A comedy mystery adventure · Version 1.0

Wrong guy. Real mystery.

Milton Crumb has an office, a remarkable collection of ties and almost enough qualifications to answer the telephone. When Ada brings him a missing-bell case, he expects a modest fee and a chance to look professional. Instead, he finds a town where the paperwork is immaculate — and something is very wrong.

Welcome to The Vacancy Business: four connected investigations about suspicious documents, awkward witnesses and the people who have to live with the consequences. Milton may jump to conclusions. You’ll need evidence.

Play in your browser

Play free in your browser — no account or password required. Also available for Android 8.0 or later.

A small case. A very large mess.

Follow the loose thread. A washhouse bell, an unusually enthusiastic audience, a hotel room that may not exist and an auction with something to hide.
Meet the neighbourhood. Eight distinctive characters, seven illustrated locations and conversations full of misplaced confidence, competing motives and occasional useful information.
Hear everyone out. Fully voiced dialogue, Milton’s spoken questions and inner thoughts, sound effects and six lounge-inspired tracks by Darrel D. Bison and his various ensembles.
Dress for success. Approximately. Milton’s ties change. His faith in his own professionalism rarely does.

Do the detective work

Ask, listen and inspect. Choose Milton’s questions, revisit people and examine the documents. New information opens new lines of enquiry.
Connect two notes. Open Case notes and use the Board to compare evidence. Supported connections become conclusions, with their source notes shown.
Make your case. Separate an embarrassing mistake from a deliberate deception. A wrong theory is an invitation to think again.

No ticking clock. Read at your pace, adjust the text size and sound levels, and use optional, gradually revealed hints when you want a nudge. Progress saves automatically; browser and Android saves are separate.

Step into Milton’s world

Actual screenshots from the version 1.0 browser edition. Select a picture to see it at full size.

Milton and Ada in his cluttered office, above selectable opening questions — **Open for business.** A client, a missing bell and an opportunity for Milton to sound reassuring.

The Latch Street Washhouse investigation overview, with characters in the illustrated room and investigation options below — **More than a missing bell.** Talk to the people who were there, inspect the washhouse and decide where to investigate next.

Dot, Ada and Milton at the Little Interval Theatre, where Dot warns him about a cable — **Mind the cable.** The trail reaches the theatre, where sound technician Dot has more to worry about than Milton’s footwork.

Your observations are welcome

Found a confusing clue, an awkward conversation or a joke that deserves a better punchline? The browser playtest includes an issue-reporting tool that attaches the current scene. You can also tell Anders what worked, what didn’t and where Milton lost you.

Behind the scenes: how the adventure was made →