Revisiting All in a Row: Streamlining the Chaos Without Losing the Core

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 Revisiting All in a Row: Streamlining the Chaos Without Losing the Core

Every writer knows the feeling of looking back at their earlier work and wondering, "What was I thinking?" Not in the sense of regretting the story itself—no, I’m still immensely proud of All in a Row, the first sequel to Soft Case. But the more you write, the more you evolve as a storyteller. And as I’ve matured, I’ve realized that the original version of All in a Row had a bit more Keegan-esque rambling than it probably needed. I needed to also consider phrasing and terminology that speak better to the genre and a modern audience at the same time.

So, when the opportunity came to revisit this book—while working on its narrative tie-in to Never Look Back and fleshing out the retro series—it felt like the right time to streamline the prose and tighten up the pacing. The result? A sharper, faster-paced novel that stays true to the heart of the story while being better tuned for today’s readers.

Cutting Keegan’s Rambling (But Not His Soul)

John Keegan has a very distinct voice: introspective, sarcastic, and prone to overanalyzing everything from the meaning of justice to the temperature of his coffee. It’s part of what makes him so relatable and real. But here’s the thing—what works as a personality trait in your mind’s eye doesn’t always work when you’re turning pages. Looking back at the original All in a Row, I realized that while Keegan’s voice carried the story, there were places where it dragged it too. I fought with myself over how to do it but I think I found a happy medium. 

Editing meant knowing when to let him linger (because his moments of self-awareness are part of what makes him such a compelling character) and when to pull him back. Less rambling doesn’t mean less Keegan. It means a more focused Keegan, one whose wit and introspection hit harder because they’re no longer buried under an avalanche of tangents.

One thing I kept an eye out for was overreaction. Sure, Keegan in his youth was rough around the edges and has since matured. I never thought the way he does (even though I created him) and I need to keep that distance between us. I wanted to cut a lot of things that might be deemed a little insensitive now but I had to fight that urge. He was who he was. Some mild rephrasing satisfied my gut reactions while still staying true to the character. He's flawed, opinionated, and often borders on offensive. Believe it or not, readers like him that way.

Weaving the Threads of the Universe

When I wrote All in a Row, I didn’t yet know where the series would take me—or Keegan. But with Never Look Back, a story that has him revisiting the events of this earlier case, I had the chance to better align the two narratives. It was important to me that this felt like one seamless story across two points in his life, not two disconnected moments. It did also offer some opportunities to better tie Keegan's flashback in Never Look Back to All in a Row more viscerally. That original revisit got me thinking about what worked in All in a Row and what didn't. 

Similarly, the retro series (First Cut, Second Time Around, Third and Long) gave me a deeper understanding of who Keegan was before we met him in All in a Row. I wanted to incorporate some of that insight here, planting seeds that would echo across the timeline. Longtime readers will notice subtle nods to the retro books, while new readers won’t feel like they’re missing anything. That balance was key. The series has grown exponentially over the last year and this edit needed to represent the larger universe Keegan operates within.

A Faster, More Engaging Ride

Ultimately, this new version of All in a Row isn’t just about polishing the past—it’s about respecting the reader. Today’s audiences expect stories that move, characters that breathe, and worlds that feel alive. By tightening the prose, pacing the action more deliberately, and weaving in threads that connect to the larger series, I believe I’ve crafted a story that feels fresh while staying true to what made it resonate in the first place.

For those who’ve read All in a Row before, I think you’ll find this version even more engaging. For those diving into it for the first time, welcome to John Keegan’s world—it’s a wild ride, and I can’t wait to hear what you think. It's a chore, going back and fixing things, but one I enjoy. I really think my writing improved from Soft Case to All in a Row, but not nearly as much as I thought at the time.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, Keegan’s glaring at me from across the desk. Apparently, he has some thoughts about me cutting his inner monologues.

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