Skewered to the wheel of death!  That is how knife throwing assistant Jacques was found this morning in the Big Top at Slaughter’s Circus.  While in front of his spread eagled corpse lay Jade Edge, the knife thrower herself. Unconscious, and with her breath smelling of gin.  Has a practice session gone terribly wrong?  Or is there a more sinister explanation!

Sam Slaughter, Owner and Ringmaster of Slaughter’s circus, believes the latter.  Sam has summoned the circus performers to an impromptu enquiry.  Among the assembled stars are:
 

♦  Lulubelle
♦  Herman
♦  The Great Leonardo
♦  Gigi Giddiup
♦  Coco
♦  Ermintrude
♦  Stud Strong
♦  Ma Potter
♦  Jade Edge
♦  Madam Titian

Vivacious Young Star of the Flying Trapeze
Her Fiancée and Catcher
Lion Tamer Extraordinaire
Beautiful Bareback Rider
A Womanising Clown
His “butter won't melt in my mouth” Co-star
“Muscle Mountain” Strongman
Tarot and Crystal Ball Reader
Tipple Enjoying Knife Thrower
Immensely Intelligent Illusionist
 

Last night Jade Edge and Jacques were supposed to be the sixth act in the ring.  However Jacques unaccountably failed to turn up, and Ermintrude the clown had to stand in as Jade’s assistant.  Jacques also failed to turn up to act as assistant to Mistress of Illusion, Madam Titian, and for the end of show parade.

He was found this morning, gruesomely pinned to the wheel of death, by one of Jade’s knives.  How he got there remains a mystery.  A mystery that Sam is determined to solve.

As owner and ringmaster of the circus, Sam has summoned the ten circus stars to an impromptu enquiry.  Sam is being assisted in the investigation by an investigation panel, made up of other circus members.  Together, by questioning the ten suspects, discovering clues and interviewing outside witnesses, Sam and the panel are determined to discover how Jacques met his death.