‘Queens of Mystery’ Recap: ‘Death by Vinyl, Final Chapter’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say, that mankind has a complicated relationship with revenge. Simply because we don’t understand how it really works or what really motivates it. We just know that in a particular moment, when we truly believe that someone has wronged us and should pay the piper for doing so, we want it badly and that desire will either burn out quickly or burn for years on end. And since we fear the negative emotions that accompanies our desire for it, we do whatever we can to avoid it, and therein lies the problem when it comes to understanding it. Since only those consumed by it have a relationship with it and their desire to finally indulge in its calling, leaves us with little to examine outside of the collateral damage their vendetta leaves behind.
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If anything, our lack of understanding of revenge and the root causes of its power are top of mind today, simply because they served as the central focus of the next episode of Queens of Mystery on Acorn TV. For ‘Death by Vinyl, Final Chapter’, is a story that saw Matilda Stone and her intrepid aunts, continue to run into roadblocks in solving the murders in the Volcanic Youth case. To the point where it appeared as though the killer might escape and evade capture. All because, there was no motive to be found in this mess, just more secrets and lies and an understanding that everyone outside of Cat… crossed a horrible line on that fateful night ages ago. In that, they covered up the real truth behind how Nikki died to take the band to new heights, and their only real crime here… was tampering with a crime scene and lying to save their own hide.

But the discovery of the reel-to-reel tape that was recording on the night that Electra was killed, changed everything regarding the case. For there was a word at the end of the recording that was hard to make out, to the point where Matilda enlisted Cat’s help in understanding the message and well, what was on the tape was shocking. For in her final moments, Electra identified her killer and it turned out to be the owner of this getaway location, Sir Ray. And he made such a move because he was Nikki’s father and once, he learned of his daughter’s death, he used his wealth and stealth to acquire the library of the band and do everything within his power to bring the band back together… to punish them for profiting off of her death and never doing right by his little girl. And while Cat and Matilda were able to arrest him and bring him to justice, the message about revenge in this tale, is quite clear.

In that, its genesis is often grounded in trauma of some sort. Be it emotional or physical and the severity of the trauma could in fact, dictate the vengeful burn in question and that in order to really understand how it persists and how to perhaps, wipe it away from the human psyche, we truly have to do a better job of supporting one another and having help available for folks that are trying to reconcile that trauma. Because to leave them to their own devices, wherein they can stew in unresolved anger and pain… is what brings about acts of revenge that people will eventually regret. For it provides no solace or wholeness, just more pain and suffering and well… that really was quite the brilliant exploration to find in this tale.

Because revenge is often just a storytelling device in crime dramas and nothing more. So, to really see a story take the time to dive into its genesis and its sorrowful nature is refreshing for certain and it would be lovely if more stories took the time to explore it in a similar manner. So, it becomes less cliché and more of a priority to address. But all of that aside, make no mistake about it, this was another incredible tale through and through. One that once again felt akin to an old school detective story since the Stone family had to really work to solve this one and that made for an engaging and fun experience. The kind that sends chills down one’s spine as the clues begin to assemble and well, the only complaint this writer has about this tale, is that the end of this case… signals the beginning of the end of our journey through season one. For only one mystery remains and well… that is one we are going to have to savor through and through as we patiently wait and hope, for a season three announcement. Until next time. 

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