My debut mystery novel, Death in Halfmoon Bay, has been described as a character-driven-mystery. It has many moving parts and personalities, all with their own nuanced existences and motivations. I’ve been asked, why do you make such intricate mysteries? My answer, “Because that’s what I like to read.”
I’m a fan of the Golden Age of Mystery. I grew up on Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s not that I don’t appreciate contemporary mystery novels; I do. I just want to write a bit more like they used to in the good old days before I was born.
My premise for Death in Halfmoon Bay was “What if Miss Marple was just starting out today?” What if she was married and had grandchildren? What if her family needed her help and they pulled her away from solving intricate puzzles? Would they change her eagerness to insert herself into dangerous situations. What if her meddling could put them in harms way? That’s what I intend to write about.
In the past I used this blog to post my flash fiction and I don’t yet have the heart to tear it all down. But going forward, I will be discussing my creative process of writing traditional mysteries with a modern twist.
Erik D'Souza 