Ideas for murder mysteries by Joan Havelange

  

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Ideas for a plot can come to an author at any time. Someone’s comment at coffee can lead you down a path. Or a person on a street who is acting in a certain way. An item on the news. Or a past event recalled.

Murder Exit Stage Right is a cozy mystery that comes from my past. I acted and directed in Little Theatre. I find writing a lot like directing; only my characters always show up on time and know their lines. Although sometimes they do go off in a direction, I hadn’t planned.

Acting and directing was fun. Yes, we loved the laughter from our audience and the applause; a standing ovation was great for our egos. But the most fun happened at rehearsals and off stage.

Our little theatre group participated in drama festivals. And I have to brag. We did quite well. In Murder Exit Stage Right, I do use snippets from on-stage and off. Of course, they are exaggerated. And there was no murder. Humour and mystery is what you will get when you dive into my cozy mystery.

Please enjoy a short extract from Murder Exit Stage Right.

Chapter One

The mud-spattered sports car turned into the Community Theatre Hall parking lot. Driving past the front of the hall, the car lights momentarily lit the theatre’s large main doors. Parking the car at the side of the hall, the driver quickly killed the motor. Did anyone see the car lights? Was anyone about? The late-night visitor smirked. It was unlikely. Little prairie towns like Glenhaven Saskatchewan rolled up the sidewalks long before midnight. But one could never be too careful. The black-clad figure closed the car door, shivering in the cool night air. It was April, and although the calendar officially proclaimed, the first day of spring had arrived. Winter on the prairies didn’t give up so easily. Flashlight in hand, the prowler quietly crept up to the side of the hall, shoes crunching on the frozen gravel.

The intruder came prepared with a set of burglar tools bought off the internet but didn’t need them. It was ridiculously easy to open the old side door. The interloper chuckled; who would ever want to break into this old hall? The renovated theatre held nothing of value except for the midnight caller.

Once inside, the trespasser found the light switch and flicked the lights on. Another bonus, the theatre had no windows. The lights were startling after the darkness. The intruder waited until their eyes adjusted, looking around the old hall, marvelling at Glenhaven’s excellent job renovating the old movie theatre. The screen was long gone. But the sloped floor remained, and the ancient theatre seats looked newly upholstered. Heavy new burgundy curtains hung open, revealing the renovations had continued to the stage. New theatre footlights and the floor of the stage looked new as well. The old theatre was ready for the one-act drama festival to be held the following week. To the left of the stage was a set of stairs. The black-clad figure quickly ascended the three wooden steps that led to the stage, paused, and grinned. Glenhaven had restored the old movie theatre to its former glory, but the town must have run out of money.

Flimsy flats flanked the stage. There were two openings in the black painted wallboard, one on each side of the stage. The backdrop was a badly painted window on muslin. The stage was set for the Glenhaven Players. Stage left, a faded flowered loveseat that had seen better days. A green throw cushion hung precariously on the arm; a small oval-shaped coffee table sat in front of the settee. Stage right at the back of the stage, a brown cabinet made from chipboard, a blue and white vase crammed full of various plastic flowers set on top of the cabinet. The intruder’s eyes sparkled with amusement. What a shabby set, as shabby as the Glenhaven Players. The midnight visitor chuckled and exited stage right; it was time to leave a little surprise.