The Perfect Crime

My husband and I took a trip over the Labor Day weekend in order to plan the perfect crime, or maybe the not-so-perfect. crime.  Together, we traveled 250 miles west to Cahokia Mounds where some of the major action in Maiden Murders will go down.  The criminal activity we planned is fictitious, but it will take place in an actual location. Contemporary and historical crimes will coalesce at the climax of the novel. I want the descriptions to be as accurate as possible.

We hiked to the top of a hill where we could see the surrounding countryside and buildings in the area. Coming up with an idea to begin the sequence of events was an intimidating task. Not only do I have to plan the action, but the aftermath created by the action.  Scenes played backward  and forward in my imagination. I talked though some of the major events and their consequences with my husband, who added his thoughts. For a someone who isn’t a writer, he has some great ideas! We hiked up and down the area, studying it from all angles, and found some smaller outbuildings and other structures that could be important as the story takes shape.  After a lot of walking and talking, I now have a plan in mind for the conclusion to the mystery. It will be an exciting ending. Now I just need to write it!