My ‘The Killer Isn’t Alice’ Saga & Tips

I did not start off great with this Murder Mystery. So, I want to share some tips for anyone that attempts this puzzle and for myself if I do more of these later.

Tips for Solving a Murder Mystery Puzzle

1. Read All The Clues BEFORE Starting!

I started marking off names with clues 1 and 2, then read the rest of the clues ~ realizing I already crossed out names I needed to find. For instance, “the killer’s name does not start with S.” Then, a little later, “the killer is within 1 page of ‘Sasha’.” So, I’ve already marked them out. I quickly found out it is not easy to skim through a long list of names when you have to read the ones that are crossed out and not marked.

2. Make A Plan!

After reading all the clues, don’t start with the easiest one. Make a solid plan first! My next plan includes: narrow down the pages first, then worry about crossing off names on just the pages that matter ~ not the whole book.

I went through the entire book, crossed off names with only one vowel, then all the ‘S’ names first. Then, I after reading more clues, I realized I didn’t have to even do some of the chapters! So, mark off the chapters first, so you don’t waste time.

3. Use the Right Tools

I knew from the start I didn’t want to use pens or markers that will bleed through the pages. I feel like that would have made the mystery so much harder. So, I bought some great Bible pens and markers from Amazon. I honestly didn’t even know such a thing existed, but I do know how thin Bible pages are and people do use bright colors in them while studying. I knew they would be perfect for this puzzle too.

I’ll add to this: use a pencil that will be easily erased. I had so much confidence, I used the pen mentioned above, but each name had about 2-3 lines across it. I didn’t realize I’d need to read the name later since I already messed up, so it made it a little difficult.

4. Don’t Work on It While Tired

I found when I would sit in bed and work on this puzzle book, my mind would wander and I’d have to skim through pages multiple times because I second-guessed myself. I wanted to be absolutely sure I didn’t miss a name or a letter.

5. Use a Straight-Edge While Skimming Names

I had a little greeting card that worked perfectly as a straight-edge I could work down the page while I scanned each row for the names and letters I was looking for. I found this works better than just using my eyes and running a finger along each line to make sure my eyes followed in a straight row and didn’t wander.

6. Do Not Google ‘The Killer Isn’t Alice’

I was very careful not to search anything regarding the book, the process, or the tools. I am not spoiling anything, but I was so scared of seeing something like: Cody is the killer on page 150. That would have made me so angry! It’s really one of those ‘Once you see it you can’t erase it’ moments.

The Questions I Had During ‘The Killer Isn’t Alice’

There is only one spot I visited on the web to find info about the book. It was the official website FAQ section: https://thekillerisntalice.com/faqs. Below are the questions I came across in the time I’ve worked on the puzzle.

Question 1: Vowels

One of the first clues said something about the killer having more than 1 vowel, so that meant to mark off any words with under two vowels. But, like most native US English speakers, I thought this was a trap. I wondered if the author would tell us if ‘Y’ was considered a vowel in this clue. Most of us learned there are five vowels: A, E, I, O, and U ~ but sometimes Y is too. I’m not sure when, but I do remember learning that.

Question 2: Between

What does the word ‘between’ actually mean in this instance. There is a clue that says the killer is on a page between this page and that page. So, does that mean those two pages are NOT included?

Question 3: Alphabetical Order

There is a list of Presidential First Names in the back of the book. It’s important to find one of these on each page ~ because the killer is across from a page with one. For some reason, the list is in two columns and in random order (maybe chronological, if I remember correctly). In my mind, having it in alphabetical order is easier to remember I think. I know I can re-write them myself, but it did add an additional difficulty to the mystery for me.