The Manhattan Murders
Mr. Alcott Cavendish, one of the most wealthy and influential people of Manhattan's Upper East Side, is hosting an exclusive party at The Wharton House, a private club founded in 1910. Only the who's who of the rich and famous will attend this gala of glitz, glamour, and luxury. Rumor has it that Mr. Cavendish has an ulterior motive for hosting this event. A bothersome gossip-monger who goes by the pen name Jack Out of the Box has been letting the skeletons out of the New York elite's closets. Jack has been posting scandals and other tittle-tattles about the members of the club from social media accounts, a gossip column in the local paper, and a private website. Alcott's legal team has been unable to expose Jack's identity thus far. Therefore, Jack must be as well-connected as Mr. Cavendish.
Nevertheless, sources close to Alcott have said he has formulated a strategy to flush them out. You have received an invitation to this private gathering. Since only a limited number of members were invited, this could mean that Alcott believes you might be Jack. If you attend, you could be in danger. If you don't show up at the bash, it might appear as if you are trying to hide something.
This is where your story begins.
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Click here to check out jack out of the box's post about the wharton house
Guest List​
MACKENZIE ASTLEY
Chef, Wharton House
Mackenzie Astley is the head chef at the Wharton House. The food is to die for at the club, and Mackenzie is solely responsible. Mackenzie honed excellent culinary skills under the top chefs in the world and was recruited by Xavier Waldorf after tasting a dish Mackenzie made for an intimate party for Bony Records executives. Mackenzie is known to speak slowly and often uses the grating catchphrase: I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore. Mac is overly polite but sometimes laughs at inappropriate times – which can appear rude.
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BLAKE PEMBROKE
CEO, Pembroke Fashion House
Blake Pembroke is an American media personality, businessperson, socialite, and fashion designer. The Pembroke family is widely known for founding the Pembroke Resorts Group, an international hotel chain established by Archibald Pembroke, after building his first hotel in 1910. Blake is the CEO of Pembroke Fashion House – a luxury retailer specializing in handbags, ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, fragrances, and home décor. Blake is highly focused on status, the accumulation of wealth, and notable achievements. Blake has a strict aversion to the color red, and you will never find a piece of the Pembroke fashion line having even a stitch of the color.
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SKYE DRUMMOND
Landscaper, Wharton House
Skye Drummond is the landscaper of the Wharton House. Skye pays close attention to detail, and not a blade of grass is out of place on the club’s three lawns. The flower garden is full of exotic flowers, and there is no browned spot on the petals to be seen. Skye overuses their hands while speaking as if Skye doesn’t know what to do with him, and randomly scratches their head. If Skye can’t think of the right word that fits in a sentence, they will replace the word with an exaggerated grunt. You must learn to decipher context clues when speaking with Skye, or you might get confused.
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SLOANE BUXTON
Assistant to Mr. Cavendish
Sloane Buxton works at the Wharton House as the assistant to Mr. Cavendish. Sloane’s job is to ensure that Alcott’s experience is top-notch and stress-free while at the club from the moment his car drives up to the valet stand until he climbs back in the car. No drop of rain must fall on Alcott’s shoulders, and he should want for nothing while on the premises. Because of Sloane’s duties, Sloane is critical of everything. Sloane gets distracted easily, which has led to mishaps, such as Alcott not getting his snack on time or waiting for a phone charger for too long. Sloane’s accent changes over time, which is peculiar.
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RORY STANHOPE
Mr. Archibald’s Chauffeur
Rory Stanhope works for the Wharton House as Mr. Vincent Archibald’s chauffeur. When Vincent wishes to come to the clue, Rory must pick up Vincent from wherever he is – even if he’s out of town. Rory must also take Vincent anywhere he wants to go when he is ready to leave the club. The three owners of the Wharton house all have chauffeurs and assistants assigned to them. Rory blinks very slowly and yawns frequently. Rory will snap their fingers between sentences while they speak and babbles to themselves on occasion. Rory claims that chatting to oneself is a sign of intelligence. Nobody has checked that ‘fact’ to date.
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VENN DORMER
CEO, Dormer Corporation
Chuck Dormer, Venn’s great grandfather, built the family fortune using strategies of digging deeper on deserted oil fields and sizing up the right fertile land to drill. To no surprise, Chuck Dormer struck it rich in the 1940s when he discovered what was later named the Dormer Oil Field in Texas, which has produced more than a billion barrels of oil. Austin, Texas - a hit television show of the nineties about a scandalous oil tycoon was based loosely upon the Dormer Oil Field
Today, Venn, Chuck’s great-grandchild, is the CEO of Dormer Corporation – a multinational oil field service company.
Venn has dark family secrets and substantial disregard for high society.
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DANNY ROEBUCKS
Manager, The Wharton House
Nothing has ever come easy for Danny - unlike the other wealthy members of the high society club of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Danny Roebucks worked many part-time positions to get through college at Columbia University. Danny took six years to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality degree and used connections through a former professor to land the prestigious job as the assistant manager of The Wharton House. The members have come to accept that they cannot do anything about Danny’s membership, given the professor’s grandfather was one of the founders of the club in 1915. Danny does whatever is possible to fit in but finds it tricky to rub elbows with the uber-rich.
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SYLVAN RADCLIFFE
Chairperson, Radcliffe Academy Sports & Outdoors
The Radcliffe family began with humble beginnings in 1905 when Maximus Radcliffe opened an auto parts store in New Jersey. A year later, he changed course and launched his first military surplus store, turning it into a cross country chain within a few years. In the forties, Radcliffe’s organization began selling military supplies to civilians. The business morphed into the largest sports and outdoor company in the seventies, Radcliffe Academy Sports & Outdoors. A household name of modern-day, you won’t drive far anywhere in the country without passing by one of these stores. Sylvan is the outspoken and opinionated Chairperson of the Radcliffe Academy Sports & Outdoors board of directors.
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YARDLEY BLACKWOOD
Housekeeper, Wharton House
Yardley Blackwood works as the Wharton House head housekeeper. Yardley is demanding and vigilant when it comes to the club being impeccable. The marble floors are shined, wooden floors are oiled, and not a speck of dust can be found. Yardley is bad about rolling their eyes when someone says something uncouth or thoughtless, and this housekeeper needs to acknowledge everyone. Maybe Yardley addresses everyone to subconsciously let them know they will be accountable for making messes while in the club? Yardley is not a trusting soul and is openly suspicious of anyone who speaks more than they should.
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EMERALD BONAVICH
CEO, Bonavich Beauty
The Bonavich dynasty began with a mother-son duo who launched a beauty care company in a tiny brick and mortar in Dallas, Texas. Today, Bonavich Beauty has $3.5 billion in annual revenues. The mother-son team built the direct-marketing giant by turning homemakers into zealous saleswomen. Borrowing other door-to-door and home parties' models, they engaged in somewhat of a pyramid scheme of sales tactics. Emerald recently took the reins and became the CEO of the Bonavich Beauty Corporation. However, Emerald is a bit of a tyrant, and rumor has it that many of the high-level executive team are searching for alternative options for employment.
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AVERY CHADWICK
Chairman, Chadwick Holdings
Ronald Chadwick, Avery’s grandfather, was a notorious takeover artist of the 1980s, using the cash buried deep within an acquired business or holding company to finance the next conquest. He started with smaller prey, which led to easier acquisitions, building his capital along the way to begin securing larger businesses. Over the years, Ronald has taught Avery everything about the company. Avery recently landed a coveted spot on the board of directors of Chadwick Holdings. However, Avery can be a goofball and doesn’t take much seriously.
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DRACIEN HAWTHORNE
CEO, Hawthorne Consolidated Electrics Distributors
Daniel Hawthorne, the great-grandfather of Dracien, founded the Hawthorne Consolidated Electrics Distributors (HCED), a $4.5 billion electric equipment wholesaler. The Hawthornes supply electrical equipment to residential and commercial operations through over 800 independently owned locations. Dracien is the hardnosed CEO of Hawthorne Consolidated Electrics Distributors. Dracien is competitive and has an appetite for a good challenge.
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CARME COVENTRY
CEO, The Only Burger
The Coventry family owns The Only Burger, a fast-food chain with more than 900 locations in the USA, primarily in the southern states from Arizona to Florida. Windsor Coventry founded the company in 1947 with the first sandwich costing 22 cents. The family’s net worth is up to a billion dollars. Carme is now the CEO of the family business, but despite being the leader of such a vast organization, Carme has a constant need to scheme and bring others down through revenge plots.
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FLORIAN HARRINGTON
CEO, Harrington Industries
The Harrington’s built their family fortune by founding a chemical corporation - one of the largest plastic chemical firms in the USA, Harrington Industries. They are the largest manufacturer of low-density polyethylene, which is used in many forms of packaging. Florian has always worked for the family business and recently took over as the CEO. Florian is incredibly arrogant, and many say this is just a smokescreen for an intense, all-consuming problem with jealousy.
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AUSTEN BYRON
Blogger
In 1910, Baron Ray Byron purchased a ranch in west Texas – not knowing there would be an abundance of oil lurking underneath the brushwood. Generations later, the Byron Ranch is one of the biggest privately-owned oil companies. Baron Ray was Austen’s great grandfather. Baron Ray Jr, Austen’s grandfather, has groomed Austen since childhood to take over the company one day. However, Austen is more interested in blogging and becoming more of a television personality.
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MURPHY GRIMALDI
CEO, Grimaldi Capital
The Grimaldis have historically enjoyed a spectacular run in business. A former IBM salesman, Chuck Grimaldi, founded Technological Data Systems in 1961 and sold it to General Tech Corporation for 2.4 billion dollars in 1982. Twenty years later, Chuck and his son Richard (Murphy’s father) sold Grimaldi Systems to Dellion Computers for another 2 billion dollars. Murphy is tech-savvy and will put nose-to-grindstone to work around the clock. Murphy’s father had to hire a personal assistant to ensure that Murphy eats and sleeps. The Grimaldis are known for achieving goals.
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LENNON LEXINGTON
CEO, Lexington Car Dealerships
Larry Lexington, Lennon’s grandfather, was a former Hollywood stunt person who founded the first Yomoto dealership in the United States. The Japanese cars quickly gained traction in the United States, and the Lexington dealership started with exclusive distribution rights in ten states. Today, the Lexington Car Dealerships do over 8 billion in sales per year and is led by Lennon Lexington. Lennon is a person of extremes – mostly high and mighty actions peppered with signs of sensitivity.