In a Dime Store Novel

67 Replies
PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Inspector Darren sighed.  Never in his life did he expect to be investigating a real “locked door” murder, as clichéd as something in a pulp mystery novel.

He turned away from the gruesome exhibit and studied the bookshelf.  Who was this woman, Ms. Peterson?

Hmm, Italian, French and English.

“Three copies of Les Mis’.  Figures.”

He reached out to take one then jumped back as a head appeared.

“Who let the cat in to destroy evidence?”

“Nobody, the cat is right, hmm….”

Inspector Darren smiled, pulled the three copies of Hugo uncovering the latch.  Just like in the cheap paperbacks.

***

word count = 100

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by  Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.  This week’s prompt is here and uses a photo by @ Dale Rogerson. If you want to join or see other stories, go to the inlinkz linkup.

67 thoughts on “In a Dime Store Novel”

    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Well, now that she has gotten her paws wet in this detective stuff, she’s going to continue and perhaps discover that clue to finally capture that great cat burger who stole the pink panther diamond again. From what I hear, the Inspector can always use a helping paw…

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      The cat is clever, but might not work as a sidekick – currently she is just trying to help bring her human’s murderer to justice. But then, if the Inspector gives her neck tickles just right,, she might help…

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      yep, and the cat is out of the bag about the secret entrance to the room.. Thanks!

      I’ve been too busy today to think about the writephoto, but hopefully I’ll come up with something later :)

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      I know, the cat did all of his hard work for him. And he didn’t even notice that it was three volumes of Les Mis, Not three copies. Not very observant… Where would he be with the cat?

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      Exactly, though in this case the cat wants the Inspector to find the person who murdered her human. Ms. Peterson did stay on the good side of the cat, so the cat is helping as best she can…

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      You do get extra points for making the titles so clear, even if the Inspector and I didn’t carefully read them all until later.. Still, they did provide much needed clues, though Omelette herself was by the far the biggest clue…

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        1. trentpmcd Post author

          I did practice discreteness and did not mention that book… though, on the other hand, it is very possible that in a real dime-store novel my inspector would have taken that book as the clue…

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            1. trentpmcd Post author

              Switching to first person (which I should have used for the entire story, damn it!), “I then noticed a book. Not a book, “The Book”. The victim, Ms. Peterson, was very predictable; I knew that she would assume that no macho man would dare touch this one. I smiled as I reached over and delicately…” OK, you can guess how a pulp-mystery inspector would have gone on from there ;)

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    1. trentpmcd Post author

      lol, no, not until now when the inspector used the magnify glass icon on the photo, I mean put his glasses on… But he did make a good deduction even with incomplete evidence ;) Thanks, Marina.

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      2. trentpmcd Post author

        Actually, there are a few bookshelves in our house with multiple copies of the same book… On the other hand, that those books are so small (in a relative manner) should have tipped me off that they weren’t all the entire thing!!

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