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Image: ChatGPT. |
I will, however, share some of my thought processes as I work through the story. I've never written crime fiction before, never figured myself to be smart enough—or sinister enough—to work out a murder mystery.
But the other day, while I was taking a pause from writing a chapter, I thought I would write out a brief synopsis, a teaser, of what the story is about. I didn't want to give much away: rather, this would be something that I might have on the back of the book or on the inside jacket.
Here's what I've written:
When Ottawa Police Services Inspector Michael “Mickey” Calloway returns to the Serious Crimes team after a mild cardiac arrest, he is partnered with Erin Hayes, a rookie inspector who has yet to prove herself, leaving Calloway to wonder: has she been assigned to babysit him, in his recovery, or is he babysitting an untested detective?
Both are quickly put to the test when a body is recovered from the dark waters of the Rideau River, in Ottawa’s south end. A young woman has been discovered by two kayakers, and when her lifeless body is brought to shore, Calloway recognizes her as CBC reporter Emily Fraser, who, only days earlier, escaped certain death when she and her fiancé failed to board an ill-fated flight from Ottawa to Montreal.
As Calloway puts it, “there’s no cheating death.”
Fraser’s death is suspicious, due to the nature of the injuries that are found on her. Fraser, who was investigating a story that would “shake city hall to its core,” was due to bring the story to light on the day that her body is discovered. And because her fiancé, Ottawa City Councillor Daniel Whitmore, is missing, he is immediately suspected of involvement in Fraser’s death.
Calloway and Hayes are faced with many questions: how did Fraser end up in the river and where did she go in? What was the news story that she was about to release and who was involved? Where is her computer, which contains information about her investigation and possible contacts? Where is Whitmore? Is he tied to Fraser’s news story? And did he kill his fiancée because of what was going to come out?
Dark Water uncovers corruption at municipal–and possibly federal–levels of government, and reveals a murky world of deceit and revenge. Dive in.
Thoughts? Does it sound interesting?
I'm more than 50 pages into the story but I'm facing a slowdown as my knowledge of police procedures is severely lacking. In the meantime, I just keep writing, and I'll come back and fill in the details later.
How did Ian Rankin write his first Inspector Rebus novel?
Happy Friday!