“Why would you ever want to write about murder?” said the
horrified relative. “Why not write a
nice little romance?”
Why indeed?
As I quickly added another relative to kill in my next book
(you would be shocked how often that happens….) it occurred to me that there
were many reasons to write about murder.
1.. It’s the challenge of
creating the clever puzzle. Plotting a
mystery is like playing a chess game.
You always have to think several moves ahead. Your reader is begging you to challenge them,
and is working to beat you – meaning to guess the killer before your detective
does - to the end.
2. Plot is paramount.
Murder mysteries start with action – usually a murder. Yes, characterization is important, and
particularly motivation. But murder is
by nature an action, and thus something happens in the book you
are writing. And quite often, it happens
again and again.
3. It’s important. This
is murder, after all. We’re not talking
about a simple threat or theft. A lot is
at stake. Murder is the final act. The worst that can happen. The end of it all.
4. It’s a place to put all your darkest fantasies. There are a few people I’ve wanted to kill in
my life. They did me wrong. And
while I do have a bit of a reputation for recklessness, I value my freedom
more. So what I can’t do in reality, I
relish doing in fiction.
5. Finally – it’s fun. This is the part I don’t say in
mixed company (meaning non-writers and relatives.) I can’t explain exactly why it’s fun – you’ll
have to trust me on this part. But
plotting to do away with characters in highly original ways is a real power
trip. I’m smiling just thinking about
it.
Of course, I can understand where some of the relative angst
comes from. In A PURSE TO DIE FOR, a gathering
of relatives for a funeral results in the death of one or two.
In THE GODDAUGHTER’S REVENGE, a cousin of Gina’s does her wrong. So she does
him back, in a particularly crafty and oh-so-satisfying way.
It was entirely accidental, that use of relatives. Honest.
I wasn’t thinking of anyone in particular.
Not much I wasn’t.
(You can
follow Melodie at www.melodiecampbell.com. Better still, buy her Goddaughter books. It's an offer you can't refuse. Especially since her maiden name was 'Offer' - not kidding.)
Available at all the usual retail locations, including Amazon
Good stuff, Melodie. And that's the beauty of writing crime fiction we can off all those nasty people...and get away with it :)
ReplyDeleteSo true, Paul :) Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteIf you can't kill someone in a story, when can you kill them? You may have to put up with Uncle Louie at Thanksgiving, but you can always stuff him with a turkey later on....
ReplyDeleteEve, you are evil :) "Stuff him with a turkey?" I'm thinking, Turducken?
ReplyDelete