VANCOUVER - The Mystery of the Masons

As regular readers will know, I turned 25 this week. I dislike dwelling on such things (suffice to say, the 'list of things to do before thirty' is looking a lot less intimidating this year having had 'travel around the world' and 'be published academically on Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ticket off it in 2006) Thankfully, I don't have to because, returning to my apartment after my last bout of pet sitting, I became embroiled in a mystery.


Exhibit A: Every good mystery begins with a gift from a mysterious benefactor...

I love a mystery. I was reading Agatha Christies when I was ten and have been hooked ever since. But, I've got to say, this one has me stumped. Having been away over the entire Christmas/New Year/birthday season, a rather large pile of mail had stockpiled under my bedroom door. Many lovely cards, the odd cute stuffed animal. And lastly, like the Grail Diary under Indiana Jones' post pile, a small yellow package with an unfamiliar postmark.

Inside: a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages A book I did used to own back in Britain but which, like so many others, sits in boxes in my bedroom until I can raise the pennies to have it shipped over here. Obviously my benefactor foresaw my need.

But here's the catch: I have no idea who sent it. There was no note, no inscription in the book. More mysteriously than that; Canadian postage always has a return address on it. And this one is entirely unfamiliar to me. The plot thickens, Watson! Foresooth and all that!


Exhibit B: Who are the mysterious Dorothy and Avery Mason? Are they an anagram, or a pseudonyms? And what about the name of the town: Windsor, Nova Scotia. Am I being drawn into a cross country DaVinci Code scavenger hunt? I hope not. Air fares going eat do not come cheap... The dragon, incidentally, is also named Phil. Obviously a fiendish plan on Mel's part to confuse me. He is not part of the conspiracy as far as I know. He's just cute.

So the mystery is this; who sent the book to me? Obviously it is someone who knows my liking of things Harry Potter esque. As far as I know, that doesn't include any Canadians and especially not any outside of British Columbia. There is also the possibility that the envelope is a cunning forward. You may have noticed that the address label has been stuck on with tape.; as if it had come from somewhere else itself. But the book is a Canadian edition. So it didn't come from Britain itself.

And what of the mysterious Dorothy and Avery Mason (if that *is* their real names...) What is it they want from me? What do the seek to gain by providing me with Harry Potter reading material? Does this conspiracy include the elusive J.K. Rowling; or is her name on the copyright page entirely co-incidental?

The investigation continues. If anyone has any information or theories which they'd like to contribute, please do so in the comments section. This amateur detective eagerly awaits your deductions.