Wessel Ebersohn's Blog, page 16

Wessel Ebersohn’s sixty-third rule of thriller writing

For the detectives involved in chasing a serial killer an awful part of the matter arises when a second generation of detectives takes over and, using the spade work done by the first generation, solves the case. While the original detectives are glad he has been caught, the feeling of failure is intensified.

Wessel Ebersohn's sixty-third rule of thriller writing

For the detectives involved in chasing a serial killer an awful part of the matter arises when a second generation of detectives takes over and, using the spade work done by the first generation, solves the case. While the original detectives are glad he has been caught, the feeling of failure is intensified.

Why won’t they tell me?

Abigail has also read it, I believe. Ebersohn let her read it in manuscript too. Rosa spoke to her. “What did she say?” I asked Rosa.

“She also says you should read it.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“She asked if you were well.”

“I mean about The Classifier?”

“Yes, but I’m not going to tell you. Rather read it yourself.”

Why won't they tell me?

Abigail has also read it, I believe. Ebersohn let her read it in manuscript too. Rosa spoke to her. "What did she say?" I asked Rosa.

"She also says you should read it."

"Did she say anything else?"

"She asked if you were well."

"I mean about The Classifier?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you. Rather read it yourself."

Read it for yourself, Rosa says

Rosa got through all 350 odd pages of The Classifier pretty quickly. I asked her what she thought and she said, "Why don't you read it for yourself?"

"I'm very busy," I said.

"I know you are, Yudel," she told me. "But you make time to read things that interest you. And as this book has been eating you up inside I think you should read it."

"Perhaps I will," I said.

"That would be the mature thing to do," she said.

Mature? I swear that's the word she used.

Wessel Ebersohn’s sixty-second rule of thriller writing

Some serial killers are never found, a famous case being that of the so-called Zodiac killer. Some of the police detectives involved also suffered from deep depression in this case because of what they saw to be their failure.

Wessel Ebersohn's sixty-second rule of thriller writing

Some serial killers are never found, a famous case being that of the so-called Zodiac killer. Some of the police detectives involved also suffered from deep depression in this case because of what they saw to be their failure.

The Classifier has arrived

The manuscript of The Classifier has arrived. Now I'll get to see what Ebersohn dropped me for.

At least that's what I thought, but Rosa has grabbed it first. When I remonstrated with her, she said, "I thought you weren't interested."

"I'm not," I said.

"Then we don't have a problem," she said.

Ebersohn is unreliable

The manuscript of The Classifier hasn't yet come. What kind of person is he to promise something, then not deliver? I asked Rosa that.

"Calm down, Yudel," she said. "Just calm down."

Nevertheless, when I promise someone that I'll do something, I make a point of doing it. I don't say that I will and then not send the manuscript. It's just like him I told Rosa.

"Oh, Yudel," she said.

Wessel Ebersohn's sixty-first rule of thriller writing

Sometimes depression in a detective who has searched for years for a serial killer becomes so great he has a complete breakdown. This was the case in the Yorkshire Ripper matter, when an excellent senior officer just could not bear the thought that he was failing.