"Why would you ever want to write about murder?" asked the horrified relative, on the launch of my 18th book. "Why not write a nice little romance?"
As I start the round of promotional tours for The Silent Film Star Murders, I quickly add another relative to the hit list for my next novel (you would be shocked how often that happens.) It occurs 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 to the end, meaning guess the killer before your detective does.
2. It's plot driven. Murder mysteries start with action - a murder. Yes, characterization is important, and particularly motivation. But murder is by nature an action, and thus something happens in the books 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 your darkest fantasies. There are a few people I've wanted to off in my life. (Forgive the vernacular - I'm Italian, after all.) They did me wrong. And while I do have a wee reputation for recklessness, I value my freedom more. So what I can't do in reality, I get a kick out of doing in fantasy.
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 have to trust me on this part. But plotting to do away with annoying characters in highly original ways...well, I'm smiling just thinking about it.
Of course, I can understand where some of the relative angst comes from. In my 4th book, A Purse to Die For, a gathering of relatives for a funeral results in the death of one or two. It was entirely accidental, that use of relatives. Honest. I wasn't thinking of anyone in particular.
How about you? Do you find writing about murder fun? (are we allowed to say that?)
The Silent Film Star Murders contains no deaths of relatives! (After all, they weren't born yet in 1928.)
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