Narratively’s True Detectives: 5 of Our Favorite Unsolved Mysteries
The KGB is in Brooklyn, a lost wallet leads to a treasure hunt and somebody stole $50,000 worth of Kentucky’s best bourbon—these are just some of the mind-bending whodunnit tales from our archive.
1. The Russian Spy Who Painted Brooklyn Red By Robert Silverman
The papers called him a master spy, an identity-shifting KGB colonel dispatched to mid-century America to lead a vast network of espionage. My father called him a friend.
2. The Greatest Bourbon Ever Stolen By Todd South
When $50,000 worth of Kentucky’s most coveted bourbon suddenly goes missing, a few determined detectives spend years trying to crack the case of the AWOL alcohol.
3. Grief Has No Deadline By Jocelyn Y. Stewart
She spent two decades as a local reporter covering L.A.’s grisliest crimes. But when one bullet strikes too close to home, she learns what hard news feels like from the other side.
4. The Sultan of Spatter By Blake Morris
Dr. Donald Johnson has spent his career making crime scene blood stains spill their secrets. His next mission: bringing forensic science into the iPad age.
5. The Misplaced Wallet and the Year of Delightful Deception By Rick Andrews
A college student is befuddled and amazed when his lost-and-then-found wallet leads to a theatrical treasure hunt complete with hollowed-out library books, a disappearing magician and an unforgettable year of campy one-upmanship.