The famous violinist was found dead in her dressing room, strangled with a G-string from her violin. The local police suspected a robbery, but her diamond necklace and cash were untouched. Detective Finch examined the violin case on the table and noticed the bow was missing, but the rosin block was shattered. Finch shook his head and said, 'It wasn't a stranger.' Who was the killer?
The violinist's accompanist or someone who knew the instrument
A G-string was removed, which requires loosening the tuning pegs and unwinding it—an intimate act requiring knowledge of the instrument rather than a panicked struggle.
About this riddle
Detective riddles are tiny mysteries. Look for the detail in the story that does not fit; it is usually the clue that solves the case.
Difficulty: Hard. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
More detective riddles
A wealthy merchant was found slumped over his mahogany desk, a silver dagger driven into his back. On the desk lay an inkwell, a blotter, and a freshly written suicide note. The detective walked in, glanced at the note, and declared it a homicide without even checking for fingerprints. The note read: 'I can bear this financial ruin no longer. I take my own life today, Tuesday, October 14th.' What gave it away?
A smuggler was caught crossing the border on a bicycle, carrying a large sack of sand. Border Inspector Cole suspected the sand was hiding stolen gold dust. He searched the sack, sifted through the sand, and found nothing else inside. Yet, Cole knew the smuggler was guilty of something. What was it?
A rare manuscript was stolen from a glass display. The room had security cameras pointing at every wall, but the footage showed absolute darkness for two hours during the heist. The chief suspect, an electrician, claimed he was fixing a short circuit in the main breaker box across town. The detective reviewed the camera logs and arrested the electrician. Why?
A jewelry store window was smashed from the inside, yet the valuable gems were missing from the display trays. The night watchman claimed a masked man jumped through the glass from the street to grab them. Detective Stone arrested the watchman for insurance fraud. Why?
A wealthy eccentric was found dead in his locked mansion study during a heatwave. The AC was turned off, the windows were sealed shut, and a portable electric space heater was running at maximum output next to his chair. On his desk was a suicide note written in shaky handwriting. Detective Frost read the note, smiled, and called for a homicide team. Why?
Detective Kyle arrived at a winter cabin where a man sat frozen solid in a rocking chair. The fireplace was roaring with burning logs, and the windows were tightly shut. Kyle noted that the room temperature was well over 80 degrees. What caused the man to freeze?