When mystery and history go hand in hand

Fiction isn’t bound by the same slavish devotion to historical accuracies that non-fiction is and when it comes to creating intriguing mystery stories, many authors have cast their fictional tales on the canvas of real-life characters and events. Here are a few examples of historical mystery tales.

Death by Disputation (A Francis Bacon Mystery) by Anna Castle

Set in the 17th century, this spy tale features a fictionalized version of English philosopher and statesman Francis. It is set around Cambridge University and Bacon dispatches spies to investigate a group of radical puritans at the college. Things take a mysterious turn when an undercover operative is found dead. One of the spies Tom begins to investigate his chief suspect and another well-known figure from the era, the writer Christopher Marlowe. It’ a far-fetched tale but one which will keep the reader guessing as Tom tries to focus his energies on finding the killer.

The Old Man in the Corner: The Teahouse Detective by Emma Orczy

Baroness Emma Orczy is perhaps better known for her novel, and subsequent play, The Scarlet Pimpernel, which I set against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Although relatively contemporary at the time of writing, The Old Man In The Corner: The Teahouse Detective has a delightfully old-world feel to it. The old man in question is an amateur sleuth who frequents a teashop in Victorian London and is enlisted by newspaper reporter Polly Burton to help unravel some cases which have proved hard to crack.

The Tudor Heresy: The Tudor Mystery Trials by Sam Burnell

A disgraced Tudor nobleman must guard the future Queen Elizabeth I from plotters in this historical mystery which features murder and a hint of romance. With its roots in real life events, the story is set at a time when the ruthless pursuit of power produced many intriguing plots for historical fiction.

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Mysteries of the Art World

Surrounded by beauty as well as controversy, the world of art is full of many a splendor, and many a mystery. Though some small enigmatic details of a portrait or sculpture may be too minute to pick up or even deemed insignificant, some art related riddles have kept the world talking for a considerable time. Here are three mysteries that have baffled the art world for years.

The Mona Lisa. One of the best known paintings in the world, Da Vinci’s masterpiece has long since baffled art historians throughout the years. Shrouded in numerous enigmas ranging from its background to the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile, not to mention her actual identity, many people are unaware of the fact that the famous painting hanging in The Louvre is only one of multiple copies, only deepening the mystery!

Michelangelo's David. Although often touted as a perfect representation of human physique, David is in fact an atypical example of Michelangelo’s work due to the proportions of David’s unusually large head and hands, particularly visible in the right hand. Historians have debated for years as to whether or not David’s large right hand was in fact intended to hold a weapon, as biblical texts may suggest.

Banksy. Perhaps one of the biggest mysteries in the modern world of art is the identity of Banksy, who despite creating art since the 1990s and working on several very high profile projects has managed to keep his or her identity a total secret. Still active today, Banksy continues to attract the spotlight all while avoiding its exposure.

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