Smartassery aside, I’ve always leaned towards Shaidar Haran as the culprit. I don’t think it’s one of the other Forsaken because “you!” seems like an odd reaction to seeing one of them. They’re always popping out of nowhere and screwing with each other’s scheme, it would practically be accepted for it to be Graendal. I think it would have to be someone Asmodean really would be shocked to see. And just because some of the Forsaken didn’t know who Shaidar Haran was doesn’t mean NONE of them had met him previously.
if there was some way for Asmodean to be able to recognize Balthamel or Ishamael reborn as one of the 'gars, I’d suspect either of them. But I don’t know if that’s possible.
Jordan has said that we had all the clues at the time of the murder. Shaidar Haran had not been introduced yet.
And I have this eerie, twitchy feeling that he’s never going to resolve it. I mean, none of the characters give a damn who killed Asmodean, even the ones that know he’s dead and not just run off. So why should it take up any more of the narrative when Elayne’s got tea to drink and Egwene’s got skirts to smooth?
(And you meant Balthamel and Aginor. You were half-right twice. )
He’ll end up just dropping it in some conversation between two Forsaken, as they’re busily scheming to do, well, nothing really, as usual. “Yes, I took care of that problem shortly after I killed Asmodean.”
)