Reader wishes my assassin had gotten caught

I always enjoy hearing from readers who have purchased one of my books or received one as a gift.

Regardless of how they view the book, it’s good to hear what they think – good, bad, or ugly.

First of all, I am thankful for anyone who spends hard-earned money on one of my works. After all, they didn’t have to buy it for themselves or for a loved one. They could have spent their money on all kinds of stuff.

But I also like to hear from readers to get their take on something I’ve written. Careful readers, who enjoy a variety of different kinds of books, almost always have interesting observations. I value their feelings and thoughts.

And sometimes they come up with great plot twists that I hadn’t even considered during the process of writing and working with an editor to complete the book.

I am just now starting to hear from readers who received one of my novels as a Christmas gift. Carolyn, from Midland, bought “A Grand Murder,” my new novel, during a book signing I participated in at Little House Gifts in downtown Bay City. I remember her well because she asked so many good questions about the book.

Carolyn had purchased the book as a gift for a friend, and she asked me to sign the book for Marie and note that it was a Christmas present from her good friend. I’m happy to personalize any book if it helps makes the purchase special.

But before Carolyn wrapped and presented the gift to Marie, she decided to read it herself. “I saw it sitting there on the dining room table at home for three days. Finally, I picked it up and started reading it. Three days later I put it back down and then wrapped it for Marie.”

Wow, I thought that was a very nice compliment. Carolyn classified the novel as a “page burner” and said she enjoyed the mystery and the story very much. But then she repeated something I’ve heard other readers suggest. “I really wish your assassin would have gotten caught. It bothered me that she got away at the end of your book.”

For those unfortunate souls who have not had the opportunity to read “A Grand Murder” yet, let me just say for background purposes that my assassin is a woman named Charlie, who only kills men for money when they have demonstrated conclusively by their acts that they deserve to die.

So, some readers view Charlie, who is a secondary character in the book, as a heroine. She succeeds and provides justice only when the police and courts have failed. Nevertheless, Charlie is a cold-blooded killer, and it’s hard for many to see her in any other way than as a villain.

No doubt about it, “A Grand Murder” has an unconventional ending. I planned it that way. In real life, the good people don’t always win, get the life partner of their choice, or ride off into a golden Hollywood sunset.

I know it doesn’t seem right, but sometimes, the bad folks prevail. Life, though, has a funny way of sorting things and evening things out overtime.

So, I wrote Carolyn a long note, first thanking her for buying and sneaking in a read of my book. I explained that “A Grand Murder,” when it was under construction, had three different endings. I chose the one she read for several reasons, but the chief one is that I have other plans for Charlie, who already plays a key role in my next novel, the third installment of the Nick Steele series.

Carolyn said she was delighted to hear this news, and she’d like me to let her know when the next book is finished.

Now, that’s what I call a happy ending.
A Grand Murder