted and is now stuck without any leads to the truth. 

2 Mysteries

1.      The Zodiac

2.      Bigfoot

I find these two fascinating for two completely different reasons. I think the Zodiac Killer is fascinating in a terrible and dark sort of way. The fact that someone so smart and methodical could be capable of such terrible killings is interesting from a physiological stand point but also sad. He taunted police of decades and left encrypted messages like the one below in a news paper:

“I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADICE AND THEI HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOI DOWN OR ATOP MY COLLECTIOG OF SLAVES FOR MY AFTERLIFE EBEORIETEMETHHPITI”

Bigfoot is fascinating because it is something that every ounce of reason tells you isn’t real but you can’t help but wonder. There is the video recording of a hairy beast walking on two legs by a river which experts (according to a Discovery Chanel show I watched) say is not a man. Also Bigfoot is scene by people who don’t believe and aren’t going out of their way to look for them. I think it’s fascinating that so many people have claimed to see this beast and we have nothing to show for it. If anything its fascinating how gullible and dumb humanity can be.

Unsolved Mysteries

The mystery of JeanBenet Ramsey. The death of this miniature beauty queen is an unsolved mystery from the early nineties.  I find this crime fascinating considering I believe that the finger is easily pointed to the parents but detectives were unable find any evidence that could definitely pin it on the parents. The multiple theories that have circulated and shot down were all somewhat far-fetched compared to the parent view. I think that the JeanBenet Ramsey unsolved mystery is one that will always be an enigma.

The second unsolved mystery I chose is the Natalee Holloway case in the Bahamas.  This is similar to that of the JeanBenet Ramsey in that they accused suspects are all but guilty. But in today's society that shadow of a doubt keeps many guilty parties out of jail. I believe this is a large reason as to why we as a society are so drawn to mysteries both solved and unsolved.

Unsolved Mysteries

1. The first example I will use, is of Jack the Ripper. In 1888, there was a series of murders of prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of London's East End. These women's bodies were totally mutilated by a man that was never discovered but named, "Jack the Ripper". A kidney of one of the victims was even mailed to the police. This grabs my attention, simply because it seems so outrageous, who does that? It also makes me think of how long ago this was and how little we knew about DNA and catching people like this.


2. Although this is a fictional example, the case of who killed Alison on the show Pretty Little Liars, is still unsolved. Her body was discovered and many suspects, but none can solved the crime. I find this fascinating because no matter how many times you try and figure out who did it, the show twists in another direction.

unsolved mysteries

  Ah yes who other than the notorious Big Foot for an unsolved mystery. There are stories of Big Foot sightings and creatures resembling our traditional Big Foot description on every continent in the world except Antarctica.  Right here in the United States Big foot has been spotted in every state except Hawaii.  The most frequent sightings occuring in the northwestern area of the country in states such as Washington and California.  Although there has never been a confirmed body found of a Big Foot nor has anyone captured a Big Foot thousands still believe and some even dedicate their lives to prooving his existence.


  

My second unsolved mystery is that of a more serious note.  The zodiac killer.  The Zodiac killer was active in the 1960's in the state of California.  The law has claimed the Zodiac killer has taken at least five lives and injured two individuals.  Perhaps the creepiest part of all is the crypted letter the Zodiac killer has supposedly sent the California policing stating that he infact was responsible for killing the people and he did it because it was more fun than game.  Also adding that he believed those he killed would be his slave in the next life.  The zodiac killer said if uncrypted the police could determine his name however the letter has gone on to say that he will not give his name because it will only slow him down.  Theending of the letter has never been decrypted.

Unsolved Mysteries/Crimes

One example of an unsolved crime is Amelia Earhart, the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, determined to be the first woman to fly around the world.  At one point, despite unplesant weather conditions, Earhart set out on another leg of her adventure.  Radio transmissions were getting lost, and Earhart was becoming difficult to understand.  When there were no further signals sent from Earhart, the largest, most extensive air and sea search in naval history took place, searching for the unidentifiable Earhart. Despite much research and theories, there has never been a definitive resolution for the fate of Amelia Earhart, and remains an unsolved mystery.
http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/bio2.html

Another unsolved crime is Jack the Ripper, the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer, who was active around the Whitechapel district in London in 1888. He murdered at least five prostitutes and mutilated their bodies in an unusual, gruesome manner.  Jack the Ripper was never captured, and remains one of England's most famous criminals.   The name"Jack the Ripper" originates from a letter written by someone who claimed to be the Whitechapel butcher, published at the time of the attacks.
http://www.biography.com/people/jack-the-ripper-9351486

Even though these events are definitely not something to be excited about, and it's a tragedy that they occurred, it is fascinating in so many realms.  The mystery of what happened, why it happened, who was involved, was there a pattern, etc. are all questions that goes through everyone's mind regarding the unsolved mysteries.  Mysteries appeal to people's sense of curiosity and allows people to marvel at the genius who unraveled the unsolved event.

Detectives in Other Cultures

Arthur Upfield was a famous novelist in Australia. His novels which include The House of Cain and The Barakee Mystery generally focus on the details of crimes. The novels work on perfecting crime and crime solving. His books are said to be like puzzles, just when you think you have all the pieces fitting together, they don't. His works are said to be appealing to people of all cultures because they are so puzzling and do not follow familiar detective patterns. I think it would be interesting to read one of his novels for this reason.

http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/aupfiel.htm

Luiz Alfredo Garcia Roza is a crime writer from Rio de Janeiro. His most popular series is that of Inspector Espinosa Mystery. In this series, he causes the reader to question morals, values and judgment. Apparently, his writings leave the reader questioning what really happened in the situation. The answer to who committed the crimes is not straight forward, or may not be given at all in some cases. His novels are complex and have many aspects to them that may be challenging for the reader to follow and understand.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/luizalfredogarciaroza

Unsolved Mysteries

I didn't want to stick to the usual murder cases so instead I decided that the Bermuda Triangle is mystery that has never been solved. It is an area of the Atlantic Ocean where numerous boats and ships have disappeared without explanation. Myths chalk the disappearances up to bad weather, alien abductions, time warps, and the suspension of physics. Whatever the cause, a substantial number of ships have been lost in the Bermuda Triangle. I find this fascinating because there has never been an answer to it after hundreds of years. I am sure that researchers have investigated it and am shocked that they have never come up with a definitive answer surrounding the triangular shape in the ocean.



The second unsolved mystery isn't a real life case but it is an outstanding movie. It's a movie that when watching the ending, the viewer is left wondering "WHATTT??" In Shutter Island, the man character is going to investigate a case at an insane asylum. Without giving away the ending, there is a twist that is never resolved. It is a great example of an unsolved mystery. I find it fascinating because my opinions of what really happened could be different from another person that watched the same movie. It let's you decide the ending, which by the way, is very frustrating.

unsolved mysteries

One example of unsolved mysteries is the mystery of the Bermuda triangle. It is a triangle in the Atlantic Ocean where many boats and planes have mysteriously disappeared. This is an interesting case because there are a lot of theories to how they disappeared. They range from aliens to electrical storms. Another unsolved mystery is the mystery of the black dahlia. A girl in the late 40's was brutally murdered and her body was severed in two. The murderer was never found even though there was a massive investigation.

Unsolved Mysteries

One unsolved mystery that I think most people know and find interesting is the Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac was a nickname given to himself. He was active in the late 1960's but continued to send in letters and ciphers into the early 1970's. Another is Jack the Ripper, he was in London in 1888. He got his name from a letter he sent to the newspaper. These are similar in that they sent messages into the newspaper and that there were suspects in each case but there was never enough evidence to arrest anyone.

Unsolved Mysteries

One very interesting unsolved mystery that I have been intrigued by since I was young is the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.  The story that surrounds this name is the murder of a six year old girl that still remains unsolved today.  In 1996 JonBenet’s parents found her in their basement of their Colorado home on Christmas morning and she was dead.  One detail about this crime that was very strange to police is that a ransom note with strange writing was also found in the family’s home.  However, there is no reason for a ransom note when JonBenet was already dead and still in the family’s home.  John and Patsy Ramsey, the parents, were under suspicion for a very long time and in 2009 they were officially taken off the suspect list.  Many lingering questions remain, such as who would kill a beautiful six year old beauty queen and why? I believe this is such an interesting mystery because this little girl’s story is so widely known, almost 17 years has gone by and still no one knows what happened.  Also, I find this very interesting because the police will probably never get the person or people who did this if it really is John and Patsy Ramsey.  Patsy died in 2006 and whatever she may have known went with her. 

                The other unsolved mystery that I find very interesting is the murder of Beth Short, otherwise known as “The Black Dahlia.”  Beth Short’s murder occurred in January of 1947.  She was found cut in half and left in a parking lot in Hollywood.  What I find very interesting about this story is that the crime is slightly similar to murders in The Poet.  In the novel, the victims were cut into many pieces and this resembles the way that Beth Short was murdered.  Also, I think that it is very interesting that there was so much support on this case.  In that time it was still socially unacceptable with most people to sleep around or for people to know that you’re sleeping with someone, especially if you are not married to that person.  The rumors are that Mrs. Short was an aspiring actress and that she slept around in Hollywood.  It was said that this was part of the name that she obtained the nick name “The Black Dahlia.”  The police in that time could have wrote her off and not tried as hard to find the killer of someone more prestigious.  However, the case of The Black Dahlia has gained much support through the years and has become very famous.

Melissa Brown 

Unsolved Mysteries

There are many different examples of unsolved mysteries and crimes in pop culture today. One popular unsolved mystery that is still talked about regularly is the Zodiac Killer. This was a famous serial killer that stuck in the late 1960’s in California. The murderer was only active 10 months and he killed a total of five people and injured two. During his rampage, he sent several letters to different news papers in California saying if they could be deciphered his name would be known. There was a primary suspect named Arthur Allen but the evidence could not prove him guilty. In 2007, there was a movie released about the events that took place starring Jake Gyllenhall and Robert Downey Jr. Another famous mystery that is really different is the Bermuda Triangle. We have all heard about this and it has been a mystery for many years. The Bermuda Triangle is an area in the Atlantic Ocean where numerous planes and boats have gone missing. There are several speculations about why these things happen but no evidence to prove theories. Over the years there have been many different documentaries and series about the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.

Unsolved mysteries

The Zodiac killing is the most fascinating mystery that I have ever read. In 1969 a person began killing many people from cab drivers to stabbing random couples. In order to taunt the police, he would send letters in to the newspapers, each of which would give clues. He even called in some of his own murders to the police. What shocked me the most was that he was never caught. He had given them so many clues and signs that should have resulted in his capturing. He even went as far as to send in a bloody shirt containing his own blood. Had he performed these crimes today, I think that with our present day technology, his call would have been traced and that his blood would have resulted in his capturing. It seems surreal that with all of these clues, most of which were just handed to the cops, he was never caught. Having his DNA should have been the deal-maker and resulted in the arrest of this mass murder.

The second murder mystery that really caught my attention was called the “Boy in the box.” In this mystery a boy, approximately 6 years old, was found in a box rapped in flannel, dead along a street in Philadelphia. The boy was nude and severely bruised. They were able to retrieve DNA from the crime scene but were never able to capture the criminal. DNA is one of the most profound pieces of evidence that links a criminal to a case. By having this clue, they should have been able to find the criminal. Once again I am not sure if it was the lack of technology at the time, but it seems unrealistic that the criminal was not caught. Another point that caught my attention was the fact that there was no one to see the crime. In the city it seems unlikely that there was not someone around to witness the crime. I would have imagined that someone would have seen and reported the crime. Finally, my curiosity was enticed because I was trying to determine why a criminal would kill a boy. 

Unsolved Mysteries

In 1984, seven-year-old, Gary Grant Jr. was said to be missing when he didn't come home for dinner. His dad was a detective and went out looking for him all night. Him and his wife reported him missing the next day. The police went out in a search, a couple days later, they found Gary beaten to death by a heavy pipe that was next to him. The police questioned Gary's friend, Boo, 12. He was mentally challenged. The way the police were questioning him, Boo kept getting his story mixed up. He told the police, he had hit Gary with the pipe but didn't kill him. Boo was put in a juvenile detention center. After a polygraph test and a trial, Boo was innocent and set free. There were no other leads. Two years later, a cop care was vandalized. It read, "Gary Grant’s dead.  I am living.  Another will die on January 12th if all goes right." Then a few weeks later another note was found scratched in the sidewalk, "Gary Grant Jr. lives.  I still killed him.  Son of a pig officer.  Payback is a M.F." They still never found the murderer. This story fascinates me because Gary's father is the only one who may know who the doer is. Gary's father was just doing his job and now his son is dead. I'm fascinated from this, I want justice, Gary deserves it. 

Cold case is a show I love to watch. It is fictional but all the cases are unsolved until Lily and her team reopen the case. There are cases from forty years ago to a year ago. It is one of my favorite shows. In the beginning it shows a scenario and then someone is shown dead. Lily and her team keep finding pieces to the puzzle and try to put them together. I try to too but I am never right. I'm fascinated with it because it is never the same story again and again, it is always different. The stories are fictional but they could happen in real life. Also I like seeing them close the case and letting the family of the victim have justice and closure.  

2 Unsolved Mysteries

1. The first example of an unsolved mystery is the murder of Black Dahlia. "Black Dahlia,"became the nickname given to Elizabeth Short's overly-publicized, gruesome murder.  On January 15, 1947, a local woman, along with her 3-year-old daughter, found Short's severed body--first, mistaken for a  mannequin. Short's body was cut in half at the waist and all her blood had been completely drained. Among other numerous cuts, the corners of her mouth were slit up towards her ears, creating the illusion of smile. Her murder remains one of the oldest unsolved murder cases in L.A.

The unsolved case of Elizabeth Short first interested me while watching the first season of American Horror Story. Portraying just one of the house's unfortunate victims, Short appears in a few quick scenes. A young girl wanting to be famous, visits a dentist (working out of his home office) for repairs on her badly decayed teeth. Nonetheless, Short is accidentally killed during "payment," and the dentist performs the gruesome mutilations before dumping her body. At first, I had no ideas this scene depicted aspects of a true crime. Then, while reading The Poet, I noticed the similar crime details. I did a quick google search, and discovered all the details on the unsolved murder of Black Dahlia--a murder that has been sensationalized and recreated since 1947.

2. The second example of an unsolved mystery is the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. On November 10, 1975, the American Great Lakes freighter sank in the midst of a Lake Superior storm. The mystery lies within determining the cause of sinking. The ship never sent a distress call before sinking, and none of the 29 victims' bodies were ever found. In an attempt to examine and  understand the sinking, multiple theories have been created; "The Fitzgerald may have fallen victim to the high waves of the storm, suffered structural failure, been swamped with water entering through her cargo hatches or deck, experienced topside damage, or shoaled in a shallow part of Lake Superior." The cause of the sinking is still a mystery, and the sinking of the Fitzgerald remains as one of the worst disasters in the history of Great Lakes shipping.

In middle school music class, our class spent weeks on the history of the Edmund Fitzgerald, as well as learning the popularized Gordon Lightfoot song: "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." For some reason, I will never forget the historical disaster, the accompanying song, and the unsolved cause for sinking. Hence, my reasoning for posting this example.

Detective Novels in Other Cultures

Out by Natsuo Kirino:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25365.Out

The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61463.The_Winter_Queen

who climbed in your window? who snatched your people up? no one knows.

One unsolved mystery is the story of “The Somerton Man” in 1948. A man who was around 40 years old was found dead on a Somerton beach in Adelaide, Australia. He carried no identification and carried a brief case. There was evidence that he was poisoned by an unknown chemical. There are theories that he was a spy because he was very well cleaned and groomed and all of his tags were removed from his clothes. Theses traits are similar to that of a spy. There was a note found in a hidden pocket of his pants. The note read “Taman Shud,” which was part of a book of poems called The Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam. Taman Shud translates to “it is finished.” The book was found near the beach and contained a phone number and a code of numbers. The code was never figured out. This story is very interesting because there are so many clues that no one could figure out or put together. I also was interested in how this guy was thought to be a spy and how no one knew who he was or why he was on the beach. The story leaves many questions unanswered, which makes it so fascinating.

Another unsolved mystery is the crime of the Huntsville rapist who intruded the home of Kelly Dodson of Huntsville, Alabama. The intruder broke into her home and tried to rape her, but her brother came in and scared off the criminal and escaped out of a window. The Dodson’s were unfamiliar with who the intruder was and had no previous relations with him. They family never found out who the attacker was. This is an interesting and unique mystery because the victims became famous and rich of an Internet video from the news casting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzNhaLUT520

Two Unsolved Mysteries

my two examples of unsolved mysteries are:

The Zodiac killer-
I thought this one was interesting because of the letter that he wrote that supposedly reveled his identity. I also thought what the letter had to say was intriguing.

and

The Bermuda Triangle-
I am quite fascinated  by the bermuda triangle and all of the disappearances that happened there. most of the stories are totally off the wall and i find the whole thing totally creepy.

Unsolved Mysteries

The first unsolved mystery I found was rock star Kurt Cobain, who was a lead guitarist and singer-songwriter for the grunge band, Nirvana. Cobain, who died at the age of 27. He was a heroin user who reportedly committed suicide, leaving a young daughter and wife behind.On April 8th 1994, Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, was found dead in his Seattle home of an apparent shotgun wound to the head and with three times the lethal amount of heroin in his system. A note lay at the scene. It's believed that he committed suicide but others say murder. His death was officially ruled a suicide, but there are plenty of people who stand by the theory that he was murdered. Unfortunately, unless someone confesses, there's no way to know for certain. But as for now, his death is considered a suicide, and his death certificate reflects that. His death is going to remain in the history books with others like Marilyn Monroe, as being too soon, and surrounded by questions. This was an interesting case because his death was reported as suicide but no one really knows how he died. What makes people believe it was suicide was Kurt way of thinking. Kurt started getting disappointed with the music industry because he couldn't be creative and nothing was changing, and he couldn't imagine living in a world where the industry of music doesn't allow a person to be who they are. It amazes me with all the advances we have people still get away with crimes and cases go unsolved. 

       

    The second mystery I found was Amelia Earhart. Amelia Earhart was an experienced pilot and disappeared when trying to fly around the world. The mystery is that they never found a plane wreck or a body. Some say she crashed and was captured by the Japanese and killed. Others say she just crashed. There are some who contend that she was secretly sent to spy on the Japanese in the South Pacific as she flew around the world. The mystery is no one knows for certain what happened to her. This is also an interesting mystery because no one knows where she went, if she crashed, where her plane went, nothing at all.She quite literally disappeared off the face of the earth. No one has found her plane, wreckage, or bodies. Like the other story, they both leave us with questions that will never be answered. 

Unsolved Mysteries

Two unsolved mysteries that I find particularly compelling are The Black Dahlia murder and Jack the Ripper.  I have spent countless hours researching the death of Elizabeth Short online, and I have a 700 page book at home all about the Jack the Ripper murders.  I love the different theories of how the murderer of Elizabeth Short and "Jack" got away with their crime.  I suppose a part of me really wishes I could solve it as well.  Not to have the fame of solving these unsolved crimes, but just the satisfaction of closure in my mind.

Close to Home..

The murder of Gary William Redner was one that I looked up online and read about. He was a 55 year old man who was executive vice president of Redner’s Markets Inc. and was discovered on March 9, 2008, dead. It is fascinating to me because it is so close to home – only about an hour or so from where I live and this is the exit, the Hiedelberg exit, is where my sister drives to every day to go to school. It remains unsolved which scares me a little. The police are still working on the case and receiving tips, but have not found out who murdered Redner.

I also looked up a hit and run incident that occurred on July 5, 2007 when Melissa Johnson, a young ten year old girl was sitting in her family’s minivan and a tractor trailer side swiped them and young Johnson lost her life only six days after sustaining injuries from the hit and run. The police still don’t know who the driver was. This particular unsolved case saddens me because the person who killed little Melissa never even stopped. They just kept on driving.

What I find most fascinating about these unsolved crimes is that they are so close to home. This kind of stuff doesn’t just happen in books or movies, but in real life. Reading these articles about these people who died reminds me how real these situations are. It saddens me to see how heartless people can be and what this world is coming to.

 Links to Redner articles:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=4593&PageID=475422&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/cop_public_safety/state_police/troops/troop_l/previous_investigations/articles/gary_william_redner_active_homicide_investigation.html

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=411353

Links to Johnson articles:

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=4593&PageID=475422&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/publishedcontent/publish/cop_public_safety/state_police/troops/troop_l/previous_investigations/articles/fatal_hit___run_crash_investigation.html

http://www.yearsoftears.org/melissajohnson.html