#THE MYSTERY GETS TWISTIER AND TWISTIER

[shegoesbyjoy]

What I thought might've been an animation error in my previous post about the red-eyed siblings I now believe to be fully intentional after seeing S2 E6. Link Click S2 spoilers ahead!!

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TURNS OUT, BOTH OF THE SIBLINGS VISITED LU GUANG.

Because this show's got me in full detective mode, I went back through every episode that has aired so far and combed through every appearance of the twins. First we have the scene at LG's door.

As established in the previous post I mentioned, the siblings can be told apart by their hair, outfit, and to some extent their lashes as well. (The most obvious tell is their hair—the boy has a fringe, while the girl has straight-cut bangs.) Knowing this, you can see that the initial scenes where LG is stopped from closing his door is the boy.

Immediately afterward we have LG's eyes widening...

...followed by a shot of the girl. Note the hair and lashes.

Then we switch back! The one who ends up handing LG the photo is the boy, NOT the girl.

Now, let's take a look at some of their other appearances. The sibling in the back of Qian Jin's car who was instructed to "do it" before being handed Chen Bin's photo? The boy.

The one waiting in the hallway, who Qian Jin's henchman gives a phone to? Also the boy. (The outfit difference between him and his sister becomes rather obvious now, if you are looking out for it.)

The one who then calls Qian Jin on the phone later that episode? The girl! (Made clear in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment at the very end of that scene when she tilts her head, revealing a tiny corner of her bangs.)

That conversation btw (which happens in E4) potentially foreshadows the events of E6...though of course we still don't quite know what "this plan" was meant to accomplish, assuming the girl's trip to the police station is really what they're referring to here.

Qian Jin: How about it? Have you found him? Li Tianxi (the sister): [shows mouth moving but with the audio silenced] Qian Jin: [laughs] You’re a real lunatic. This plan is risky, but if we can take action before the police discover it, we still have a chance.

Anyways, what all this confirms for me is that BOTH siblings are in contact with Qian Jin and working with him somehow. But what's still totally up in the air is:

Are the two siblings in contact with each other? And if so, are they working with or against each other?

Are the siblings actually on Qian Jin's side by choice? Or are they being coerced in some way?

Do they have their own agenda (either individually or as a team) that they're pursuing under the guise of following Qian Jin's directives?

Why did Qian Jin scrub most of their info off the police records?

What exactly was the brother trying to accomplish by handing LG that photo of his sister and their mother?

LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS left for S2 to answer... 👀

[familyabolisher]

why did you like auft? i read it and i feel like i didn't really get it but in the way where i think someone explaining why they liked it could open up new avenues in my brain, and your analyses are always really well thought out so i thought i'd ask

tbh the longer i’ve sat with auft the less compelled i am; i definitely had fun reading it, which i think does count for something, but having thought about it i don’t know that it was incredibly … substantial. i’m not sure that it had all that much to say for itself? like, sure, you can take it as a commentary on how fandom communities can be v intense, invasive, interpersonally violent online spaces, but it plays that hand straight away and just kind of rides on its momentum for the whole narrative without really developing. & it falls for the classic murder mystery gambit of kind of just allowing police, prisons, courts, to exist as signifiers of Justice (even when incorrect) without interrogation. i had fun with the epilogue but the twists could have been twistier! it’s a pretty cool concept but i think it needs like a second round in the oven or whatever. like, i’m not sold. it was enjoyable, but i don’t know that i got all that much from it besides like a couple of hours of scratching a boredom itch.

[themovieblogonline]

Mithya: The Darker Chapter – A Thrilling Ride

ZEE5 Global is back with Mithya: The Darker Chapter, and let me tell you, things just got darker, twistier, and, well... more twisted. The battle between Juhi (played by Huma Qureshi) and her half-sister Rhea (Avantika Dassani) returns with a vengeance. Literally. https://youtu.be/dKH5dGfNsNk Directed by Kapil Sharma and streaming from November 1, Mithya is not your average psychological thriller. Juhi’s basking in the glory of her book Dhund, but hold on—because out of nowhere, a mysterious writer, Amit (played by Naveen Kasturia), comes swinging with a plagiarism accusation. And you thought your sibling rivalry was intense? What’s great about this new season is the layered storytelling. On one end, we’ve got Juhi fighting accusations, and on the other, Rhea is still fighting for their father’s love. Their battle? It’s not just personal; it’s a cutthroat war filled with lies, deceit, and manipulation that’ll leave you questioning everything. Why Watch This Season? Let’s start with Huma Qureshi. She’s as fierce as ever, pulling off a character that’s vengeful, but not one-dimensional. Qureshi said in an interview, “This show pushed me to explore a more complex, darker side of myself as an actor.” And you can tell. She’s not just acting; she’s living it. Meanwhile, Avantika Dassani shines as the ambitious half-sister, Rhea, adding more layers to the tension. Expect betrayal, secrets, and more dirty tricks than a poker game at a mob convention. Add Naveen Kasturia’s sharp performance as Amit, and you’ve got a psychological thriller that’s going to mess with your head—in a good way. Plot: More Twists Than a Corkscrew As Juhi fights to clear her name, Rhea gets sneakier, and Amit throws in an unexpected wild card. What stands out is the “blood versus blood” angle that pits family ties against each other. With lives on the line, the stakes are sky-high, and this is far from your basic catfight—this is a gladiator battle in designer shoes. The dynamic between Juhi and Rhea intensifies, and this time, the consequences are deadlier. Both women transform as they delve deeper into their dark sides, with the lines between good and evil blurred beyond recognition. As the show builds to a fever pitch, it's clear no one will come out unscathed. Final Thoughts With high-octane drama, shocking twists, and performances that’ll leave you speechless, Mithya: The Darker Chapter is your next binge-worthy obsession. Whether you’re a fan of psychological dramas or just in for the mind games, this series promises to keep you glued to the screen. Just don’t trust anyone, because in this game, even the audience isn’t safe. Read the full article

[sheepfulsheepyardinspace]

Do you have any Star Wars fanfic recommendations, or have a link to someone else's list? I really wanna veg out.

oh my god, DO I. this may have been the best ask in the world. i’m not really sure what u want a feel for, so i threw together some of my favorite longfics for maximum veg time from the ot/pt and links for swr and swtcw recs. they’re pretty much all luke-anakin/vader centric, since that’s kinda my bread and butter.

let’s start with frodogenic, who wrote the first longfic i ever read in sw and might be one of the funniest authors ever. they once reviewed my fanfic & i nearly cried from joy. anyway. 

The Father, 284k+, complete. “Ten years after ROTS, tormenting nightmares of his unborn child drive Darth Vader to extraordinary measures with unexpectedly drastic consequences. Clearly, experience has taught Darth Vader nothing...” 

this is my og star wars fic and boy oh boy is it amazing. i will never get over this. i don’t want to spoil anything but when i say the final chapters are great? i mean they’re legendary. sometimes i still think about them & wish upon a star that i could be such a great writer. vader’s amazing, han is spectacular, and the ocs are fantastic.

Far More Than Rubies, 70k+, complete. “Nine years after AOTC, tragedy revisits the Lars Homestead. Little Luke Skywalker is suddenly plunged into chaos as the rebel movements discover a secret military project that may make a crucial difference in the war with the Empire.”

the spiritual twin of The Father, FMTR takes a look at padmé’s character and relationship with both luke and anakin/vader that’s hard to beat. it’s darker and heavier than The Father, but it hits those same sweet, sweet emotional beats while raising the age-old question: if padmé had lived, what would she have done?

The Family Tree, 12k, complete. “In which Luke Skywalker is stranded in a tree waiting for a flash flood to recede. Too bad he's got company...”

okay, i admit, this isn’t a longfic, but it is a longshot, and it’s amazing. the imagery and description always blow me away, and the interaction (canon-compliant) between luke and vader just [chef’s kiss] get me. vader’s in full, glorious form, and it makes it all the harder when luke wrestles with the knowledge that vader is his father.

Sibling Revelry, 25k, complete. “After Bespin and before Endor, Darth Vader is shocked to discover that Luke and Leia are twins. He's even more shocked when Imperial Intelligence reports that Organa and Skywalker are, erm, a tad closer than previously suspected.”

this is complete crack and humor in the best way possible. it’s crack treated entirely seriously, and you will be in stitches, i promise. no matter how many times i’ve read this i break down.

KittandChips (@kittandchips) writes what i can only describe as food for the soul. the luke-vader interaction is insanely amazing, the world building of daily imperial life and imperial governance is amazing, and vader just has a special je ne sais quoi that u must read to understand––tragic, funny, and so, so fatherly. they’re currently rewriting the Force Bond Series to fit in with newer canon, so i will joyously binge reread the entire again (including the new Force Bond: Mustafar Weekend).

Force Bond 1: Orphan, 47k, complete. “After Owen and Beru are killed by a mysterious stranger, young Luke ends up as an orphan on Coruscant. It's a race against time as Obi-Wan struggles to find Luke before Vader realizes the boy is his son.”

Orphan kicks off the series, which tracks vader and luke’s relationship through the perils of luke’s teenagerhood while growing up under the eye of the emperor and imperial court. it’s filled with slow growth, struggle and misunderstandings as darth vader tries to single parent, and pay off in every installment. the entire series clocks in around 777k+ and is the most joyful, fulfilling reading you’ll ever have. promise.

darth-nickels (@darth--nickels) writes darker, twistier, and terribly, terribly heartwrenching aus. they’ve got a whole host, but let me introduce to my two favorites. also, check out their faux-academia on vader. it’s amazing and i love it, but i admit i am an academia hoe.

Dooku Captured, Pt 2, 16k, complete. “Dooku is taken alive onboard the Invisible Hand, and Sidious' web is torn. The Sith Lord wonders if death might have been preferable to clumsy interrogation by Anakin Skywalker.”

Dooku Captured is a longshot au told from Dooku’s pov which takes the beginning of ROTS and throws it on its head. it’s a fascinating outside perspective of anakin and obi-wan’s relationship and such and interesting examination of dooku’s psyche and especially his complex relationship with the jedi order, qui-gon, yoda, and palpatine. i cannot rec this one enough.

Black Mirror, 90k, incomplete. “The Ghost crew returns to the Lothal when they hear the Empire is investigating the Jedi Temple there. They learn Vader is alone and decide to take him out-- but what they find could change the course of Galactic history.”

Black Mirror diverges into swr territory, but make no mistake: this is entirely an examination of vader and, later, obi-wan as well as ahsoka. luke makes his appearance later in the game, and boy oh boy will you love luke’s portrayal is a microcosm of luke and vader’s relationship within canon. heed the tags, though.

jerseydevious ( @jerseydevious ) is, first and foremost, one of my favorite people on earth. secondly, though, she’s an amazing writer with a deep understanding of vader’s character and psyche, a flair for beautiful depictions, and the true ability to wring every emotion out of your body.

Two and a Half Men (with a baby), 13k, incomplete. “After a long day of bargaining with Hutts and attempting to ignore his past, Darth Vader is nearing the end of his rope. When he discovers his two-year-old son, it's the straw that breaks the semi-rational Sith Lord's back; in a rash act worthy of the Skywalker name, he scoops his son into his arms, steals a shuttle from his own fleet, and punches in random hyperspace coordinates to a destination on the other side of the galaxy. Unfortunately, father and son are not the only ones on the ship.”

Two and a Half Men will stick with you, dude. like no other. i promise. it’s a whirlwind ride with obi-wan, vader, and piett and as funny as it is heartbreaking. it touches on some heavy issues and doesn’t shy away from looking at the damage done to vader––again, heed the tags.

Helioseismology, 4k, complete. “Luke gets shot down on a supply run and caught in an ice storm. It's extremely lucky that his father followed him there.“

i’ll admit. im completely biased about this one because it was a birthday gift to me and i am sucker for litcherally anything when jd puts pen to paper, but believe me when i say you will be awed by the depth and tangled relationships between these luke and vader that jersey can illustrate in a stroke of the paintbrush. im love. always.

izzythehutt ( @izzythehutt ) i am blown away by the intricate dialogue and characterization, always. and the latin puns? im sold. im also a sucker for latin puns, but that’s a story for a different time.

In Loco Pirates, 34k, complete. “A down-on-his-luck Hondo Ohnaka manages to capture the unicorn of all bounties--Luke Skywalker, which sends Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, on a painfully familiar trip to the planet Florrum to collect his prize. The failed negotiations leave Vader in the awkward position of being stuck in a besieged pirate bunker, trying to balance keeping his wayward child safe (and in his custody) with controlling the tongue of a loose-lipped pirate who--to the surprise of no one--has a bad habit of telling 'amusing' anecdotes from the Clone Wars.”

hondo, aka the best character of swtcw, is brought to life just as vividly on paper as on screen. his entire personality brings luke and vader’s difficulties in a sort of incredulous light, which makes it as funny as it is vulnerable and tragic. the sequel, Palpatine Ad Portas, brings piett into the spotlight, and oh man do his interactions with palpatine and vader bring u all the uncomfortable vibes. relish in it.

sparklight ( @littlesparklight ) man. lemme introduce u to an amazing prolific and detailed writer. i will never get over the series they’ve written & neither will u.

Where Our Intrepid Hero Doesn’t Get Away, 122k, incomplete. “One-shots surrounding either AU situations of canon/legends works where Luke would normally have gotten away (or Vader is simply inserted into the action to come pick his child up) but in these instances doesn't, or completely new scenarios of the same. There are no deep ruminations on consequences of the situations here, just our awful Sith dad picking his son up when he'd rather not be.”

exactly what it says on the tin. u know those glorious moments of fanfic where luke’s gotten captured and ur on pins and needles, waiting for vader to show up in a moment of dark glory? here’s the moment. here’s all the moments.

Space Race, 122k, incomplete. “Owen gives in to Luke's wish to attend the Imperial Academy and Obi-Wan is too late to avert it, though he's not too late to make sure Luke leaves Arkanis before Vader can gets his hands on him. Luke spends over a month running around the galaxy before his father gets him, and from there...”

this story relishes in chase and boy is it fun. it will keep you on the edge of your seat and it’s an amazing ride.

The Suns of Tatooine, 85k, complete. “Luke ends up on a moon swamped in dark side energy after a mission goes wrong, then his father appears... and then they go on a bit of a learning experience. This could've been the only thing that would come of getting through a Sith complex with his father, but thanks to going to free Han earlier than the gang did otherwise, more revelations are had. Will that change anything?”

this series is a thoughtful, contemplative piece examining the nature of the force and the relationship the skywalkers have with tatooine. the descriptions are beautiful, the inventiveness is amazing, and you’ll be thinking about it for long afterwards.

an additional few…

Between Flight and Longing; 34k, complete. “Luke Skywalker and Han Solo journey to the planet Balen'ar on a desperate mission and find more than they'd bargained for.”

a classic and it is for a reason. the interaction between han, luke, and vader is so spectacular and the slow trudge of going through the forest with your greatest enemy and best friend is something hilarious. the end is bittersweet and fantastic.

The Sith Who Brought Life Day, 13k, complete. “An Imperial officer loses a bet and has to get Darth Vader a present for Life Day.”

somewhere between terrifying and dull, this fic presents a canon-compliant look at the hunt for luke and the grinding wheels of the empire. the oc is amazing and it echoes in true star wars spirit: sometimes it’s just some dude who can change the galaxy.

Quintessence, 5k, complete. ‘“Well, Master, I think I’ve found the one positive aspect of this situation.” “Which is?” “The Temple won’t have to pay the costs for our funeral pyres.”’

pure hilarity and shenanigans abound in pre-aotc obi-wan and anakin hijink goodness. lemme tell u––u will deeply sympathize with mace windu afterwards. additionally, check out the rest of the author’s oneshots! they’re deeply thoughtful and the interactions the author writes between obi-wan and anakin are always gold.

some extras & shameless self-promotion

here’s a full list of recommendations for star wars rebels fanfic in case this is what you’re looking for (remember when this used to be a swr blog, lmao)

i’ve also written sw fanfic, both swr and luke-vader centric. drop by and tell me if it’s any good!

[trashbaget]

6,17,& 24??

hi lovely!! thank you so much for the ask 🥰🥰💖

6 - show you don’t watch but know the plot because of social media?

i can’t think of any off the top of my head that i still haven’t seen but this was 911 before i watched it!! i’d seen countless gifs and knew pretty much everything buddie related beforehand.

17 - show you wish someone else watched as well?

aaklals also 911, i’m tryna get my mom to watch it lmao

but i’ll pick something else! 🥰 one of my favorite favorite shows is the miniseries eyewitness and i think more people in general would watch it. it’s about these boys who get mixed up in a murder mystery that keeps getting twistier while dealing with internalized homophobia as they fall in love in this tiny rural town. it’s got fucking incredible atmosphere, their love story is cute, and it gets me in my feels in the best way.

24 - show you watched that was canceled too soon?

i am not okay with this!!!! and i am so not okay with this being canceled!!! let me freaking tell you, when i watched this show all in one sitting with my sister i had a fucking dry sob over it because it made me feel seen???? the way syd’s powers symbolized anxiety, the storyline where she fell for her best friend and things greyed, her issues with family, i just really connected with her character. i absolutely adored the friendship between her and stan (a bi king!) and i also i just loved stan in general. the atmosphere of this show was BRILLIANT. and the end scene that seemed to set up for more seasons was actually so cool to me that i wasn’t even mad that it was such an insane cliffhanger! but then they dropped it. 🤡💩 move netflix. clown shit move.

[dangermousie]

Oh boy… so Lu Zhanxing killed that envoy on purpose to stop Gu Mang from continuing on the path he was on. Dang I was like dude you really are insane but at the same time I can see where he was coming from. For people born like them nothing ever seems to be enough. I thought him and Gu Mang’s final moments were heartwarming…. And then … THE FREAKING EMPEROR HAS HIM TAKE HIS CHILDHOOD FRIEND’S HEAD AS AN APOLOGY!!! That is soooo messed up!!!! I hate this freaking emperor. I thought he was kind of amusing at first cause he seemed to just not care but wow is he ruthless!!

And the pain just continues. Mo Xie is uncovering all these secrets and having to see just how broken Gu Mang is at this time. When Gu Mang is sobbing on the floor and Mo Xie wants to just hold and him comfort him but the time mirror powers are wearing off so he can’t! Ughhh! My heart! And the story of the old beggar brought me to tears. Gu Mang bringing him peace by acting like the soldiers that the old beggar abandoned! Gosh I love him!

Ughhh I know there has to be so much more to uncover!!! There’s definitely more to the story. Like who is that mysterious dude? What did Gu Mang see that made him so upset?? Why are Gu Mang’s eyes blue??? (That has to be a significant detail like from the beginning I’ve been like what’s up with the different eye color??) anyway I’ve probably failed to mention everything but at this point I’m rambling sorry if this is all unintelligible it’s like 2am and I’m just!!! lol

Just you waaaait, it's going to get way twistier!

And yes, (1) emperor is loathsome loathsome loathsome (2) there is an explanation for Gu Mang's eyes being blue and it may or may not break your heart (3) but what Gu Mang saw will DEF break your heart.

And yeah, that kingdom is so freaking rotten!

[nevinslibrary]

Mystery/Thriller Monday

I don’t know. Would you ‘lose’ the letter from your cousin where she begs you to come and save her from a mysterious something? Noemí doesn’t lose the letter. Instead she travels to High Place where her cousin and her new husband are. (It’s in the Mexican countryside).

It only gets twistier and spookier from there. It’s not just the people who make this a gothic tale, but, somehow it seems to Noemí that the house itself is in her dreams too? Whew…

This novel was chock full of secrets, and I did not want to put it down for anything. So good.

You may like this book If you Liked: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, or The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

[mjmnorwood]

[I.D. A header image of two pencils on a yellow background, with title reading ‘Writing a Mystery’. End I.D.]

I love mysteries. I confess to being a naturally nosy person, so a mystery is the perfect plot for me. And because I love to read them, I also love to write them! Here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years for making mysteries intriguing and effective.

Know your plot inside and out.

Mysteries are some of the most carefully-plotted stories out there, and they need to be. The audience will be considering how everything links into the mystery, so you can’t have any surplus plot elements. Mind-mapping ideas and making an outline is incredibly helpful (and it can also be useful to have a second, secret outline of what the culprit is doing to cover their tracks while the sleuth investigates).

It is also possible to pants a mystery (I know because I’ve done it), it’s just that after the first draft is done, you have to put a lot of thought into re-organising things to make your story as well-structured as possible. This can involve being pretty merciless with cuts, just to forewarn you!

Milk your clues for all they’re worth.

A lot of people think of mysteries as sequential. The sleuth finds one clue which leads to another clue which leads to another clue which eventually leads to a solution. However, they are in actual fact a lot twistier than that. To keep the reader on their toes, you want uncertainty and misdirection, and a great place to do this is with the clues. Throw in red herrings and ambiguous clues to keep the sleuth (and the audience) guessing. You’ll find that when your clues are working hard, you don’t actually need all that many—when you get down to it, most mysteries only have about 3-5 clues that are really significant!

Balance your resolution.

There are two routes you can go down when writing the suspects in a mystery: making the audience feel like anyone could have done it, and making them feel like no-one could have done it. Both of these routes are suspenseful, and you usually want to maintain them until the final deductions are made, at which point the most satisfying mysteries make the audience smack their heads as the clues fall together and they realise that only the culprit could have done it and think why didn’t we see this before? It can be hard to make this moment come at exactly the right point, but having a tight plot makes it so much easier (which is why the first point is so important).

Give your audience something other than the plot to be invested in.

An intriguing mystery is a great hook, but keeping the reader invested takes more than that. Interesting characters and settings are SO important—when you think about it, the most famous detectives (e.g. Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple) are memorable because they’re interesting personalities. And the side characters are just as important. Natural human curiosity is what draws us into a mystery, but empathy for the people involved is what really keeps us turning the pages to see how things turn out for them.

Remember mysteries can be more varied than you think.

When you think of a mystery novel, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a murder mystery, but you are not limited by this! It’s true that murders often feel like they have the highest stakes, but you can totally write mysteries about trying to discover a stolen watch, finding out who vandalised that expensive painting, figuring out who left that mysterious note, and a whole host of other possibilities! You also aren’t limited to 1930s country-house mysteries or fast-paced modern thrillers. Mystery plots work great in other genres too (in fact, mystery combined with fantasy or sci-fi is one of my all-time fave things!). And finally, you can play about with the traditional structure of information reveals and have the audience know things your characters don’t...

Reading list -

As with all aspects of writing, I think the best way to learn mysteries is to read plenty of them. As I said in the intro, they’re one of my fave things, so I have plenty of recommendations!

The Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters. The mysteries in these books are wonderfully intriguing, and the historical setting is so well-drawn. The whole series is fantastic, but if you don’t want to commit to twenty books, I particularly recommend The Sanctuary Sparrow.

The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Both the books and the TV miniseries are brilliant, and I think the character work is particularly fine in these stories. Mma Ramotswe is one of my favourite sleuths (and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is the most wholesome love interest!).

The Provost’s Dog trilogy by Tamora Pierce. This is an excellent example of mystery woven into another genre (YA fantasy).

The novella The Mountains of Mourning by Lois McMaster Bujold. This also has mystery in another genre (sci-fi this time) and it shows that you don’t need a book-length mystery chock-full of clues to be interesting. TMoM is less than 100 pages, but still pulls off an incredibly well-done mystery (and makes me tear up every time!).

For my last recommendation (since this list is getting long...) I put forward The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. This book is ASTONISHINGLY tightly plotted. I know ‘I couldn’t put it down’ is a cliché, but I really couldn’t put it down.

Like this post? Follow for more writerly content! It’ll be lovely to have you along :D

[wannabecatwriter]

“How’s the ratatouille?”

“Pretty good? What about your lasagna?”

“It’s great. Definitely a lasagna and not a ‘lasaga’,” he joked, trying to lighten up the awkwardness. No matter how much people liked each other, it seemed first dates were just a strange time.

“At least, there’s no chance it was prepared by a little French rat,” she laughed.

“You never know, you never know. Those chefs’ hats are pretty tall - anyone could be hiding under there.”

“You like ‘Ratatouille’?” she asked in surprise.

“Love it. I used to watch it with Candace all the time when it first came out, but to be honest, I still keep the DVD within easy reach at home - it always puts a smile on my face. They have some good movies.”

“What did you think about ‘Cars’, then?”

“I couldn’t finish it,” he admitted. “Probably because I work on vehicles all the time, I couldn’t suspend disbelief long enough to get into the whole anthropomorphic cars idea.”

“It was a bit of a stretch,” she agreed. “So, what do you do in your free time? Other than paying off strangers’ bills, of course?”

“Ooof. I admit, I really didn’t realize how creepy it would seem.”

“I’m just joking. I do appreciate the intent behind the act.”

“By the way, your sign should be up on the shop by the end of the week,” he remembered. “It’s ready, the company just needs to deliver it.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“But in answer to your question, I don’t really do anything out of the ordinary. I mostly just read for fun.”

“What sorts of books?”

“I like mysteries. Especially, if they have a good twist that keeps me on the edge of the seat. And aside from that, historical non-fiction. Sometimes, it’s twistier than any mystery.”

“Especially when you consider how different viewpoints can present the same event in a thousand different ways,” she knew exactly what he was talking about.

“You know it. Wine?”

“Sure, but not too much.”

[imagahub]

Murder Mysteries To Satisfy Your Inner Detective

If you love a good murder mystery and love the idea of getting into the action, check out these murder mysteries.

'Dial M for Murder' (1954)

Starring: Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, and John Williams.

The mystery: A man plots the perfect murder to get rid of his adulterous wife, but is backed into a corner when his wife fights back and kills her assassin in self-defense. Another Hitchcock classic, the plot starts out twisty and only gets twistier.

'The Maltese Falcon' (1941)

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, and Sydney Greenstreet.

The mystery: Detective Sam Spade (Bogart) takes on a case that turns out to be more than he bargained for when his partner ends up murdered—Sam is threatened and told he must find the valuable statue at the center of the crime spree.

'Primal Fear' (1996)

Starring: Richard Gere, Edward Norton, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, and Frances McDormand.

The mystery: When the Archbishop of Chicago is murdered, a media-hungry attorney takes on the case, defending the alter boy who is the prime suspect in the case. Norton (only 27 at the time and in his film debut) gives a star-making performance as a young alter boy who's more than meets the eye.

'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' (1988)

Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Stubby Kaye, and Joanna Cassidy.

The mystery: Not every murder mystery has to be super-serious, clearly. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a family-friendly take on classic noirs, as a detective works to find out, well, who framed Roger Rabbit—and who really committed the murder the toon is accused of. The effects have aged a little, but the story's still a good one.

For plenty more thriller action, check out www.imagahub.com.

[mukuharakazui]

it aint me chief im just here to make the mystery twistier

assuming anon is who i think, the mystery was never really twisted, nor was there much of a mystery in the first place. i'm just getting a lot of ask notifications now.

[jbuffyangel]

Weekly Rundown 10/14/18-10/20/18

Time to rundown what I’m watching, loving, hating and everything in between! Spoilers ahead!

Arrow (“Inmate 4587″)

William running through the woods, even if it is a dream, makes me so emo.

I love how Arrow fake kills Felicity because they'd rather walk into hell than do it for real.

Felicity and William's photo sits on top of his copy of “Count of Monte Cristo” because they are Oliver's way out.

Stan stans Oliver. Same dude.

If we get this much Oliver working out then I will survive the prison storyline.

Mystery GA is like old school Oliver without Oliver having to be old school. Nifty.

Oliver's voiced cracks just a little bit when he asked Diggle about William and Felicity. It hurts to even say their names.

Felicity is the most adorable pink haired barista to ever live

"Boxing is not gonna win you a fight in the Glades." Oh yeah? Tell that to LL. Oh wait. She's dead. Never mind. Kid is right.

DO NOT TOUCH THE WIFEY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OR DIE.

I don't remember all these villains. Smeh.

Who dat in da boat?

Listen dude you need to see a picture of her husband and then you'd know better than to even ask.

LL hit the streets as BC after a couple boxing lessons. BS hits a couple law books and is DA. You're right LL fandom. Totally same character.

Curtis has a job with ARGUS and please for all that is holy let him stay there.

Is anyone else unnerved watching all these characters fight crime legally?

He's looking for Robert Queen? Long lost son? Grave robber? Weirdo?

So now Rene wants to go to prison? Why didn't you just do that in the first place? Then Oliver wouldn't have to save your ass & leave everyone he loves behind.

Grown up William? Flash forward Roy? I AM SPIRALING Y'ALL

Just when we thought there was nothing better than Oliver fighting naked in a shower they gave us Felicity kicking Diaz's ass.

Oh god y'all that scene was incredible. Don't ever say to me Oliver and Felicity are not the foundation of Arrow.

"I will always wait for you." Later. I have to eat my feelings.

Felicity gives William the hozen. I AM NOT OKAY.

GROWN UP WILLIAM WITH ROY!!!!! WE ARE FLASH FORWARDING PEOPLE!  

Okay they went no where near as dark with Oliver as I thought they would. Also, I should maybe look into a therapist because my dark & twisty is a lot darker and twistier than Arrow.

I am here for aged up Felicity. I am living for it.

Manifest “Unclaimed Baggage”

OMG we found out what Ben does for a living. The greatest mystery of Manifest is solved. HE IS A MATH PROFESSOR.

I want Ben to figure out to pay off my mortgage and keep $500K.

We finally meet Danny. Danny is the hot nurse from Grey’s Anatomy, the hot firefighter from Rescue Me and the hot FBI agent from Graceland. I love me some Daniel Sunjata. I prefer blondes so I’d still go with Dreamy McBlue eyes (Josh Dallas) but I understand Grace’s predicament more now. The struggle is real.

Michaela blew an operation with her Spidey sense and Jared took the blame, but it gave us this SWOONY exchange:

Michaela: You don’t have to protect me.

Jared: Yes I do. I can’t help it.

I still don’t really care about the plane mystery. The relationships are much more interesting.

The Gifted (”Outmatched”)

I was very bored this week. The best conflict is Lauren and Andy, but it was an anti climatic ending. 

This Is Us (”Vietnam”)

He got the "Breathe" from the army buddy. I'm ten minutes in and This Is Us has left me emotionally eviscerated. So your standard Tuesday night.

We are rehashing a lot of information I already know.

My father was drafted at the same time as Nicky. He was #5 in the draft. My dad was #8

Blindspot (”My Art Project”)

"I'm the work wife." LOL!!! Rich Dotcom is often the best of Blindspot episodes.

Reade is freaking out. SHE IS ALIVE READE DON'T BELIEVE IT!

I want to go to lunch with Rich Dotcom and talk Met Gala couture.

"You've done something with your hair. Your whole vibe is edgier." Boston is the only one who knows long hair = evil Jane.

Can no one see when Remi makes her cranky evil face after being nice to Kurt? It's her face! HOW DO THEY NOT SEE IT?

Wait. How is the puzzle a vetting process if other people don't have access to the tattoo? This makes no sense.

Madeline is sufficiently creepy.

Awww Rich is jealous. He's used to being Team Blindspot's favorite criminal. No one can take your place Rich Dotcom. You are one in a million.

Uh oh. Kurt saw that picture taking Remi.

Zapata is an accessory to murder. That ain't good.

That was too much Remi, Remi. Reel it back girl.

Remi drugged Patterson. This removes any doubt. She is evil.

Jane is a super ninja. She can't get out of being held hostage? She's done it millions of times before and yet nobody on Team Blindspot questions her helplessness?

Anyone else confused on this case? I hate it when I'm confused on case of the week.

Making a Murderer Part 2

I’m trying to hang in there on, but jeez this forensic science stuff is complex.

Brendan Dassey’s case is bounced between courts like a soccer ball. This is insane.

Oh holy hell I don’t know who did it. I give up.

That’s all for this week! I started my Daredevil binge so I have a bunch of shows to catch up on!

[themovieblogonline]

Mithya: The Darker Chapter – A Thrilling Ride

ZEE5 Global is back with Mithya: The Darker Chapter, and let me tell you, things just got darker, twistier, and, well... more twisted. The battle between Juhi (played by Huma Qureshi) and her half-sister Rhea (Avantika Dassani) returns with a vengeance. Literally. https://youtu.be/dKH5dGfNsNk Directed by Kapil Sharma and streaming from November 1, Mithya is not your average psychological thriller. Juhi’s basking in the glory of her book Dhund, but hold on—because out of nowhere, a mysterious writer, Amit (played by Naveen Kasturia), comes swinging with a plagiarism accusation. And you thought your sibling rivalry was intense? What’s great about this new season is the layered storytelling. On one end, we’ve got Juhi fighting accusations, and on the other, Rhea is still fighting for their father’s love. Their battle? It’s not just personal; it’s a cutthroat war filled with lies, deceit, and manipulation that’ll leave you questioning everything. Why Watch This Season? Let’s start with Huma Qureshi. She’s as fierce as ever, pulling off a character that’s vengeful, but not one-dimensional. Qureshi said in an interview, “This show pushed me to explore a more complex, darker side of myself as an actor.” And you can tell. She’s not just acting; she’s living it. Meanwhile, Avantika Dassani shines as the ambitious half-sister, Rhea, adding more layers to the tension. Expect betrayal, secrets, and more dirty tricks than a poker game at a mob convention. Add Naveen Kasturia’s sharp performance as Amit, and you’ve got a psychological thriller that’s going to mess with your head—in a good way. Plot: More Twists Than a Corkscrew As Juhi fights to clear her name, Rhea gets sneakier, and Amit throws in an unexpected wild card. What stands out is the “blood versus blood” angle that pits family ties against each other. With lives on the line, the stakes are sky-high, and this is far from your basic catfight—this is a gladiator battle in designer shoes. The dynamic between Juhi and Rhea intensifies, and this time, the consequences are deadlier. Both women transform as they delve deeper into their dark sides, with the lines between good and evil blurred beyond recognition. As the show builds to a fever pitch, it's clear no one will come out unscathed. Final Thoughts With high-octane drama, shocking twists, and performances that’ll leave you speechless, Mithya: The Darker Chapter is your next binge-worthy obsession. Whether you’re a fan of psychological dramas or just in for the mind games, this series promises to keep you glued to the screen. Just don’t trust anyone, because in this game, even the audience isn’t safe. Read the full article

[constablewrites]

World Building as Reveal in Steven Universe

There’s a question that seems to come up with some regularity over at @script-a-world: How much world building do you need? Where’s the line between too much and not enough?

I’m all about the examples, so let’s take a look at Steven Universe.

Steven Universe is a riff on the Magical Girl genre, with a complex and structured alien race, and a broad variety of powers and abilities, a substantial backstory. There is a whole lot going on.

Now let’s look at just the first episode, “Gem Glow.” You’d think that it would have a lot of work to do setting all that stuff up, right? Well, not so much.

The stuff that gets outright explained:

Steven has a gem but doesn’t know how to use it

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are magical ladies who protect humanity

Each of them can summon a unique weapon from their gem

Steven’s weapon is a shield

The stuff that’s shown but not elaborated upon:

Gems fighting gem monsters

Steven’s powers are tied to his emotions

Bubbling monster gems

That’s it. Steven’s parents don’t even come up until the second episode. Things that become cornerstones of the series, like fusion and the Gem War? Not a peep about them.

In one way, this works because Steven is the viewpoint character, and he functions as the Naive Newcomer. As he learns more about his own powers and his mother’s past, so do we. 

It also works because, well, there’s only so much detail we can process at once. “Women fight monsters with magical weapons” is a pretty straightforward concept as such things go. The series takes its time to build on itself, allowing us to place each new piece of information in the correct context. Take the big reveal in the season 1 finale “Jailbreak” (I won’t spoil it, but if you’ve seen the show you know what I mean). Some other creators might have laid out a fact that foundational about one of the main characters right up front, stated as a matter of fact. By waiting until we better understand the implications, it becomes more than just a line in her bio--it has meaning, and provides a character we already knew with new depth. 

Even five seasons in, Steven Universe is still holding back a lot. I mean, we just now got a clue to what Lion is, and Lion first showed up in the tenth episode of season one. All along it’s treated its world building as a mystery to be uncovered. The pieces are usually there from the start (indeed, a rewatch of the series shows just how far in advance it must have been planned), but it pulls them into focus slowly and, critically, keeps them anchored to characters we care about. We don’t just see Steven learning new information, we see how new information affects him--what delights him, what terrifies him, what makes him question his own existence. It’s all tied to the emotional core, so as things start getting darker and twistier we’re invested.

The overarching plot of Steven Universe is almost entirely tied up in its world building. That’s only possible because it’s very stingy with giving up those details. If you dump all your world building on us at the start, we’re going to take it for granted and probably miss some things that were actually important. But if you make us work for it? We’ll be begging to find out what happened in that war that happened 5,000 years ago.

[booklover277]

The Cheerleaders by: Kara Thomas

3.5 stars out of 5

There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook. First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost. That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all. There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.

Release Date: July 31, 2018

I don’t know if we’re cursed. All I know is that my sister wouldn’t have killed herself. But if she did, why didn’t she leave a note explaining why?

Five cheerleaders dead over the course of three weeks. This happened five years ago. One of those girls was Monica's sister, Jen, and it's been haunting her ever since. Jen was the last of the five to die and it has never made sense. First, two girls hydroplaned and hit a tree in a storm. Next, two girls were strangled by the man next door. And last, Jen committed suicide. That was the end of the cheerleaders. The school disbanded the squad.

When we meet Monica, she's going through a tough time. Not getting into detail with what's happening with her, but it's not something I expected. I enjoyed that the plot went there, though. It's real and emotional. Due to what's going on with Monica, she finds herself drifting from her friends. It doesn't take long for questions to arise about what really happened five years ago starting with an old cell phone in her stepdad's desk.

The majority of the story is told from Monica's POV, but it occasionally switches to Jen's from five years ago in the time leading up to her death.

Okay, so this is my least favorite Kara Thomas book so far. Let’s just put that out there right now. I sat on this for a week or so and that’s just how I feel. “Least favorite” is also very poor sounding, but you should know that I gave her last two books 4 stars. And there's no way I'm missing her next book. So there’s that. Certain aspects of the plot were forgettable, unfortunately. However, I still liked this one. Thomas’s display of relationships whether friendship or familial are written realistically and accurately. She always knows to show the hidden layers beneath the surface and I, for one, appreciate it. Here, the female friendships are mainly those of support and it’s refreshing to see. I just wish this had been faster paced and had a twistier mystery to it. I’m leaving it at that.

goodreads

order on book depository

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

[nevinslibrary]

Not A Book Friday

Mystery movies barely seem to happen anymore. Oh, there are suspense movies with a little bit of mystery, and, there are tons of delightful mystery TV shows, but, while there used to be a ton of movie mysteries, there just don’t seem to be many anymore. This is definitely partially a callback to those. And, it’s zany, and just plain awesome.

Harlan Thrombey is a very wealthy crime novelist, with a family that is… unique. He invites all of them for his 85th birthday, but, then, he winds up dead. Someone hires Detective Benoit Blanc. And it only gets twistier and crazier from there. With red herrings eating other red herrings. I was most definitely kept guessing.

It also did not go at a sedate pace, it kept on going, and it did not seem like 2 hours when I got to the end. The time just flew by. And, of course, it’s not just about the story, the actors and actresses in this movie are just superb and amazing.

Knives Out