Mystery is one of the essential ingredients of any story because it keeps the reader wondering what is going to happen and turning the pages.
In Holiday to Murder by Rob Hopcott, the story snaps into action with the headline:
‘Slain woman with rose tattoo naked in holiday home rural retreat murder’
the headline screamed.
But why should Alice, the heroine, or even we care? Alice packs her husband off to work then settles down to read.
Alice usually avoided sensational stories about murders. In her opinion, they were profiting from someone else’s grief. These stories offered little for the reader. They were usually repetitive and almost always lacked meaningful detail. But this one was different. The tattoo and the victim’s name reminded her of a friend she had known at school.
Alice’s attention has been tweaked and she starts to think about her old friend.
Now years had passed and Alice wondered if Estelle had achieved her dreams. It would be terrible if they had ended in a small holiday cottage in a tiny inconsequential country village. The surname in the newspaper was different but marriage would explain that. It was the tattoo of a tiny red rose on her left shoulder that persuaded Alice. She still remembered the day she had spent arguing with Estelle trying to persuade her not to have it done.
Alice was prim and proper, Estelle was more adventurous and they knew each other years ago. The adventure and mystery is on. Not only an unsolved murder but a trip down memory lane to find out what happened to an old school friend. Anybody who has attended an old school reunion knows how powerful is the urge to find out what happened to old school friends.
In Story to Die For, there are stories afoot with a public story teller who would stand on his wooden box at the market to sell his stories to the passing public.
He would always set up his wooden box in the busiest part of the monthly car boot sale.
“Give me some space will you.”
Impervious to the pushing and jostling, he’d climb aboard and balance precariously. The crowd would part around him - almost recoil.
But then as he talked in his special way, people would become curious. Like snakes fascinated by the charmer, they would move closer. Each time he would have a new theme. Then whatever he said and whatever he sold to the crowds around him would act as a pall over the ensuing weeks or bring a cheery grin to passers by - until the next time.
This story teller peddled mysteries in his local market and the locals that bought his stories would wonder whether they were made up or true accounts.
“I reckon its that John that did it, you know him that lives down by the marshes.”
“Never, he wouldn’t have the courage - it’s Fred over on the other side of the hill. He always had an eye for the ladies. I knew one who stayed overnight and she was never the same again and wouldn’t talk about it.”
Then the mystery is ratcheted up as ‘One Eye’ goes missing and the murder mystery starts.
Then he disappeared ……
People instantly missed him.
“Where’s old One Eye”, they would say at the car boot sale. “He’s not been around for a while. Silly old duffer - hope he hasn’t come to harm. Couldn’t write of course - but I’d buy the odd one just out of charity really. Do you know where he lived - did he have any family?”
So the guy who wrote stories and mysteries became a mystery himself! Twists and sub plots are the essence of a mystery.
See you soon for some more reviews of online mystery stories.
Bye for now
Rob
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© Rob Hopcott 1999 - 2006 all rights reserved. All characters are fictitious in this story and no reference is intended to any person living or otherwise.
