Tag: Ian McFadyen

I’m sharing a fab post from crime novelist Ian McFadyen about writing ‘The Twist’ to celebrate the release of The Corpse Bell #blogtour #newrelease #mystery

I’m sharing a fab post from crime novelist Ian McFadyen about writing ‘The Twist’ to celebrate the release of The Corpse Bell #blogtour #newrelease #mystery

The Twist

Having a clever and enticing plot and introducing a range of vivid, life-like and interesting characters are paramount for any successful murder story. However, in my view, the kernel of all the best and most memorable whodunits has to be the twist. 

I read once that ‘plot twists can be a thrill for the reader, but they’re overwhelming for the writer’. I’d agree with that.   

If the novel is constructed in such a way that the reader has absolutely no inkling it’s coming, and when it’s revealed to the audience it is as plausible to them as it is surprising, then the twist will elevate the story to a new level. 

And why just have one twist, if the book has sub-plots or a series of red herrings, why not introduce a little twist with those, to add even more intrigue and, dare I say, confusion in the reader’s mind – particularly if your twist reveals that a character high on the reader’s list of suspects is, in fact, innocent of the main crime and there’s a credible reason why they have been behaving in a way you ( the reader) thought was suspicious.  

If you don’t agree with me, I’d ask you to just think of your favourite murder mystery books. I’m sure they all will have many, many truly wonderful elements – the setting, the use of language, the plot, the characters for example. However, I’d wager it’s the twist that you remember.

When thinking about a new Carmichael book it’s the twist that almost always comes first. Whether it’s a character who isn’t all they seem to be, a misunderstanding which only comes to light late on in the story, or a lie that’s not unearthed at first, the twist is my starting point. 

For my books, it’s only once the twist is fleshed out in my head that I feel I can then create a storyline. A plot that builds up to that twist being revealed to the reader. Then using my team of ever-present detectives and introducing new characters, I attempt to take the reader on a journey that leads to the twist.   

One of my favourite twists is in ‘The Death of Roger Ackroyd’ by Agatha Christie. I’ll not share the details here, for obvious reasons, but if you’ve not read that particular book, I’d recommend you give it a whirl. 

However, if pushed, I’d say my favourite twist was in the TV programme, Tales of the Unexpected in 1979. In an episode written by Roald DahI, called ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’; the twist is delicious!  If you haven’t seen it, look it up on YouTube.    

I’ll obviously not be sharing the twist in my latest book, ‘The Corpse Bell’, but I hope you enjoy it when it arrives. 

Here’s the blurb

The last thing Penny Carmichael expected when she joined the local bellringing group was for her debut to be thwarted by the discovery of a body just yards from the belfry door. As her husband and his loyal team painstakingly sift through the evidence and delve deep into the dead man’s past, it’s clear that solving Peter Mackenzie’s murder may prove a challenge, even for someone with DCI Carmichael’s renowned detective prowess.

What was a man who’d lived for decades in North London doing in Moulton Bank?  Was his chequered past a factor?

And what about the other members of Penny’s bellringing group. Did any of them have a reason to do Peter harm? 

As the case unfolds, DCI Carmicheal and his trusty team seek answers to a complex puzzle which leads them along various paths and, at times, way outside the comfort zone of their rural Lancashire surroundings. 

This fast-paced, cleverly crafted whodunit is the eleventh murder mystery in the gripping Carmichael series from the pen of Ian McFadyen.

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corpse-Bell-Ian-McFadyen-ebook/dp/B0FY34NBPK/

https://www.amazon.com/Corpse-Bell-Ian-McFadyen-ebook/dp/B0FY34NBPK/

Meet the author

IIan McFadyen was born in Liverpool and enjoyed a successful career in marketing before becoming a writer. Ian’s titles are available in Italian and Czech and, although the author isn’t totally convinced it’s true, he’s been favourably compared with Wilkie Collins and Colin Dexter. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife but spends a great deal of his time writing in his bolthole retreat on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. The Corpse Bell is the eleventh in his series featuring DCI Carmichael.

Author image for Ian McFadyen

https://www.ianmcfadyenauthor.com/

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I’m sharing a fab post from crime novelist Ian Mcfadyen about his writing routine to celebrate the release of Blood Matters #blogtour

Welcome to the blog. I love hearing about author’s writing routines.

My approach to writing

I’m often asked about the process I follow when writing. It isn’t always the same, but the overall approach does tend to follow a similar route. Hopefully by breaking it down into bite sized chunks you’ll get the general idea of how I work – if it’s of interest to you. 

  1. The starting gun!

With my books being Murder Mysteries the catalyst for a new book is always the twist or what I refer to as the kernel of the book. When that idea arrives the whole process starts, with next the creation of new main characters and then the main plot; all manufactured to take the reader along a journey that arrives at the twist/kernel.  

  • Thinking time.

In all, I probably spend 90% of the time I devote to the process when I’m working on a Carmichael book, simply thinking about the plot and working out in my head when I’ll introduce new characters, new clues and red herrings to my reader. As the book nears its conclusion my thoughts start to turn towards how the reader will be told who committed the crime, how they did it (if it’s not obvious) and why. This is a critical phase as it’s the time I decide how I’m going to pull together all the loose ends and the false trails I’ve laid in the previous chapters.  

I may go for days or even weeks without writing, after the book has been started, but I’m almost always thinking about it.

  • When and where I write.

Peace and quiet are essential for me when I’m writing. Also being able to gaze aimlessly out of the window at the world while I write is key, too. For that reason, there are just two places I write from, my home office, or a quiet table overlooking our garden in my Norfolk bolt hole. Both are my creative heavens. 

  • Writing sessions.

People are quite shocked when I tell them that I don’t write every day. They are equally surprised when I tell them that I rarely write more than 1000 words in one session: often as little as just 500. 

I’m an early bird so I only write in the mornings. It’s my productive time. I can start as early as 5am when I have the urge to write, but by about 1pm I find I’ve had enough of tapping away on my keyboard – so I stop.  I keep thinking about the story, though, and what I’ll be writing in the next writing session.

  • Time it takes to produce a book.

This varies, but on average it takes about 9 -12 months to write the first draft and about 3-6 months to check, proofread and generally hone the novel into its final shape.  

  • Proof reading and checking.

This is a key stage in the writing process but, if I’m honest, the least interesting part of writing for me. But it’s essential. Apart from the obvious need to look for grammatical and spelling mistakes, this is a time for making subtle changes to the work to accomplish as good a novel as I can. I solicit help at this stage as I find a fresh pair of eyes invaluable. They always spot errors I’ve missed and may well continue to overlook, however many times I re-read the book.   

  • When to stop.  

This may seem a strange thing to include, but in my view it’s as important as any other stage. A book is the same as a painting or a piece of music. If you so desire, you can carry on forever rewording parts and finely modifying small details. However, there must come a point where you must tell yourself that you’ve polished and honed the work enough and it’s time to publish and let it out into the wide world. Having my next book starting to take over my thoughts is also an excellent sign for me to accept it’s now time to move on.

I hope you’ve found my mini summary of some interest. If not, it’s probably time for you to call time and move on from my ramblings 😊

Here’s the blurb

When the body of Doug Pritchard, an aging music journalist with a history of sensational scoops, is found face down in a dark roadside ditch, DCI Carmichael and his team embark on an investigation that takes them in several directions.
What did Pritchard uncover?
Did that secret bring about his violent demise?
And do the tragic deaths of two local pop idols, twenty years before, have any relevance to his murder?  
As DCI Carmichael delves deeper into the case it becomes clear that, despite the outwardly close connections of the residents of the small hamlet of High Maudsey, neither long term friendships nor family ties should be taken at face value.
This the tenth in his series of well-honed detective novels by Ian McFadyen featuring DCI Carmichael, leads the detective and his team through as many twists and turns as the quiet country lane where Doug Pritchard’s body was discovered
As with all McFadyen’s Carmichael novels, this book is packed with a host of intriguing characters and an expertly crafted plot; and once again the author displays his skill as a writer in the great tradition of English crime novels.

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Matters-Ian-McFadyen-ebook/dp/B0DJWGXTSX/

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Matters-Ian-McFadyen-ebook/dp/B0DJWGXTSX/

Meet the author

Ian McFadyen was born in Liverpool and enjoyed a successful career in marketing before becoming a writer. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife but spends a great deal of his time writing in his bolthole retreat on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. Blood Matters is the tenth in a series featuring DCI Carmichael.

Author image for Ian McFadyen