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Writing Ghosts of Days Gone By and Fourth Gear: A Tale of Justice, Closure, and Lingering Revenge

  Writing Ghosts of Days Gone By and Fourth Gear : A Tale of Justice, Closure, and Lingering Revenge When I was working on Ghosts of Days Gone By and Fourth Gear , there was one concept that kept coming back to me: the idea of revenge. Not the kind of flashy, movie-style revenge, but the slow-burn kind that lurks beneath the surface, shaping decisions and relationships over time. Both of these novels explore how long-buried resentments and unresolved issues can affect a person—whether it’s Keegan or his old partner Matty Long. In Fourth Gear , revenge plays a more subtle role. While Keegan is trying to close a case that dates back to the early days of his career, there’s more at stake than just solving a crime. His partner Matty Long is back, and Matty’s history is still haunting them both. If you’ve read Third and Long , you know Matty had his share of issues with other cops, bad blood that never really got resolved. Those tensions were left to fester, and now, with the past coming
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The Haunting Return of John Keegan: Inside Ghosts of Days Gone By

 After the intense partnership dynamics of The Lies That Bind Us , where readers experienced Detective John Keegan's world from both his and Pauline's perspectives, Ghosts of Days Gone By marks a return to a pure Keegan voice. But this time, it’s different. Pauline, his wife and frequent partner in crime-solving, is absent. And her absence is felt everywhere. In Ghosts of Days Gone By , Keegan is plunged into a case that reverberates with echoes from his past, forcing him to revisit old wounds—both professional and personal. This novel brings us back to the Keegan of earlier books, before he had Pauline to rely on, before Death Knell changed everything. Without Pauline’s grounded presence, Keegan is left grappling with his own demons, insecurities, and the crushing weight of his memories. Her absence is a palpable presence throughout the book, serving as both a void and a ghost, haunting Keegan at every turn. A Life Without Pauline – But Not Without Her Ghost I didn't rea
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Behind the Crafting of Never Look Back: Could This Be the Best Keegan Mystery Yet?

 There’s something special about Never Look Back . Fans of Detective John Keegan have been following his gritty journey through the underbelly of New York City, and this latest installment just might be his most intense—and personal—case yet. As the sixth book in the acclaimed John Keegan Mystery series, Never Look Back throws us headfirst into a chilling murder investigation that sees Keegan navigating the deadly intersections of technology, politics, and personal vendettas. But it’s not just the complexity of the case that makes this novel stand out. It’s the way Keegan himself is crafted, making this a pivotal entry in the series. Let's dive into why this might just be the best Keegan mystery yet. The Latest Solo Narrative for John Keegan One of the most notable aspects of Never Look Back is that it’s the final book in the series told solely from Keegan’s perspective. If you’ve followed the journey so far, you know that the next book, The Lies That Bind Us , introduces dual na
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Creating a New Narrator with Pauline McCrory-Keegan in "To The Bone"

  Branching Off the Keegan Mystery Series with a New Narrator When I first introduced Pauline McCrory-Keegan in the Keegan Mystery series, I had no idea she would resonate so deeply with readers. Her character brought a unique strength and depth to the stories, complementing John Keegan's introspective and often sarcastic nature. As her presence grew in each book, it became clear that Pauline had a story of her own to tell. She started as sort of a foil to John Keegan, her strength in the face of adversity keeping him centered. But, for a while, I felt she became a little too much of a trope. In books like The Fallen, she takes on a larger role, savior to her husband actively, and demanding more page-time. Unfortunately, she took a back seat to the plot in Never Look Back , and I knew I had to right that wrong. In The Lies That Bind Us , I experimented with a dual narrative, allowing readers to dive into Pauline's perspective alongside John's. This choice was met with ove
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Revisiting Old Friends: Writing "Second Time Around" and the Resurrection of Rick

  Writing a Retro Series Means Revisiting the Past When I set out to write "Second Time Around," the second installment in my retro series featuring Detective John Keegan, I knew I was stepping back into a world where familiar faces would be alive again. Among these characters is Rick, a pivotal figure in Keegan's life who met a tragic end in "Death Knell," the third book in my original series. Bringing Rick back to life in the retro series, which includes "The First Cut," "Second Time Around," and the upcoming "Third and Long," was both a challenge and a joy. I liked writing about the characters now deceased, but it is bittersweet. In "Death Knell" Keegan's father dies. The year it was published, my father passed too. So, this is a bit therapeutic as well as nostalgic. The Genesis of the Retro Series When writing "The Lies That Bind Us", the most recent present-day Keegan novel, Keegan faced some remnants of
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The Journey of Writing "Third and Long": A Deep Dive into the Locations

I am currently finishing Third and Long  the tenth John Keegan mystery and the third in the retro series that goes back to 1999. These books are about murder and investigation, but they rely on characters and the places where they live and visit. My mystery series relies a lot on location. Usually, New York City takes center stage but I try to incorporate the surrounding areas as well. As a native Long Islander, I’ve always been drawn to the unique charm and character of various places in and around New York. While I'm somewhat familiar with these locations, I also undertook a considerable amount of research to ensure authenticity and vividness in the settings. Here’s a look into some of the key locations that breathe life into the story. Long Island: The Heart and Soul Long Island isn’t just a backdrop in "Third and Long"; it’s a character in its own right. Growing up here, I’ve experienced the contrasts between the serene suburban neighborhoods and the bustling, sometim
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Writing a Retro Mystery Series: How I Took a Habit/Hobby and Turned It Into Productivity

We all like a trip to the past. That's what started me on the path to my retro series. My character reminisced about his first case and I decided to explore it. Now I have my main series chugging along and the retro series as well. As a retro computer and game enthusiast, this comes naturally to me, the framing the past as a definer of the present. How we see our younger selves dictates our present state of mind. And, as I am sure you know, our opinion of ourselves at, say, twenty, changes as we get older. For the longest time, I pegged the years of 19-22 as the best years of one's life. Not anymore. Now it's more like 32-38. When I first decided to write a retro mystery series, set against the backdrop of a pre-digital New York City, I had no idea how it would consume my life in the best possible way. It enabled me to also crank up my productivity because the present books have a past as a foundation, so writing the retro books feeds the present ones and vice versa. I'
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