Writing The First Cut: Mental Time Travelling and Layering Stories

Writing The First Cut Is the Deepest felt like time travel—not just to a younger, brasher Detective John Keegan, but to the start of a journey that shaped a man, a marriage, and a career in solving impossible crimes. Revisiting the roots of Keegan's character while knowing what lay ahead in the timeline gave me a unique opportunity: to plant seeds in the current books that could bloom retroactively in the past. This concept—creating echoes that resonate backward—has become a hallmark of the Keegan series.

The Power of Looking Back

Detective Keegan in 1999, just starting in homicide, was eager, inexperienced, and idealistic. By the time we meet him in later novels, he's a seasoned, jaded detective grappling with personal demons and a relentless pursuit of justice. This duality allowed me to explore how and why he became who he is.

For instance, when I wrote The Lies That Bind Us, Keegan's chance encounter with Elena—his ex-girlfriend—hinted at a shared history. In First Cut, I got to flesh out their relationship, exploring how Elena's journalistic ambitions both inspired and complicated Keegan’s life during his first big case. It’s a dynamic where past stories enrich present ones and vice versa, creating a continuity that rewards longtime readers.

Planting Present-Day Clues

As I wrote recent works like Never Look Back and Ghosts of Days Gone By, I consciously layered moments that would serve as touchpoints for Keegan's younger self in First Cut. The painting that Pauline finds in their hallway, a relic from a pivotal case involving artist Cassie Lavelle ties directly to Keegan's first unsolved mystery. These callbacks are more than Easter eggs—they're narrative bridges between past and present.

In Ghosts o Keegan stumbles onto a tattoo linked to the Russian mafia. The victim's story becomes more than a standalone mystery—it echoes elements from First Cut, where Keegan’s first brush with corruption in NYC’s art world hinted at deeper networks of power. These threads allow me to pull stories together across decades.

Insider Tip: Playing with Time

The beauty of alternating timelines—one of my favorite tools as a writer—is the way it allows a richer, more layered story. In First Cut, I was able to foreshadow some of the conspiracies and personal conflicts that would dominate Keegan's future investigations, such as the dynamics with his mentor (whose secrets linger long after he's gone) or Pauline's transition from a supportive girlfriend to an undercover cop balancing motherhood and danger.

For fans of the series, keep an eye out for these connections:

  • Elena Moreno: Her early relationship with Keegan may seem doomed, but it sets the stage for the trust issues and emotional scars he carries into his later relationships.
  • Cassie Lavelle's Art: In both First Cut and Never Look Back, her work acts as a symbol of unresolved cases and personal regrets. Her cryptic messages, both visual and written, reflect Keegan's internal struggles.
  • Detective Nunez’s Origin: Younger Nunez in recent books carries echoes of Keegan's early drive, reflecting his younger self while pushing him to mentor her in ways his own mentor failed him.

Crafting a Living Series

The Keegan books aren’t just about solving murders—they’re about the ripple effects of those cases on a person’s soul. Writing First Cut reminded me that no story truly starts at the beginning. Each case, each relationship, builds on the ones before it.

I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery. If you’re new to the series, start with The First Cut Is the Deepest—experience where it all began. Then dive into Ghosts of Days Gone By to see how those roots grow into the complex, intertwined narrative of the present. Together, they create a living timeline, rich with stories yet to be told and mysteries waiting to unfold.

Because with Detective John Keegan, the past always finds a way to catch up.

Check out The First Cut: Amazon


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