Unlocking the Mystery

Unlock the mystery of God’s Word!

The great-great-great granddaughters of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Inspector Lestrade are on the case! This light-hearted, five-part detective drama brings faith and fun together as these quirky sleuths help kids uncover timeless truths from the Bible. Packed with laughs, licorice, and magnifying glasses, this series is perfect for VBS, children's church, or Sunday school.

Kids will discover:

• God doesn’t have to be a mystery—you can know Him!
• The Bible’s amazing stories are true!
• Don’t keep the Good News a secret!
• Living a Christian life is a mission!
• Know how to be part of God’s family!

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”

Cast: 4
any age, male or female, adjust names accordingly
Inspector Les Traud (pronounced Les (pause) trawd
Sherry Holmes
Docky Watson
Rae
Terry

Set: none required but may be dressed up as much as available/desirable

Lighting, sound: standard

Costumes: Sherlock Holmes era clothing

Props: large Bible, magnifying glasses, licorice candy

Special Instructions: The three detectives could, but don’t necessarily need to, speak with English accents

Run-Time:

• 5 segments
• Each sketch is approximately 10 minutes
• Total runtime: ~50 minutes
• Flexible pacing for week-long VBS or one-session mini-series

Sample of script:

(RAE and TERRY are looking at a large open book through magnifying glasses, frustrated.)

RAE: Man, I cannot figure this out!

TERRY: Me neither.

RAE: What d’ya ’spose it means . . .?

TERRY: Beyond me, that’s for sure.

RAE: I have tried and tried but . . . nothin’ is what!

(LES TRAUD comes on stage, watching amused from a distance.)

TERRY: Amazes me how some folks can take a mystery like this and solve it like—(tries to snap fingers unsuccessfully)—well, like real quick.

RAE: But professionals like that, they aren’t just like wandering around, looking to help out folks like me and you.

TERRY: Yah, I ’spose you’re right, that sorta thing only happens like in the movies . .

RAE, laughing: Can you just imagine, we are standing here and some guy—(LES moves up behind them)—just wanders up and says, ‘hi guys are you . . .’

LES: . . . looking for a professional?

(TERRY and RAE jump, frightened.)

TERRY: Hey whooooa, who, what are you?

LES: Well, I couldn’t help overhearing that you are looking for a professional and, since I happened to be in the neighbourhood . . .

RAE: And who are you . . .?

LES: I am a special investigator, at Watuaga (or name of local city) Yard.

TERRY: Watuaga Yard?

LES: Yes.

TERRY: And Watuaga Yard would be . . ?

LES: Local constabulary.

RAE: Constabulary?

LES, getting annoyed: Police station! . . . Really! . . . Amateurs!

RAE: Oh, you mean like as in Scotland Yard?

LES: Well, yes, on a somewhat smaller scale of course.

TERRY: You mean, Scotland Yard, as in Sherlock Holmes?

RAE, laughing: And I suppose you have Dr. Watson on staff as well?

LES, annoyed: Noooooooooo! All those chaps lived back in the late 1800’s which means that they would be . .

TERRY: They would be like really old dudes is what!

LES: I will have you know that we do have our own notables.

RAE: Such as . .?

LES: We have Sherry Holmes, . . and Docky Watson.

RAE, laughing: Sherry Holmes?

TERRY: Docky Watson?

LES: Indeed! Great-great-great granddaughters of the same Sherlock and Doctor John Watson!

RAE: Are you serious? . . . They are here in Watuaga?

LES: They are that! . . And they promised me that they would be meeting me right here . . (looks at watch) . . about . . now.

(SHERRY and DOCKY come on stage, chatting with each other.)

DOCKY: Well, I must say Sherry old person, my great-great-great grandfather was never able, to his dying day, to deduce how your great-great-great grandfather was able to solve the mystery of the Lost Chronicles of the Andes.

SHERRY: Elementary my dear Watson! See one must understand five key elements to the mystery.

DOCKY, absorbing: Five elements you say? . . Yes, yes, yes, go on, go on!

SHERRY: The first element is that those who wrote the Lost Chronicles of the Andes wished to keep them a mystery in order that those who came later could not understand.

DOCKY: So then, a mystery which could not be understood . . . Mmmm, go on!

SHERRY: Second element: in order to understand the mystery, my great-great-great grandfather had to focus on the content to determine what was true.

DOCKY: Diabolically masterful if I do say . . . Go on, the third element . . .

SHERRY: Third element, very logical: once the content was known, the true message must not be kept secret.

DOCKY: Yes, yes, yes, yes, go on!

SHERRY: Fourth element is that to be successful one must treat the mystery as a mission.

DOCKY: And finally?

SHERRY: Finally, one must know how to become a part of the message; brothers in arms as it were, to all others who shared the message.

DOCKY: Amazing Holmes! To recap then:
Old Sherlock found that the mystery had to be understood,
focusing on the content which is true,
releasing all secrets,
conducting the process as a mission,
and finally knowing how to become one with all others who share the message . . .
I say it again . . . Amazing Holmes!

(SHERRY and DOCKY suddenly notice the others.)

DOCKY: Oh there he is, Les old chap!

LES: Docky, Sherry, like you to meet two chaps here, . . this, (points to TERRY) is . . (thinks, frowns, then points to RAE) and this is . . . (scratches head)
Imagine that, here we have been chatting on and fact is I don’t know your names.

TERRY: I am Terry, and, (pointing to RAE), that there is my friend Rae. . . . And, . . . (to LES) . . come to think of it, we don’t know your name either . .

SHERRY, shocked: You don’t know Les Traud?

DOCKY: Great-great-great granddaughter (or son) of Scotland Yard inspector.

SHERRY: Why, my great-great-great grandfather would rave on about the extraordinary deductive skills of the one and only Inspector Lestrade!

TERRY, confused: OK . . . . (looking at LES), . . . You are Les . . (pause) . . Traud.

LES: Yes I am.

TERRY: But . . your great-great-grandfather was Inspector Lestrade?

LES: Yep, . . well actually my . . .

TERRY: Point is, how can you be Les . . (pause) . . Traud, when your great-great-great grandfather was Lestrade?

SHERRY: Elementary old chap! Lestrade was Les . . (pause) . . Traud’s great-great-great grandfather on the mother’s side of the family.

(TERRY thinks, about to react, shakes head as if “forget it.”)

TERRY: Makes sense.

LES: Sherry, Docky! Whilst you distinguished sleuths are here, perhaps you can solve a mystery which has been plaguing Terry and Rae.

DOCKY: Fire away then.

RAE: Terry and me are trying to solve the mystery behind the Bible passage, Jeremiah 29:13.

DOCKY: Let me think, as I recall it’s “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all of your heart.”
(thinks) Now what might that mystery be?

SHERRY: Elementary my dear Watson! God doesn’t have to be a mystery. You can know him and understand the plans he has for you.

LES: Amazing! Holmes has done it again! A chip off the old block! You are your great-great-great grandfather all over again!

RAE: You don’t by any chance smoke a pipe do you?

DOCKY: A pipe?

TERRY: Well Sherlock Holmes smoked a pipe didn’t he?

SHERRY: Disgusting habit. I am all for red licorice . . . Care to join me?

(All actors leave stage chewing licorice candy.)

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