u/ChampionRemote6018

Found in a thrift store in Pennsylvania. More on the adventure here: https://www.reddit.com/r/agathachristie/s/0E7Sgde7pU

If you read Chapter 1 of my adventure here ( https://www.reddit.com/r/agathachristie/s/NrkWyOnTZr ) this is the letter we found in the red book that prompted us to return to the thrift store. Before I share what we found on our return, which would be the equivalent of ‘spoilers’, I thought I would post just the letter so sleuths can consider some of the same questions we did. Put on those detective hats!🕵️‍♀️

For reference, the book was found in Pennsylvania.

After reading this, my husband was sure Josh and Ruth were having an affair. I was more convinced Ruth was in a very demanding and possibly dangerous job. And where was she? Europe? Maryland? Away for school? Work? Or was their relationship long distance to begin with? ✉️

And what CAN one get for a kiss on the mouth? 💋

My child had already searched for obituaries based on Ruth and our area, and for Ruth and the new location noted in the letter, but with limited information and no last names… we all agreed we needed to check the other books for clues. 🫆

That’s the same visit that landed my Christie book in my collection.

I’m curious if anyone here can turn up better leads at this point than we did. Or different ideas. 💡

I’ll get photos together for Chapter 3 shortly. No spoilers for those who want to enjoy the adventure with us!

My newest Agatha book might not be valuable, but it came with a priceless adventure! Did I find a secret door to destiny? I’m hoping you guys might enjoy unraveling the mystery with me. We’ll call this Chapter One.

I was in a thrift store on Monday that had a typical book section. Two shelves with assorted genres in no particular order. I’m a librarian, so I always have to look. 📚

I was just skimming titles when I noticed a pattern… a suspicious amount of books on violent crime. A handful could be someone’s casual interest, but the amount and titles here suggested something more serious. Or sinister? 🧐

I immediately began considering who the owner of this collection had been before donation. Studying criminology… to profile criminals? To get away with murder? ☠️

I imagined some young Jessica Fletcher type reading through the books to research her own mysteries. Why did I assume the owner was a woman? I’m not sure. I just felt connected to the collection and naggingly curious about it.

I was drawn to one book in particular and thought I might buy it. My plan was to hollow it out and store Clue game pieces in it. I’m that kind of person. ♟️

That was NOT this Christie book. This book came after the adventure began. The book I bought was Patterns in Criminal Homicide. When I opened the book, I found the note. But who is Ruth? Who is Josh? Why is she shared with criminals? I liked the idea of taking home a piece of the mystery for my own shelves. 📕

I feel like I need to share the start of this mystery with others who might appreciate it. If you do, I’ll continue the story of how I ended up getting my new Agatha book. It’s just a bit much for one post. 😂

She doesn’t smell… and the last time I encountered a dead millipede it was a smell I’ll never forget. But she doesn’t look right. I accidentally moved her while refreshing the enclosure. She wasn’t buried, just under some moss and bark.

Found in Northeast PA, USA. They’re babies, I think. Not certain of the species because they’re lighter in color than the others I typically see here.

Found in Northeast PA, USA. I haven’t seen these in my yard before. Guessing they’ve heard I spoil bugs so they decided to check it out.

So I figured out if you feed wimpods enough candy, they evolve. But do cubaris work the same way? These two seem eager to evolve and I don’t want to hold them back from their destiny.

Crème (as we saw in previous post) is definitely a male. I’m relatively sure Cookie is a female. (She is modest, not cooperating with intimate photos.) From these pics, do they seem the same age? Can anyone guess roughly what stage they may be? I feel they’re too large to be juveniles.

There is a third (Cookie 2) but she (again, hopefully female) is possibly molting.

Snails might lay eggs, they said. Careful to cull them, they said.

So, I missed about 100 babies. 😬

But no one said they’d be so freakin’ adorable!

Look at lil’ dude nommin’ a snack on mom’s back. 🥹

I know he’s a male. Crème was quite happy to show the proof. (See last photo). But can anyone guess about how old he might be?

Croatian Giants are big chonks with tiny babies.

He is bat pod. Noms upside down with his friend on his nose.

I found this Queen inside a hotel in Altoona, PA. She was frantically trying to get out a window that did not open. A bunch of other queens were already dead both inside and outside the hotel. It was still below freezing at night, so I tubed her and hoped for the best. She just started laying. I was thinking with the wings she might not have found a male.

ID ideas? Name suggestions?

I’ve got three new colonies and am wondering if anyone keeps their clay cultures in enclosures other than deli containers. I’m looking to display them a bit more decoratively, and to ensure no other insects get in. Ideas?