Combining a Coming-of-Age Thread in a Thriller-Crime-Fiction Story
from the author’s blog of Joseph Lewis
Those of you who have read the posts on my author’s blog know that while I write thriller-crime-mystery, I have a strong coming-of-age thread throughout the book. In some of my books like Fan Mail, the thread is a dominant feature, while in the others like Blaze In, Blaze Out, the thread rides along in the background. Depending on the story and the book, the thread varies.
My book Spiral Into Darkness is about a mission-oriented serial killer who is organized to a fault. The mission-oriented serial killer is one of four types of serial killers. This type of killer seeks to rid society of a particular group by murdering them. The detectives and FBI in Spiral Into Darkness suspect this is the reason behind the murders, but they aren’t sure. The reality of it surfaces much later in the story. Because of the story line of the serial killer, the coming-of-age thread rides just below the surface, but will catch the reader’s attention from time to page, from chapter to chapter.
The chapter I want to share with you sits about in the middle of the action. It involves Brett, one of the adopted sons of Jeremy Evans and his fiancé, Vicky McGovern, and Brett’s biological father, Thomas McGovern. I will leave it at that for now.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Waukesha, WI
His phone beeped. Jeremy clicked off the Internet, pushed the button to receive the call, and Kristi said, “Jeremy, you have a visitor.”
He ticked off a list of parents who might stop in. Most of them were pleasant, while a few, quite the opposite. He stood up and walked out the door and almost fell over.
Sitting in the outer office was Brett’s and Bobby’s father and the ex-spouse of his fiancée, Vicky. Dr. Thomas McGovern, an English professor at Butler University. Indianapolis was quite a distance away from Waukesha, and Jeremy wondered when he had arrived.
It had been almost two years since he’d seen him and even longer since he had spoken to him. He had longish, light brown hair and blue eyes. His fair features were soft, like Bobby’s, though both Brett and Bobby had a dark complexion and looked more like their mother and her side of the family. He stood six foot, maybe six-one, and looked trim and fit. Not like a weight lifter, but more like a runner or someone who practiced yoga. Whatever brought him to Waukesha and to North high school was beyond Jeremy’s grasp.
“Thomas?” Jeremy asked tentatively.
“Hi, Jeremy,” Thomas said as he stood up and walked confidently toward him, hand outstretched, offering a handshake.
Jeremy didn’t know why, but he took a step back as a precaution, recovered, and shook his hand.
“May I speak to you? Privately?”
“Sure,” Jeremy answered as he stepped aside and showed him into his office.
At first, Thomas stood there with his hands in the pockets of his overcoat. Under it was a brown tweed sport coat. Jeremy was pretty sure there would be leather on the elbows. He wore a white button-down shirt and jeans with Hedgehog Fastpack Gore-Tex shoes.
“Please, have a seat,” Jeremy said.
Thomas shed his overcoat, folded it over his arm, and sat down.
The silence was awkward, but having worked with teenagers for so many years, Jeremy went with it. Finally, he said, “How have you been?”
Thomas hemmed and hawed and said, “Fine. I guess. I miss my sons.”
Jeremy nodded. He wasn’t about to tell him they didn’t miss him.
“What brings you to Wisconsin?”
Thomas smiled and said once again, “I miss my sons.”
“Do they know you’re in town?”
He said, “I thought I’d surprise them. I’d like to speak with Brett, if I could.”
Jeremy recognized the edge in his voice that harbored anger living just below the surface, threatening to raise its ugly head. He also recognized the smugness, the arrogance, and the cock-sureness of the man that wasn’t hidden at all.
He knew his boys’ schedules by heart, but to make a show of it, Jeremy hit a couple of keys on the computer, pulling up the student management system. He typed in Brett’s name, and his schedule popped up. Honors Biology. He filled out a call slip, summoning Brett to the guidance office, and then he stood up.
“I’ll send for him,” Jeremy said as he opened the door and walked the pass out to one of the student aides, who took off out the door and down the hall.
Jeremy had misgivings. Yes, Thomas had joint custody with Vicky, but until now, Thomas had never spoken to Brett and never indicated that he had been interested in him. Jeremy didn’t know what Thomas’s motives were, and as a consequence, was suspicious.
Jeremy walked back to his office and said, “If you like, I can show you to the conference room where you and Brett can talk privately.”
“That would be best, I think.”
Thomas stood up, and Jeremy led the way around the corner to the conference room. He opened the door, turned on the lights, and said, “Brett should be here in a minute or two. Can I get you water or something?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Jeremy left and went back to wait in front of his office, just as Brett walked into the outer area.
“Hi, Kristi!”
“Hey, Brett. Did you have a nice weekend?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Brett saw Jeremy, smiled and said, “Hey, Dad, what’s up?” He embraced him and kissed his cheek. Jeremy hugged him and kissed the top of his head.
“You have a visitor.”
Brett craned his neck into Jeremy’s office and saw that it was empty. He looked up at Jeremy, puzzled.
“He’s waiting in the conference room.”
Jeremy placed an arm around Brett’s shoulders, and automatically, Brett slipped his arm around Jeremy’s waist as they walked around the corner. They reached the doorway, and Brett stood frozen, refusing to enter.
He gawked at Thomas and then turned and faced Jeremy, not understanding. The shock gave way to anger.
“What’s he doing here?”
“Your father would like to see you.”
“You’re my father. That’s just some guy, and I don’t want anything to do with him.”
Jeremy sighed and gave Brett’s shoulders a squeeze. Jeremy kissed the top of Brett’s head and said, “Give him a chance. Go on in. I’ll be around the corner.”
“Only because you asked me to,” Brett answered defiantly.
He walked in, but rather than sit down, he stood against the wall near the door with his hands behind his back. When Jeremy went to close the door, Brett said, “You can leave it open.” His eyes never left Thomas.
“I’ll shut it part way, okay?”
Brett nodded.
As Jeremy walked away, he heard Brett say, “What do you want?”
—
I’m sure you caught the strained relationship between Brett and his biological father, in contrast to the relationship Brett had with his soon-to-be adoptive father. The reason is explained within this book, Spiral Into Darkness, and, more fully, in Fan Mail.
When I go to sales and signing events, I usually sell out of Spiral Into Darkness. Everyone seems to like a story about a serial killer, which is why the TV show Criminal Minds and, to an extent, FBI in each of its iterations have high viewership. What my first-time readers don’t expect, and what my long-time readers do expect, is the coming-of-age thread running through it.
For your convenience, I’ve included the description of Spiral Into Darkness below along with a purchase link. It is available in three formats: Kindle, Paperback, and Audio. You can also find it along with each of my books and my two blogs on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please use the comment section below. Thank you for following along on my writing journey, and until next time …
Review Quotes:
“Spiral into Darkness literally begins with a bang, actually two, because a serial killer is on the loose in Milwaukee. But fortunately, author Joseph Lewis assembles a talented group of investigators we know well from his previous books to tackle this case. Look for strong writing and a great deal of suspense in this well-crafted thriller.”
Joan Livingston, author of the Isabel Long mystery series
“Powerful! The best to date. Masterful use of imagery and the ability to manipulate the reader’s emotion! An outstanding read!”
Theresa Storke, Reviewer
“Another excellent read – this author doesn’t disappoint. Fast-paced intrigue and unexpected twists. Characters build from earlier books, but the story is so well written that this book can stand alone. Definitely a must read. Loved the book!”
Sharon King, Reviewer
Book Blurb:
He blends in. He is successful, intelligent, and methodical. He has a list and has murdered eight on it so far. There is no discernable pattern, no clues, and no leads. The only thing the FBI and local police have to go on is the method of death: two bullets to the face- gruesome and meant to send a message. But it’s difficult to understand any message coming from a dark and damaged mind. Two adopted boys, struggling in their own world, do not know they are the next targets. Neither does their family. And neither does local law enforcement.
