D is for Deaths, Lots of Them

 

On page two of The Filey Connection, someone is killed. No spoilers here, so you’ll have to read the book or a sample to learn more, but it’s debatable whether his/her death was accidental or otherwise.

The victim has the distinction of being the first ever STAC Mystery death. Since then, I’ve bumped off an average of two people per book.

But you could be forgiven for considering them as mere asides to the investigation because that’s exactly what they are. It’s part of the cosy, traditional British whodunit culture. The murder is coincidental; the important thing is tracking down the killer, demonstrating the sleuth’s superior thinking which leads to the unmasking of the evil perpetrator.

I writer stronger material. The Handshaker, a dark tale of rape and murder, pulls no punches and in Voices, a paranormal tale of terror, there are graphic descriptions of the deaths of many people, particularly during the bomb explosion.

When it comes to the STAC titles, however, it’s glossed over. Even Joe, the man who invariably cracks the case, does not dwell on photographs of the victims, and can frequently be heard to say, “I’m no ghoul.”

Murder, real murder is no easy ride. No matter how its carried out, no matter what condition it leaves the victim in, it is a heinous, gruesome crime, rightly punished with the maximum sentence the law permits.

But this is fiction, and while we can (and often do) reflect some of the shock the crime brings upon surviving families, it is nevertheless designed to entertain.

And having delivered my little lesson for the day, I’m going back to work on the next STAC Mystery. Time to knock off another few people before breakfast.

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The STAC Mysteries are available as paperbacks and as e-book downloads in all formats, or direct from Crooked Cat Books in MOBI, EPUB and PDF formats