Guest Post by James Mullen
I’ve started to sketch out the plot for
my second book. The book is a police
procedural based in Boston, and although I visit the area frequently, I haven’t
lived there in over 20 years. Computer research and phone interviews are
invaluable, you can’t beat putting your eyes on places – even if it’s just a
validation of what’s perfectly remembered.
To be honest though, I went with the idea of visiting not the actual
places I image as crime scenes, because I know them so well, but want to
re-acquaint myself with the more peripheral areas of those scenes that could
serve as description.
my second book. The book is a police
procedural based in Boston, and although I visit the area frequently, I haven’t
lived there in over 20 years. Computer research and phone interviews are
invaluable, you can’t beat putting your eyes on places – even if it’s just a
validation of what’s perfectly remembered.
To be honest though, I went with the idea of visiting not the actual
places I image as crime scenes, because I know them so well, but want to
re-acquaint myself with the more peripheral areas of those scenes that could
serve as description.
I plan to have the opening crime scene
take place at a downtown subway stop, or as we like to say in Boston, a “T”
stop. I’ve found most subway stations
very linear and shaped like, well, the letter “T”; ascending or descending stairs that pour out
to a waiting horizontal platform in front of the rails. Pretty straight forward, pretty simple. Since I was planning a murder, I needed a
place with more complication, more corners.
I need malevolence.
take place at a downtown subway stop, or as we like to say in Boston, a “T”
stop. I’ve found most subway stations
very linear and shaped like, well, the letter “T”; ascending or descending stairs that pour out
to a waiting horizontal platform in front of the rails. Pretty straight forward, pretty simple. Since I was planning a murder, I needed a
place with more complication, more corners.
I need malevolence.
I remember a stop I used back in the
mid-70s when I commuted from the Back Bay to downtown Boston. The station always struck me as up to no
good, and on nights I worked late, felt like I was descending into a film noir
movie set. Mack the Knife or Philip
Marlowe could pop out of the shadows and stick a shiv or a gat in my back
without warning. The place defined grimy
and dark. The layout was more like the
letter “Y”, but with intricate and shadowy angles. Perfect!
mid-70s when I commuted from the Back Bay to downtown Boston. The station always struck me as up to no
good, and on nights I worked late, felt like I was descending into a film noir
movie set. Mack the Knife or Philip
Marlowe could pop out of the shadows and stick a shiv or a gat in my back
without warning. The place defined grimy
and dark. The layout was more like the
letter “Y”, but with intricate and shadowy angles. Perfect!
So I had my hopes up when I went to
re-visit the street-level environment surrounding the stop two weeks ago. I
almost didn’t enter the stop itself since I knew the details were firmly
embedded in my memory – even 40 years later.
re-visit the street-level environment surrounding the stop two weeks ago. I
almost didn’t enter the stop itself since I knew the details were firmly
embedded in my memory – even 40 years later.
Boston, back then, covered both sides of
the social contract with its ridership.
The city wanted efficient use of its system, so made the environment
extremely unpleasant; searing heat in any season; zero air exchange; squealing
breaks on subways at all times; crowd movements resembling schools of fish in a
Dixie cup; most overhead light bulbs broken – illumination being supplied by
any natural light able to crawl on its hands and knees down the stairs and make
it to the platform area on the first level.
Yes, the city made good on its promise that no matter what slings and
arrows were suffered during a given workday by its citizens, they would take
place in an environment much more pleasant than the station.
the social contract with its ridership.
The city wanted efficient use of its system, so made the environment
extremely unpleasant; searing heat in any season; zero air exchange; squealing
breaks on subways at all times; crowd movements resembling schools of fish in a
Dixie cup; most overhead light bulbs broken – illumination being supplied by
any natural light able to crawl on its hands and knees down the stairs and make
it to the platform area on the first level.
Yes, the city made good on its promise that no matter what slings and
arrows were suffered during a given workday by its citizens, they would take
place in an environment much more pleasant than the station.
But look what I walked into? As you can see from the recent photo; white
tiles on the wall! A wall, recently
cleaned! Posters, and get this, a mural
on the back wall behind the escalators.
Art appreciation! And the
lights! More than adequate ceiling
fluorescents throughout. People holding hands!
I fully expected to see folks alight from arriving subway cars singing
show tunes and then lining up for a dance routine. How could my memory do this to me? Or is it the city’s fault?
tiles on the wall! A wall, recently
cleaned! Posters, and get this, a mural
on the back wall behind the escalators.
Art appreciation! And the
lights! More than adequate ceiling
fluorescents throughout. People holding hands!
I fully expected to see folks alight from arriving subway cars singing
show tunes and then lining up for a dance routine. How could my memory do this to me? Or is it the city’s fault?
The second day I took a boat trip to
another crime scene, Spectacle Island, in Boston Harbor. Although I have never set foot on the island,
it is one of many in Boston Harbor located on a well-used flight path to and
from Logan Airport that I’ve flown numerous times. If you look out a plane’s window enough, you
get to know the landmarks and the approach well. As a precaution, I also
checked maps on the internet prior to my trip and could see that the island’s
view of the Boston skyline would be blocked by several others in the harbor;
that fact being germane to an intended plot point of my story. I give you Spectacle Island:
another crime scene, Spectacle Island, in Boston Harbor. Although I have never set foot on the island,
it is one of many in Boston Harbor located on a well-used flight path to and
from Logan Airport that I’ve flown numerous times. If you look out a plane’s window enough, you
get to know the landmarks and the approach well. As a precaution, I also
checked maps on the internet prior to my trip and could see that the island’s
view of the Boston skyline would be blocked by several others in the harbor;
that fact being germane to an intended plot point of my story. I give you Spectacle Island:
Lesser men would suffer boredom from
being right all the time. Me, I just
take it in stride.
being right all the time. Me, I just
take it in stride.
James
Mullen currently lives in North Carolina.
His first novel, Ketchum and Cobb, can be purchased on Amazon.
Mullen currently lives in North Carolina.
His first novel, Ketchum and Cobb, can be purchased on Amazon.
Website: Grumpy Gets Better (jimamullen.blogspot.com)
– things literary and not so much.
– things literary and not so much.
Also on
Facebook and Goodreads.
Facebook and Goodreads.
Elizabeth – Thanks for hosting James.
James – Thanks for sharing your memories and your trip back. I know what you mean about how places change. I had the same experience when I was working on a novel of mine that takes place in Philadelphia. I used to live there, and only thought I remembered the place well. Like you, I got some surprises when I looked again, so to speak.
Elizabeth, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. As a newbie, I may be over-thinking the accuracy thing, but I view Boston as one of my story characters,and strive to make that character true. Of course that depends on my memory, which can be dicey! When watching the TV show, Spenser, I would go crazy when a person would be strolling next to Boston City Hall, look across the street, and see Fenway Park. No way.
Margot, yup, you’re right. Did the station change? Did it actually get cleaner and brighter over the years? Or did I just “mis-remember” it to service my story?
James, I wish I had your memory! It’s a shame that Boston made your subway spot such a light, happy place, but at least you remembered how the set-up used to be. :) I respect how you’re being so careful to ensure accuracy. I did the same type thing for my Memphis books and then happily made up my settings for the other two series. Thanks for posting today!
Alex, good question. I’m going to portray the station as it exists, with one of the detectives brooding about how he thinks it has changed over the years – but like me, unsure.
I did find a neat crime scene. It’s a bench near a tunnel entrance in an unobtrusive area. The view to the bench is blocked by a descending staircase with a a solid, wrap-a-round wooden skirt.
Hi, James, Although we could use a subway here in rural MO, to help our people have access to various towns and cities, I’ve never been in one. So I think detail accuracy of setting is wonderful and would help me get a better picture.
Hi, Elizabeth.
Great Teresa, I’m certainly no expert, but will try. I think (and yes, I can go overboard on details as has been pointed out to me in comments on Ketchum and Cobb) details can add immensely to the plot. In a previous blog post, though, Elizabeth mentioned her sparse use of details, making them secondary to the plot. It is a lesson I can well learn. We writers just need to hit our own happy medium.
I don’t think I would’ve recognized the subway station. Did you still place the murder there or change to another location?
Thank you, James, for your terrific post. I guess progress gets in the way sometimes! I’m glad you found your malevolence at another location.
Thanks Jeanne. There’s always plenty to go around.