Oxfam volunteer and local artist Sue Bamford has created 13 unique crime scene exhibits for the town centre book emporium, each of which could lead budding detectives to the title of a famous crime fiction novel.
Tavistock Taggarts who untangle all 13 book titles could win a prize of a £10 Oxfam voucher.
Sue, who is well known in Tavistock for her artistic endeavours, explained that she had devised the light-hearted quiz to raise spirits in what can be a rather flat time of year.
‘After the excitement of Christmas the rump end of winter can seem a little grim, so we wanted to do something entertaining and fun for the January window,’ she said.
‘Creating a few puzzles might exercise those post-festivity “little grey cells” and raise a smile for shoppers this New Year.’
The award-winning international artist and educator has been dressing the Oxfam bookshop window for several years now, and her whimsical sculptures and installations have become a popular attraction in the town.
Her Victorian carol-singing mice won the Dickensian Evening window-dressing award this year, and her bookworm sculpture now holds pride of place at the back of the shop.
Sue said: ‘I am an avid recycler, and it is important to me that I make the props from whatever I can pull out of the bookshop bin or the ragpile in the main Oxfam shop.
‘They are used to humouring me as I root through the rubbish scavenging for materials turning waste into art.’
She added: ‘Sadly this is likely my last window as I’m moving to Ireland on new adventures. I thought that ending with a competition which gives booklovers a chance to win a prize is a nice way to round off my work in Tavistock.
‘I’m hoping to continue making ridiculous sculptures and installations for Oxfam, although this time in the Botanic Avenue bookshop in Belfast.’
Entry is free, and if you would like to take part, entry forms can be collected from the shop counter.