Riel Brava returns -- to shelves and his roots by donalee Moulton

My first mystery book, Hung Out to Die, was published in 2023. It featured CEO and psychopath Riel Brava. Riel is about to make a return appearance next year. Writing the second book in the series has got me thinking about the first book. Below you’ll find some questions I’ve been asked about Riel – and my answers.

 

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The Riel Brava Mystery Series

 

What inspired the first book?

A bath. I’m a big believer in bubbles, candles, scrubs, essential oils, and music with birds chirping in the background. Friends call this bathroom time my shrine. One night immersed in a lavender cloud I realized it was time to begin writing my mystery. Get off the pot kind of thing. That led me to a litany of possible characters and crimes. Through the mist Riel emerged. Not fully formed but outlined enough that I wrote down my ideas before I even moisturized.

Describe the setting, lifestyle, ethnic and personality profile of your main character Riel Brava.

Riel, at least on the surface, is an unusual character for me. He’s male. Quintessentially male in many ways: confident, fit, good looking, charming, ambitious. He also has a distinctive personality trait; he’s a psychopath. The kind of psychopath that often succeeds in a corporate structure that calls for dispassion.

An American, Riel is currently living in Nova Scotia and working as CEO of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation. He aspires to return to the U.S. and run for president. First, he wants to hone his leadership skills and cement his business credentials.

Riel lives between worlds. His first name is Gabriel; his adoptive parents’ last name is Brava. Riel is neither French nor Latino. In that same way, Riel is a successful man in a competitive world, but it is a world he does not identify with on fundamental levels.

Define the point of view in the narrative and what or who influenced your decision to implement it.

This question reminds me that I made decisions I was not aware of making. POV was one. Perhaps it was the path of least resistance, perhaps it was that Riel emerged fairly well formed from the bathroom fog, but it never occurred to me that this book would be written in any other voice than his. That non-decision, of course, meant from a plot perspective that Riel had to be involved in the scattering and solving of clues. That was challenging at times.

Who are the core cast of returning characters in the series?

There are characters who play a central and secondary role next to Riel.

Tiffany Brava. Riel’s wife and loyal supporter. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, Tiffany knows Riel is not quite like everyone else – and she knows why. For now, that door is closed. What’s openly obvious is her affection for her husband, her loyalty, and her acumen. Don’t count Tiffany out as the dumb blonde. Oh yes, she’s vegan.

Franklin Raynes. The Halifax Police Department’s lead detective on this case is Black, characteristically Nova Scotian, and a consummate charmer. He can read the room and respond accordingly. He takes a shine to Riel and also realizes how helpful the psychopath can be in solving this case. (Yes, Lin Raynes is privy to Riel’s deepest secret, but he doesn’t admit it to his new friend – just yet.) Oh yeah, Raynes also does this thing with his left eyebrow.

Senator John Williams. Tiffany’s dad | Riel’s father-in-law is the Democratic Senator for District 19. A seasoned and senior politician, Williams is a co-owner of the Canadian Cannabis Corporation, although it’s not an asset he talks about with constituents. He’s brusque, except where his daughter is concerned, and well connected, even in Canada.

Zahra Bashir. A practising Muslim and savvy TV reporter who’s always on the lookout for the inside scoop. Bashir makes many of the other characters very nervous despite her friendly demeanor.

David Clements. The recreational cannabis sector in Canada is heavily regulated. Clements is the federal contact for Riel. Their relationship is one of power and powerful expectations. Clements holds that power. Although a minor character, Clements plays an important role. He’s the first person to use a special word.

There are two returning characters who surprised me: Tiffany and Marcia, Riel’s executive assistant. They took on lives of their own despite my preconceived notions. Another character, the victim’s son, Bran, also became much more fully formed and essential than I had originally imagined. I’m debating whether to bring him back.

Give a glimpse of the research involved in developing the story.

There were key elements to the story that had to be authentic, at least in a fictional context. I have done a lot of reporting on the cannabis industry and have had the opportunity to tour a cannabis production plant before it opened. Likewise, for years as a freelance journalist I wrote on the health sector and health issues, including mental health and personality issues. As a communications specialist, many of my clients were from this sector.

How long did Hung Out to Die take to complete from concept to final manuscript readiness for submission to literary agents and publishers?

A year. There is part of me that thinks I dicked around too much that year. There is another part that thinks that time helped to better formulate characters and plot.