Crafting Mysteries: Writing Intrigue and Building Relationships in the Keegan Series


Crafting Mysteries: Writing Intrigue and Building Relationships in the Keegan Series

When it comes to creating a compelling mystery series, it’s not just about the cases—it’s about the people solving them. The relationships between Detective John Keegan, his wife Pauline, their trusted allies, and the adversaries they face add depth and resonance to the series. These connections, professional and personal, form the backbone of each story, weaving together a narrative that’s as much about the people involved as it is about the crimes they unravel.

The Intricacies of Relationships in the Keegan Universe

Detective John Keegan is the quintessential flawed hero. He’s introspective, sarcastic, and deeply committed to his work. However, his relationships—especially with Pauline, Karl Lavin, Jacob, Captain Geiger, and Amy—are what make the series stand out.

Pauline, an undercover officer and John’s wife, shares a partnership that blends humor, tension, and unwavering support. They’re not the perfect couple, but they’re perfect for each other. Their dynamic is best highlighted in scenes where John’s sarcasm meets Pauline’s pragmatism. In The Lies That Bind Us, Pauline’s past mission and its traumatic aftermath emphasize her resilience and the complexities of juggling motherhood with her career​​.

Karl Lavin is John’s colleague and often his voice of brutal honesty. In The Fallen, Karl’s acknowledgment of John’s tendency to lie—"You could tell me the truth so we could really work together but you don't. Since Rick died, you prefer to work alone. I am  just here to back you up. You never really look at me like a partner but instead a useful assistant that knows some stuff  you don’"t.—shows their friendship’s strength. Despite Karl’s jabs, there’s a deep-seated trust between them. Their banter provides levity in otherwise dark narratives​. Later in the scene, it's revealed Karl looked through Keegan's phone to get the truth, so deception is part of their dynamic.

Jacob and Amy Geiger bring the technological edge to the team. Jacob, the series’ steadfast tech guru, often helps John solve cases with digital breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, Amy, Captain Geiger’s daughter, is an enigmatic figure whose shifting loyalties keep readers guessing. Amy’s tech expertise and defiance of easy categorization make her a fascinating addition, embodying the series’ theme of blurred lines between ally and adversary​. Their competitiveness starts as confrontational but becomes a part of the team's operation.

The Interpersonal Dynamics in Action

One of the series’ standout moments is the interplay between John and Karl during the investigation of actor Patrick Dillons’ murder (The Down Side). Their humorous exchange about the actor’s infamous films—“You don’t have the ass for movies, Karl,” John quips—provides a window into their camaraderie amidst chaos​.

Pauline’s undercover work often parallels John’s investigations, creating moments of both tension and tenderness. In The Lies That Bind Us, Pauline’s undercover operation intersects with one of John’s cases, leading to a clash of professional ethics and personal stakes. This subplot underscores their complicated yet loving relationship​.

Key Themes and Continuity

The Keegan series thrives on continuity. Elements from past cases resurface, tying together loose threads. The unsolved murder from First Cut is the Deepest casts a long shadow over John’s career, influencing his decisions and perspective​.

Themes of loyalty, deception, and justice run deep. Whether it’s Karl’s tough-love approach, Jacob’s tech wizardry, or Amy’s ambiguous role, the supporting cast brings out the best—and sometimes the worst—in John. These dynamics make the mysteries not just about solving crimes but also about understanding people.

Writing a Series: Challenges and Rewards

Continuing a series like Keegan’s is both challenging and rewarding. It requires balancing fresh narratives with the ongoing evolution of characters. The beauty lies in peeling back layers, revealing new facets of relationships while staying true to the characters’ core.

For readers, it’s the mix of relatable struggles, witty exchanges, and deeply human moments that make the Keegan series resonate. Writing mysteries isn’t just about creating puzzles; it’s about crafting lives—messy, interconnected, and endlessly intriguing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Revisiting Time Stand Still: Editing, Nostalgia, and Growth

  Revisiting Time Stand Still : Editing, Nostalgia, and Growth I love writing the Keegan series. It's my main work and it's fulfilling and my most productive area of writing. But, there's one book I wrote almost twenty years ago that has been a sort of favorite. While Keegan is more of my polar opposite, Darren Camponi from Time Stand Still  is a little more like me. And the story, going back in time and reliving younger days, has always intrigued me. But the book is flawed and needs some attention. Hence, the revisit. Time Stand Still is  a story outside my John Keegan series, yet one that oddly links back, as the main character, Darren Camponi, makes an appearance in To The Bone and joins Keegan’s ever-expanding world. And this year, I decided to do what Darren does in Time Stand Still, go back to my past and relive it. Only I can make changes that don't impact the present too much. I hope ;) It’s strange to open up something I two decades ago, seeing my own words fr...
Read more

Revisiting Soft Case: A Decade (and More) Later

Going Back to the Beginning Soft Case will always hold a special place in my mind and heart. It's my first (published) novel and I love it for all it represents, including how far I have come since. I usually do some small updates every two years to my books but Soft Case has long needed more than that. And I guess I avoided it because it was a huge endeavor. Now, it's done. It was quite an experience. When I first wrote   Soft Case , I was a first-time author with big dreams, a decent amount of self-doubt, and, let’s face it, very little leverage. My goal back then was simple: get published. It’s a goal many writers share, and one that can overshadow other creative aspirations. The publisher and editor had their ideas about what the book should be—ideas I didn’t always agree with but wasn’t equipped to challenge at the time. Let’s just say I didn’t yet have the gravitas (or courage) to tell the editor “no.” In hindsight, some of those compromises gnawed at me over the years. T...
Read more

Beating Writer's Block

  Is Writer's Block Real? There's long been a debate about writer's block. Maybe there's no scientific evidence for it but more than enough writers suffer from periods of staring at a blank screen. No one seems to know exactly what causes it because it's different for everyone. Well, maybe not no one  but there isn't much agreement either. It can go on for a few days or a few weeks, even months. Much like an athlete can hit a slump or lose their ability one day, a writer can just blank. This can come from overtaxing your mind or by not following a regular schedule. So, be mindful of those. Take breaks (writer's block rarely comes after rest) and make a sdchedule and stick to it. There are as many solutions to this as there are for hiccups. Below are some strategies that work for me. And to provide context, I've gone from struggling to finish a novel for months to writing eight books in the last twelve months. Even during that time, I battled with cogniti...
Read more