Female Detectives

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction - The concept was started by Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise. This week's letter is the letter F.

Here are the rules: By Friday of each week participants try to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.

FEMALE DETECTIVES

These are some of my favourites:

(a) Barbara Havers - She is a detective in The Inspector Lynley series by author Elizabeth George. The character of Detective Sergeant Havers serves as a sidekick and foil to the lead character, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley of Scotland Yard. Their relationship is a complicated, multi-layered one that not only encompasses the tensions brought about by their investigations of difficult or high-profile murder cases but also from subtle interpersonal elements as well. DS Havers often clashes with DI Lynley not only because he is her superior officer, but because of her quick temper, which has caused her demotion to detective constable (or DC) and earned her the reputation of being difficult.

(b) Miss Marples - Jane Marple is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christie's crime novels and in twenty short stories. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster who lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur detective. Alongside Hercule Poirot, she is one of the most famous of Christie's characters and has been portrayed numerous times on screen.

(c) Carol Jordon - A hardworking officer and head of the Major Incident Team (MIT) of Bradfield Metropolitan Police's CID, who formed a close relationship with Tony Hill, successfully working with him to secure the arrest of several killers. Although the two soon grow closer they never achieve the romantic relationship that Carol desires with Tony.

(d) Vera - She is Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope of Northumbria & City Police who is obsessive about her work and driven by her own demons. If she’s lonely she doesn’t show it and faces the world with caustic wit, guile and courage. Her trusted and long suffering colleague is Sergeant Joe Ashworth, her right hand man and surrogate son. Together they approach every new case with unparalleled gusto and professionalism.


Who is your favourite female detective?

Also, authors I want to check out that start with the Letter F:

Fraser, Ella J.

"Just wanted to post a little note to all who have read my stories:
When a writer sits down to write, the one thing she craves most is to do justice to the story that's in her head. And when she puts it out there for the world to see, it is with the hope that her interpretation will entertain and engage--generating a smile, a spark of surprise, a sigh of contentment. This is an exciting time with imaginations--both authors' and readers'--flourishing in every direction as the number of books available grows by the hour. To make that connection between a single story and a reader is precious indeed. Thank you for the opportunity."--Ella

A Tricky Lie -The first of a four part cosy mystery series. Scottish distillery heiress Fiona Sutherland has a plan. After two years in London reporting on business for The Times, she feels she's ready to assume her role at Sutherland Distillery in the bucolic village that served as a sanctuary in her childhood. But when her grandmother's friend falsely confesses to the murder of the local greenkeeper two days before the British Open, Fiona's real expertise proves to be jousting with enigmatic Detective Chief Inspector Nick Dawson and stirring up secrets buried within a tricky lie.

Sources: Wikipedia and Amazon.com
Writing and selling your mystery novel by Ephron

Writing Everyday is Key!

“You must write every single day of your life...”
― Ray Bradbury

 So, I'm trying like mad to finish some books. Did you know I have ten books started and I've only completed three? I have a lot of catching up to do.

For the last month I've been writing everyday--five hundred words a day. I'm almost done my next book and I've started planning my next project.

At first, it was like pulling teeth, but now, I can complete my daily quota in a half hour. And better yet, my creativity is at its peak! I have no problems coming up with the next day's material which I spend a few minutes jotting down after my writing period.

I used to write 1000 words a day but I found with my ever-increasing schedule, I couldn't complete them every day and it left me feeling depressed. Now I'm on a constant high because I complete my daily goal.

True, it will take me six months instead of three to complete my manuscripts but because my writing is completed so quickly I spend time planning more and the quality of my writing has improved as well.

So, set a goal of writing at least 200 words a day. When you conquer that goal, you'll feel so motivated to keep going. 

Do you write everyday? What motivates you to keep going? What method do you use? How many words do you write a day?

Also, check out these awesome posts from today:

How Much Background Info is Enough? A Checklist. 

Life Blood for fiction - Conflict

 

Evidence

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction - The concept was started by Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise. This week's letter is the letter E.

Here are the rules: By Friday of each week participants try to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.

EVIDENCE

Writing a mystery is difficult. Not only do you have to remember to sprinkle in just enough clues and red-herrings, but you have to make sure you deal properly with the evidence.

Ever read a mystery and wonder what happened with the shoe print they took? Or thought they should have fingerprinted the scene but for some reason they didn't. That's because the writer forgot to keep track of the evidence.

At a crime scene, there is a great deal of evidence to collect: photographs, sketches, fluids, fingerprints, witness statements, the list goes on... As a writer, you not only need to keep track of what the officers do but what the crime scene investigators have done.

How do we do that?

Here are two things I do:

(a) carry a detective's notebook - you've all seen the crime series where the detectives write down notes in a little black book. Why not do the same. If you don't want to use a real notebook, save a Word file or, as in my case, use Scrivener's document note taking feature.

(b) write an evidence checklist - make sure you write down all the evidence that could have possibly been collected at the crime scene. Even if you know that evidence isn't vital to solving the case, make sure it's touched upon somewhere in the novel. Using evidence that may seem important to the reader to focus on a certain suspect rather than the real one, is a good way to mislead the reader and add a twist to your story.

How do you keep track of your evidence?

Also, authors I want to check out that start with the Letter E:

EDGAR WALLACE

Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was an English crime writer, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and numerous articles in newspapers and journals. Over 160 films have been made of his novels. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him. He is most famous today as the co-creator of King Kong, writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, The Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.

The Door with Seven Locks -Dick Martin is leaving Scotland Yard. His final job, investigating a stolen book, takes him via a conversation with the librarian Sybil Lansdown to Gallows Cottage and a meeting with Doctor Stalletti. Tommy Crawler, Bertram Cody's chauffeur is also there. Arriving home, Martin finds Lew Pheeney being followed by a man for whom he recently worked. 'Doing what?' demands Martin. Lew finally confesses. 'I was trying to open a dead man's tomb!'

EMILY BRIGHTWELL

Emily Brightwell was born in West Virginia and moved to Los Angeles in the early sixties. On a visit to England in 1975, she met her future husband, Richard and were married in May 1976 and lived in a small village outside London. In 1988 she began her new career as a fiction writer. She jumped at the chance to write a Victorian mystery series for Berkley and used original London newspapers from the 1880s and a host of books on Victorian households for research. These books and newspapers were priceless guides to her understanding of the real Victorian world of Inspector Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries.

Mrs. Jefferies Takes the Cake  - The evidence was all there: a dead body, two dessert plates, and a gun. As if poor Mr. Ashbury had been sharing cake with his own killer! Now, Mrs. Jeffries and her staff must do some snooping around. They're more than happy to help dish up some clues...

Sources: Wikipedia and Amazon.com
Writing and selling your mystery novel by Ephron

The Codes for The Sholes Key

I noticed on one of my book reviews that one reviewer wished she could see all the codes. I thought the codes had been included in the book (including Kindle version), but I guess not. So, on my side bar, I've placed a link to the codes. Also, I will place them down below. Have fun solving them.

Drowning

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction - The concept was started by Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise. This week's letter is the letter D.

Here are the rules: By Friday of each week participants try to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.

DROWNING

The Body: When a body is found in water, it's very disturbing. You will notice:

(a) adipocere - the fatty tissues turn into a waxy substance, yellow and white, a form of insoluble soap

(b) the smell - a decaying body is smells bad, a body pulled from a body of water is rancid and otherwise, worse

(c) the weight - a body in which the tissues have been replaced by adipocere is much lighter than normal

(d) the bloating - you may wonder if you're looking at a dead body at all

For obvious reasons, I didn't include a photo.

Have you written a drowning in your stories? How did you describe it?

Also, authors I want to check out that start with the Letter D:

DASHIELL HAMMETT

Samuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the Continental Op (Red Harvest and The Dain Curse).

The Maltese Falcon - A treasure worth killing for. Sam Spade, a slightly shopworn private eye with his own solitary code of ethics. A perfumed grafter named Joel Cairo, a fat man name Gutman, and Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a beautiful and treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a dime. These are the ingredients of Dashiell Hammett’s coolly glittering gem of detective fiction, a novel that has haunted three generations of readers.

DEBORAH CROMBIE

Deborah Crombie grew up near Dallas, Texas, but from a child always had the inexplicable feeling that she belonged in England. After earning a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, she made her first trip to Britain and felt she'd come home. It was not until almost a decade later that, living once more in Texas and raising her small daughter, she had the idea for her first novel, a mystery set in Yorkshire. She had no credentials other than a desire to write and a severe case of homesickness for Britain. A Share in Death, published in 1993, was short-listed for both Agatha and Macavity awards for Best First Novel and was awarded the Macavity.

Necessary as Blood  - Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London's East End is a vibrant mix of history and the avant-garde, a place where elegant Georgian town houses exist side by side with colorful street markets and the hippest clubs. But here races and cultures still clash, and the trendy galleries and glamorous nightlife of Whitechapel disguise a violent and seedy underside, where unthinkable crimes bring terror to the innocent. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in mid May, a young mother, Sandra Gilles, leaves her daughter with a friend at the Columbia Road Flower Market and disappears. Shortly thereafter, her husband, a Pakistani lawyer, is killed. Scotland Yard detective Gemma James happens upon the scene in time to witness the investigator making a mistake. When Duncan and his trusted sergeant, Doug Cullen, see Gemma's name in the report, they decide to take the case. Working together again, Gemma, Duncan, Doug, and Melody Talbot must solve it before the murderer can get his hands on the real prize, Naz and Sandra's daughter. But just as the case grows more dangerous, a personal issue threatens to throw Gemma and Duncan off the trail. In the end, it is up to them to stop a vicious killer and protect the child whose fate hangs in the balance.

Sources: Wikipedia and Amazon.com
Writing and selling your mystery novel by Ephron

My Idea For A Cozy

Thank you Hart Johnson and Elizabeth Spann Craig for putting on this amazing blogfest.

 Crazy Cozy Blogfest

The idea is to think of the craziest, zaniest set-up for a cozy mystery you can.

Include:
1)  Sleuth (age, occupation, maybe a little family info)
2)  Sidekick (either friend or foil, but someone who always seems to be around)
3)  Setting (town, city, or other sort of place)
4)  Theme (go nuts)
5)  Twist (be as creative as you like)

Here's my idea for the crazy cozy:

Thirty-four year old Jay Walker wants to be left alone. Although he inherited millions from his father's business, he prefers to live in his 1972 Plymouth station wagon with his pet Moped, the key stealing squirrel.

While dumpster diving in Miami, Florida, Jay finds a suicide note with bloody fingerprints. Who wrote it? Jay searches for the woman who signed her name on the bottom of the letter, Pearl E. Gates. When he sees her dead body through a basement window, he uses squirrel to fetch the key from her apartment. Moped will do anything for a peanut.

It doesn't take long to discover she didn't kill herself but instead she was murdered. Together they go on an adventure to catch the killer.

Also, check out these fine stories...

Quilt or Innocence
Beatrice has a lot of gossip to catch up on—especially with the Patchwork Cottage quilt shop about to close. It seems that Judith, the landlord everyone loves to hate, wants to raise the rent, despite being a quilter herself… But when Judith is found dead, the harmless gossip becomes an intricate patchwork of mischievous motives. And it’s up to Beatrice’s expert eye to decipher the pattern and catch the killer, before her life gets sewn up for good.

Elizabeth Spann Craig: Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries (2012) for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink. She blogs daily at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer's Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010 and 2011.

As the mother of two, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles duties as Girl Scout leader, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.

Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Indie Bound
Mystery Writing is Murder

The Azalea Assault
Cam Harris loves her job as public relations manager for the Roanoke Garden Society. It allows her to combine her three loves, spinning the press, showing off her favorite town, and promoting her favorite activity. She's just achieved a huge coup by enlisting Garden Delights, the country's premiere gardening magazine, to feature the exquisite garden of RGS founder, Neil Patrick. She's even managed to enlist world-famous photographer Jean-Jacques Georges. Unfortunately, Jean-Jacques is a first-rate cad—insulting the RGS members and gardening, goosing every woman in the room, and drinking like a lush. It is hardly a surprise when he turns up dead. But when Cam's brother-in-law is accused and her sister begs her to solve the crime, that is when things really get prickly.

Alyse Carlson: Alyse Carlson is the pen name for Hart Johnson who writes books from her bathtub. By day she is an academic researcher at a large midwestern university. She lives with her husband, two teenage children and two fur balls. The dust bunnies don't count. This will be her first published book.


Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Indie Bound
Confessions of a Watery Tart

Crime Scene Investigations

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction - The concept was started by Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise. This week's letter is the letter C.

Here are the rules: By Friday of each week participants try to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.

Crime Scene Investigation

"They walked all over the crime scene."

"You can't die that way!"

"Why didn't they check for fingerprints?"

"The novel is unrealistic!"

My worst nightmare is to have a technically inaccurate book. Sure, as writers, we make the lives of our characters more interesting but should crime fiction be inaccurate? Not you if you do your research.

The problem: When a writer doesn't do their research and facts are not checked.

How to fix the problem: Research, of course! Where can we find help? There are lots of books available to the common writer but there are three wonderful websites I like to frequent as well.

(a) Forensics4fiction - This BLOG was created to provide information about forensics to crime writers and readers alike.

(b) The Police Oracle - this UK site has a lot of information about the police and policing policies.

(c) The Writer's Forensic Blog - if you haven't checked out this writer/doctor's books, you're missing something. He's a wealth of information and will happily answer your questions as well.

What Crime Scene Investigation Sites do you like?

Also, authors I want to check out that start with the Letter C:

CLAIRE RAYNER

Claire Berenice Rayner OBE (née Chetwynd; 22 January 1931 – 11 October 2010) was an English nurse, journalist, broadcaster and novelist, best known for her role for many years as an agony aunt.

Third Degree (Dr. George Barnabas Mystery)When a severed leg is found on the banks of the Thames, Dr George Barnabas, female forensic pathologist and determined investigator, is summoned to the macabre scene. But with no sign of the rest of the body, she cannot say how the man died. Her next case is equally bizarre: a terribly burned woman in a first-floor flat - and the fireman thinks the fire started in the body itself. George, despite budget battles with the hospital boards and squabbles among her lab staff, desperately wants to pursue these with the local Detective Chief Inspector - her lover, Gus Hathaway - but he has been so tied up on another big case that she has barely seen him for a month. George has to suppress a guilty flash of relief that he must surely return to his own patch now and run the investigation. But he does not, and his deputy wont let her near the case. George, frustrated but feisty as ever, can only puzzle: is the arson victim linked to the missing body? Only when Gus himself gets into trouble can she at last begin to delve on his behalf. Soon she is on the trail of a crime more tortuous and criminals more dangerous than either she or Gus bargained for. This is the third of Claire Rayner's much praised mysteries featuring George Barnabas, now established as an exciting and engaging series from a master storyteller. The drama of life in hospital is interwoven with life on the streets and life on the beat in a tale that is compulsively clever and entirely readable.

COLIN DEXTER

Norman Colin Dexter, OBE, (born 29 September 1930) is an English crime writer, known for his Inspector Morse novels which were written between 1975 and 1999 and adapted as a television series from 1987 to 2000.

Last Bus to Woodstock - Beautiful Sylvia Kaye and another young woman had been seen hitching a ride not long before Sylvia's bludgeoned body is found outside a pub in Woodstock, near Oxford. Morse is sure the other hitchhiker can tell him much of what he needs to know. But his confidence is shaken by the cool inscrutability of the girl he's certain was Sylvia's companion on that ill-fated September evening. Shrewd as Morse is, he's also distracted by the complex scenarios that the murder set in motion among Sylvia's girlfriends and their Oxford playmates. To grasp the painful truth, and act upon it, requires from Morse the last atom of his professional discipline.


Sources: Wikipedia and Amazon.com
Writing and selling your mystery novel by Ephron