The inspiration for my fourth book in the Boomer’s Tales series, Long Lost Elvis, is a mystery series I read as a child. The “Nancy Drew Mystery Stories” by Carolyn Keene was one of my favorites. I still have the collection in a bookcase in my home.
In Long Lost Elvis, there are two mysteries. The first mystery is the question of where Elvis was before he was found and why he’s afraid of thunder. The second mystery deals with the theft of Mr. Brown’s wife’s painting.
My stories often have several plots and there can be lots of surprises. I still love to read mysteries as an adult. Mysteries that have lots of twists and turns are my favorites. Harlan Coben is an example of an author who likes to surprise the reader. Books authored by him that represent the elements of surprise and twists are The Stanger and Tell No One.
In Long Lost Elvis, I write for a children’s audience, so my mysteries would be tame to an adult, but they’d keep a child’s attention and grow their vocabulary.
Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 4
Painting: The door shut. Mr. Brown and Jack found us staring at the fireplace. “This was Martha’s favorite painting of the stream. She loved it more than any of her other pieces.” “I can see why,” Nana Weathers said. “The color of the trees in the spring and the light filtering through them in the water are soft, yet vivid.” Nana Weathers moved in closer. “Did your wife paint with her left or right hand?” Her signature leans to the left like mine, and I’m a lefty. That’s why I ask.” “Martha painted with her right hand,” Mr. Brown said, “but she wanted her artist’s signature to be different, so she signed it with her left hand. She embellished it with a curlicue on the final n” We all came in even closer to look at her signature. Mr. Brown moved in with us. He gasped. “This is not Martha’s signature.”
I’d love to hear from you if you write or read mysteries. Send me your recommendations. I look forward to hearing from you.