Jeffrey Eaton's Blog, page 4

Preparing to begin “Murder Becomes Miami”

Last night I sat down to a plate of calamari and a glass of pinot grigio at my favorite Italian restaurant to map out the plot to my next book, “Murder Becomes Miami.” Even though “Murder Becomes Manhattan” just landed a few weeks ago, I amitchin’ to carry on the tale of Dalton Lee and the architect/detectives who make up The Lee Group.

Mapping out a plot is, I believe, one of the most exciting parts of crafting a book, for it by itselfbathes me in a mood of mystery and intrigue well before I...

Unraveling a mystery…for great prizes!

Growing up, I always loved scavenger hunts, treasure hunts and any other contest that required me to use my knowledge of the world to unravel a mystery and discover things that were hidden.

Now, we are offering YOU the same opportunity. On the morning of Saturday, Jan. 24, we will unveil 5 clues that cryptically refer to specific things/locations found somewhere in Manhattan. The clues will not be easy: they involve word play, puns etc. as challenging as what one might find with the New York T...

Patterns in the sand…work of aliens or artists?

As it turns out, aliens were not responsible for the mysterious patterns showing up in the sand next to high-rise apartment buildings in Edgewater, Florida, recently. Or were they?

First an elaborate and intricate compass pattern appeared on the beach overnight. A day or two later, out of nowhere, a Mobius-like triangle pattern materialized. People now speculate an artist is responsible for the magical elements. But no one has claimed them as of yet.

Hmmm…

The post Patterns in the sand…work of a...

The mystery of the doors in the trees

They seemed to appear overnight. Small, colorful doors, with locks, embedded in tall trees in a greenbelt in my neighborhood. Quirky, intriguing and mysterious.

What I love about these doors is how they represent in such a great way what makes a mystery book like “Murder Becomes Manhattan” so appealing. The small detail, missed by most (in this case, missed by most passing motorists and pedestrians) yet yielding so many questions.

Of course we know no one, or thing, lives behind the doors. But...

Who will readers connect with the most?

As “Murder Becomes Manhattan” nears its debut (less than 24 hours!), I wonder who within the book readers will most connect with.

Will it be Dalton Lee, the dashing but quirky lead detective whose genius is unquestioned but whose personal life is a wreck? Or will it be Bree, who has a nervous breakdown triggered by a street performer?

Perhaps it will be Roberto, whose devotion to his little sister drives him to desperate measures that threatens the security of all of his colleagues.

But then it...

Explore the bourbon savored by detective Dalton Lee

Dalton Lee is a connoisseur of QUALITY items. This is not someone who shops at WalMart or drives a Kia.

In “Murder Becomes Manhattan,” the architect/detective at one point decides to have a drink at The Constellation Room, a penthouse-level lounge in one of the city’s finest hotels. And he asks the server to bring him one of the world’s finest bourbon whiskeys out there, a Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight.

Now this is no paid endorsement, I promise you. I have had a Buffalo Trace and it is truly...

Background details, passing comments

“Murder Becomes Manhattan” has essential clues to the killer’s identity, and the victim’s connection to The Organization, scattered throughout it. But they are subtly woven in, delivered in passing.At least, I hope they are.

The importance of subtlety in delivering clues has become more apparent to me as I watch such television series as “Scandal” and “Castle” and“How to Get Away With Murder”.

On the latter show, it was a small detail of background wallpaper in an incriminating photograph that...

The Murder Becomes Manhattan website – what I love about it

Most websites that accompany a murder mystery focus solely on selling the book. I wanted the website that accompanied “Murder Becomes Manhattan” to do that and heighten the reading experience for those who have already purchased the book. I think it does a terrific job at that.

Web designer Randall White has given the site a dark, gritty look that matches the mood of the novel perfectly. After all, detective Dalton Lee thought he had subdued The Organization almost 20 years ago. Their return h...

Murder Becomes Manhattan now available for pre-order!

I am very excited that “Murder Becomes Manhattan” is now available for pre-order at both Amazon and Smashwords.

Available as of October 26 are the eBook versions, which contain links to lots of rich online photos and videos that enhance the murder mystery experience. We expect pre-orders of the hardcover and softcover versions to also be available by November 1.

Downloads of the eBook versions and purchase of the print versions will launch November 11! Pre-order “Murder Becomes Manhattan” at ei...

To link or not to link

One of the great challenges associated with writing a mystery is how to make it stand out from the 100 gazillion other mysteries out there. I concocted the angle of letting the eBook versions of Murder Becomes Manhattan contain links to pictures, videos and other content that might enhance the reading experience.

Or does it? Most murder mystery readers I have shown the concept to have found it fun and worthwhile. But I do wonder if some will consider those links distractions to the story.

The e...