The Lion and the Unicorn

The Lion and the Unicorn is the eighth mystery.

A group of archaeologists and scientists has recently returned to the UK from the Amazon basin, their leader promising findings of huge importance. In York, the senior members of the expedition and the rich men and women who funded it, along with a few favoured and interested friends, prepare for a dinner at which the  leader has promised to unveil the team’s discoveries. But, as they assemble, disaster strikes: the leader is found dead, the expert on antiquities is missing, and the chief geologist cannot remember his own name.

Headlines
A number of headlines presumably relating to the plot have been released.


 * Kildean Murderess Missing After Hospital Visit; Minders 'Asleep on Job'
 * On other pages:


 * Ralph Charlton leaves Trinity Pharmaceuticals amid rumours of scandal, colleagues insist retirement solely on health grounds
 * Rodrigues expedition finds tantalising evidence of ancient 'Inca Roads' into Amazon Basin
 * Ex-Spy Samuel Winters in intensive care after poisoning, suggestions of involvement by CIA rebuffed by spokesman

Characters
Preliminary (Public) Cast List

Expedition Members

Dead: Dr Adam Reid, the expedition’s leader, the chief archaeologist, and a major financier.

Missing: Prof. Paul Shillingworth, expert on Andean antiquities.

Dr Andrew Dawson, an archaeologist, and second in command of the expedition.

Dr Philip Spencer, the expedition geophysicist and geologist, suffering from considerable amnesia.

Dr Angela James, the expedition’s anthropologist, and a cataloguer of legends and folk tales; fiancée of Andrew Dawson.

Dr Carolyn Firth, an archaeological field surveyor and landscape archaeologist.

Dr Elsie Winters, a bio-archaeologist, with a particular expertise in skeletons.

Logan Tyndale, an ex-soldier and reformed alcoholic, taken on as a cartographer and explorer to secure funding from the Roraima authorities, at the behest of his friend Jeremy West.

Expedition Extras: The expedition also contained two archaeologists from Roraima, a doctor, a guide, and two assistants, who met up with them in Brazil, and who are still there.

Financiers

Ralph Charlton, a semi-retired venture capitalist, business magnate and erstwhile playboy, now in his seventies, has sunk a large amount of his own money into the  expedition.

Jeremy West, a theatrical producer and impresario who has run acclaimed shows in Broadway and the West End, was persuaded by Charlton to aid in funding the expedition.

Christopher Thomas, one of the directors of the British Institute of Archaeology; Thomas has been an advocate of the expedition since it was proposed to him, and he is largely responsible for securing the funding it received from the Institute.

Other People

Cátia Cardoso, assistant scientific attaché with the Brazilian Embassy in London, who helped the expedition get its checks and permits from the authorities in Roraima Province.

Christopher Moore, a vicar and amateur historian; he owns the Finch papers and was the person who originally brought them to the attention of Reid.

Samuel Winters, a retired MI5 man, has been helping with the analysis of the Finch papers; father of Elsie Winters.

Katie Reid, a playwright and theatrical director, a friend of Jeremy West, and married to the murdered Adam Reid.

Harriet Finch, an actress and favourite of Jeremy West and Ralph Charlton.

Plot
[Edit: I can only remember this clearly from the secret Twist missioning side - help please!]

- Who killed Adam Reid?

- The scheme to acquire Ralph Charlton's wealth

- The scheme to "Stop Samuel Winters"

- Trying to recruit Elsie Winters?

- Illegal boxing ring?

...