59 Comments
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margysaurus's avatar

this sounds a lot like an Agatha Christie plot...invite 10 strangers to an historic home under the pretext of a design workshop...find out all of them are keeping murderous secrets.... and then there was none. sounds great.

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Alina's avatar

I did not know a murder mystery design weekend was ln my bingo card for 2025, but after this read most apparently it is

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Caitlin Schultheis's avatar

This read was a rollercoaster of emotions but the idea of a murder mystery style design camp weekend is somehow my dream I didn't even know existed.

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Alex Fox's avatar

Your observation about reading the news reminded me of Neil Postman's 1985 book "Amusing Ourselves to Death." His thesis was that modern communications technology (starting with the telegraph) transformed our culture into one dominated by fragmented information that has no purpose other than as entertainment.

Postman asks, "How often does it occur that information provided you on morning radio or television, or in the morning newspaper, causes you to alter your plans for the day, or to take some action you would not otherwise have taken, or provides insight into some problem you are required to solve?"

In this case, if your reading of a far-away murder (one with no direct connection or relevance to your own life) inspires you to create a project or a workshop, you may be, in an interesting way, proving him wrong.

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Laurie Zompa's avatar

You got me at « true crime props ». As a designer specialized in investigation games… your offer sounds like a dream. Sign me in for the updates ! 👀

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Laurie Zompa's avatar

I already sent my application… 🤞 thanks Annie !

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Adèle Pignier's avatar

Old manor house, Irish countryside, prop making with other designers in a murder solving mood, that's my kind of deadly potion !

I'm all ears.

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Sarah Sauerzopf's avatar

Definitely interested 👀

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Here's the registration form: https://www.annieatkins.com/murder

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Stephanie's avatar

Hey Annie, I'm totally interested in the spooky murder-mystery version of the course! (I was enrolled a few years ago but had that nervous breakdown and missed it..)

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Hey Stephanie! Yes I remember you were signed up before. Here's the new info: https://www.annieatkins.com/murder

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Stephanie Leigh's avatar

Just had a read, it sounds awesome but I’ll be working on a series in Fiji at that time 😭 I hope it’s such a success you hold another one!

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Haley Walsh's avatar

The merging of worlds I don’t know could overlap. Very interested! Love the idea of a design camp.

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Registration is open: https://www.annieatkins.com/murder

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🦔 jaaane's avatar

Country house murder mystery design weekend sounds like my ideal Spotify daylist title. Sign me up for updates on this!

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Danielle Levesque's avatar

This could get me out there

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AJ Hanneld's avatar

I'm wildly (nearly frantically) interested in joining you—in Dublin or anywhere.

Please add me to the list!

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Hello AJ! The murder retreat is now taking applications: https://www.annieatkins.com/murder

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Kathleen Jennings's avatar

That sounds SO cool (wistfully, from Australia)

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krista power's avatar

This sounds like a dream! I'd love to join

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Registration is open! https://www.annieatkins.com/murder

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Siobhan Raw's avatar

Love these Substacks - you are making my inbox a better place to be : D x x

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Annie Atkins's avatar

Thank you Siobhan!!

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Nick Mallory's avatar

If you want to read a paywalled article from the NYT or wherever then go to https://archive.md/ and pop the url of the story in question into the box. 9 times out of 10 you'll be able to read it.

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Annie Atkins's avatar

good call! Thank you

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