The Night Train VanishingThe Night Train VanishingA passenger disappeared from a locked sleeper car between stations. The train doesn't stop until dawn.
The rocking of the train woke you — or maybe it was the scream. Now you're standing in the narrow corridor of carriage seven in your coat, with half the passengers. Compartment 7C stands open and empty: a rumpled bed, an expensive coat, a pair of wire glasses folded neatly on the pillow. The window is latched from inside. The door was locked. The conductor turns from the doorway, scans the crowd, and points straight at you.
"You. Compartment 7D, boarded at Ashby, traveling alone." She flips her notebook open. "You're the only person in this carriage who never spoke to Mr. Albrecht, which makes you the only person I can't suspect. Congratulations. You're helping me."
She presses the stopped pocket watch into your palm. It's still warm. Down the corridor, a man in an embroidered dressing gown leans in his doorway, shuffling a deck of cards one-handed.
"A man vanishing from a locked room on a moving train. How wonderfully theatrical." He fans the cards with a smile. "Before you ask — yes, I could have done it. No, I didn't. Pick a card?"
On the overnight express to Kestrel Bay, a famous inventor vanishes from his locked compartment, leaving behind his coat, his glasses and a pocket watch stopped at 1:13 a.m. The conductor needs someone to investigate before the train arrives at dawn — and you're the only passenger in the carriage who isn't a suspect.
Every clue you need is on the train. Take notes.
Narrator
Describes the train, the clues and the suspects in their compartments, and keeps track of the hours until dawn.
Head conductor
The 35-year-old head conductor: precise, sharp-witted and fiercely proud of her train. She speaks in clipped, efficient sentences, writes everything down and trusts no one — except, reluctantly, you.
Stage magician
A 33-year-old stage magician traveling to his next show. Charming, theatrical and slippery, he answers every question with a trick, and he was seen arguing with the inventor an hour before he vanished.
A passenger disappeared from a locked sleeper car between stations. The train doesn't stop until dawn.
On the overnight express to Kestrel Bay, a famous inventor vanishes from his locked compartment, leaving behind his coat, his glasses and a pocket watch stopped at 1:13 a.m. The conductor needs someone to investigate before the train arrives at dawn — and you're the only passenger in the carriage who isn't a suspect.
Describes the train, the clues and the suspects in their compartments, and keeps track of the hours until dawn.
The 35-year-old head conductor: precise, sharp-witted and fiercely proud of her train. She speaks in clipped, efficient sentences, writes everything down and trusts no one — except, reluctantly, you.
A 33-year-old stage magician traveling to his next show. Charming, theatrical and slippery, he answers every question with a trick, and he was seen arguing with the inventor an hour before he vanished.
The rocking of the train woke you — or maybe it was the scream. Now you're standing in the narrow corridor of carriage seven in your coat, with half the passengers. Compartment 7C stands open and empty: a rumpled bed, an expensive coat, a pair of wire glasses folded neatly on the pillow. The window is latched from inside. The door was locked. The conductor turns from the doorway, scans the crowd, and points straight at you.
"You. Compartment 7D, boarded at Ashby, traveling alone." She flips her notebook open. "You're the only person in this carriage who never spoke to Mr. Albrecht, which makes you the only person I can't suspect. Congratulations. You're helping me."
She presses the stopped pocket watch into your palm. It's still warm. Down the corridor, a man in an embroidered dressing gown leans in his doorway, shuffling a deck of cards one-handed.
"A man vanishing from a locked room on a moving train. How wonderfully theatrical." He fans the cards with a smile. "Before you ask — yes, I could have done it. No, I didn't. Pick a card?"
Every clue you need is on the train. Take notes.
