I’m still working on the automaton story, temporarily titled Pistol Pete. It’s about an inventor who’s found dead inside a locked room—one that’s constantly watched. No one else is inside, so suspicion falls on the only possible culprit: his cowboy automaton.
I’ve also been mulling over a second story about a multiple murderer. This killer has no real motive beyond the thrill. I think this one’s going to be my first genuine horror story. I’ve flirted with the genre before but never fully committed. Of course, it’ll still involve an impossible crime and a detective—it wouldn’t be one of mine otherwise.
Take all of this with a grain of salt. My original ideas rarely avoid mutation. I’m still in the early stages.
In reading news, I’ve finished two books recently. The first was Tom Mead’s The House at Devil’s Neck—outstanding. Most of the elements were right up my alley, and the dual narrative structure made it especially enjoyable. The London portion worked as the investigation, the Devil’s Neck portion as incident. Together, they created a propulsive and cleverly layered narrative.
I also read Dean Koontz’s Intensity. I was in the mood for something fast and unsettling, and it delivered. A few small complaints here and there, but it kept my attention throughout.
As for my latest release, It’s About Impossible Crime, sales have been good—but reviews have been scarce. If you’ve read it, please consider posting your thoughts on Goodreads or Amazon. If you haven’t read it, consider reading it… and then rereading the previous sentence. If you haven’t bought it yet, you can do so here.
And if you’re deciding whether or not to purchase, here is a review from Ah Sweet Mystery! and another from Countdown John’s Christie Journal.
So, writing is going slowly, but no worries. I’ve been through it before. Hell, I’m a veteran of the writerly blues. Valleys and misery are to be expected.
I’ll keep you updated, whether you like it or not. Take care.
James Scott Byrnside 