It Began Aboard The Sirus

In Greek mythology, Sirius was associated with the god Orion and was said to be the dog of the hunter. The name Sirius derives from the Greek word seirios, meaning scorching or glowing. The Ancient Greeks believed Sirius was responsible for the heat of mid-summer because of its scorching nature. That’s why we call the hottest days of August the "dog days." Typically, the only objects that outshine Sirius in our night sky are the sun, moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and sometimes Mercury.

The Romans used male and female names for their ships, most named after deities. Accordingly, the first story in The Deadliest Deceptions, “Believing is Seeing”, is a locked-room murder mystery about two shipmates on the Sirius. One of them has a wobbly leg and recalls the ship’s “heaving and swaying and the foam reaching out to throw me overboard.” But how could that have been a motivation for murder?

The story begins when Phoebe asks Miriam to tell her about the death of one of the sailors:

“Well, are you going to tell me or not?” Already Phoebe’s voice was thin with impatience.

“Give me a chance. I haven’t thought about it in years.” I waited a while and then shook my head. “I couldn’t make any sense of it—”

“Until you did—”

“Okay. Until I did, but it was a challenge.”

And so, I told Phoebe the whole story, letting the events wash over me as I re-lived every detail beginning with changing into my walking shoes, grabbing my himation, and sprinting out the door while tucking my satchel under my sash.

“Believing is Seeing” was among Miriam’s most challenging cases. Fortunately, you do not have to experience the rough seas on the Sirius to find out why the sailor died. But the only way you’ll be able to figure this one out is to click here.