Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Locked Door (August 2, 2013)
Paperback: 284 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0615854922
E-Book File Size: 433 KB
ASIN: B00DZ81AEY
PASSAGE OF CRIME is a traditional English mystery that brings together the unlikely combination of a dowdy old Scotland Yard Inspector and Ernie Bisquets, a reformed pickpocket, in this whodunit set in contemporary London.
Synopsis
London’s East End, once known for poor boroughs and a derelict rail yard, is enjoying an optimistic resurgence. It’s becoming an affordable option for middleclass residents looking to have their pounds go further. Despite this sweeping out of old rubbish, a cautious step is still advised when passing by a few remaining dark alleys. If only Mary Walsh had listened.
Prophet Brown, a disfigured, pathetic little man, called Detective Inspector Flannel after stumbling upon the body of a young woman in one such alley. Flannel quickly realizes she is not the random victim she appears. Add to that, the crime scene is hauntingly reminiscent of an old unsolved case; a case that almost ended an otherwise brilliant career eight years ago.
For the moment, Prophet Brown is the only solid link between the two cases. He has been in the employ of a charismatic and well-connected Member of Parliament for 17 years–the very man Flannel unsuccessfully accused of the murders in the previous case.
Flannel finds himself navigating a very treacherous course. His superiors have warned him for the last time to tread cautiously around the MP, and the rising tide of the past threatens to pull him under. Reluctantly, Inspector Flannel turns to a most unlikely ally, a reformed pickpocket named Ernie Bisquets. Together they disentangle a mesh of old lies and current clues attempting to bring a ruthless murderer to justice–ignoring the dangerous notion of murder being a carefully disguised trait passed from one generation to the next.
About The Author
Michael is a classically trained artist who has been painting for over 25 years. By combining his creative talents with a passion for London he conceived the fictional world of the East London Adventurers Club, home to The Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series. Three books in the series are complete and there are plans for at least five additional books following the adventurers of London’s most remarkable pickpocket. Michael is a proud member of the Crime Writer’s Association and Mystery Writers Of America.
Interview
What is your
favorite genre to read/write?
I enjoy reading a good thriller, but I revel in crafting a good
whodunit. The subtle intricacies of a good murder mystery fascinate me,
and it's what I concentrate on when I'm developing a story. Balancing the crime
with the right amount of clues, foreshadowing and red-hearings is very challenging,
and doing it right is very satisfying. I work from a 5 to 7 page synopsis. If
this goes along brilliantly I reach a point in the book where I let the
characters take over. It’s at that moment when the idea becomes a book. I
figure if the events that unfold there surprise me, they are bound to surprise
my readers.
What is one
silly fact about you?
Narrowing it down to one silly fact might be tough. A bit of an
oddity is my desire to walk the streets in London where my books take place to
find interesting nooks and crannies to stage scenes. The first book in the
series, Along Came A Fifer, took me
to the streets around St. Paul’s. It was a dreary day and I found myself
wandering down an unassuming alley. It was there I found the loft used by the
forger Jackie Miller. All around me tourists were marveling at the grand
cathedral while I’m snapping photos down a backstreet thinking, “Um, what a
great place to stage a crime.”
What is the
most rewarding thing about being a writer?
I really enjoy the interaction with readers during book signings and
author events. I learn a great deal about my characters that never dawned on
me. Readers have a different perspective on the characters, and it is one I
relish and act on as the series continues. In the second book, Rook, Rhyme And Sinker, I got so caught
up in the mystery I forgot to elaborate on some of the basic instincts of the
main characters, i.e. their relationships with each other. There were hints of
a love interest, but they were not fleshed out enough–as a few readers pointed
out to me. I took care of this in the next book. I find this type of feedback
invaluable. Sometimes it stings, like pulling a Band-Aid off, but it always
makes the next story better.
Do you have
a favorite comment or question from a reader?
One of my favorite questions from a reader is, “What does the R
stand for in your name?” It’s a family name I never really use, so I have a lot
of fun with that question. My go-to answer is “Ridiculously charming,” though I have at times used “Remarkably handsome, Relatively amusing, Remotely interesting, etc., etc.” It’s
a bit of fun and keeps a bit of mystery around me. It keeps me thinking too,
coming up with new ones.
Where do
your ideas come from?
One of the greatest sources of storyline material is any newspaper.
There’s no need to read the actual story, the headlines are usually enough, but
there is a next step. I have three small boxes, individually labeled: Crime, Antagonist, and Motive.
The headlines go into the Crime box.
As for Antagonist, they come from
people I meet along the way. Whether I’m in a tube station in London or a
restaurant in Philadelphia, I make a mental note of some of the characters I
meet. In the new book, Passage Of Crime, one of the main characters is a
combination of two people I met at two different times and locations. One was
incredibly kind, the other not so much. Combined they created an exceptional
criminal persona. Motive is another
one you can pull from everyday life. It’s sad, but people are driven to do bad
things for three basic reasons–greed, jealousy, and revenge.
When I sit down to start a new story I take one slip of paper from
each, pin them on the board, and let my imagination take over from there.
If
you could sum your main character into five words, what would they be?
Ernie Bisquets is the main character in the
series named for him. Ernie’s a London pickpocket who has been afforded an
opportunity to erase the sins of his past, but not without a substantial dose
of murder and mayhem. He’s a rather unassuming chap, but if I had to describe
him in five words they would be:
Resourceful
Remarkable
Reliable
Relentless
Reformed
Notice
how I can’t get away from that “R”
thing.
Author Links
web- www.eastlondonadventurersclub.com
blog- http://rmichael-fifer.blogspot.com
GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995205.R_Michael_Phillips
Author Links
web- www.eastlondonadventurersclub.com
blog- http://rmichael-fifer.blogspot.com
GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995205.R_Michael_Phillips
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