No One Noticed
by Kay Nimitz Smith
Book 2 in the Jack Diamond Mystery Series
now available on Amazon!!
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| Book 2 |
Back cover summary:
Marjorie Goverman was a devoted wife, loving mother, and dependable full-time employee. She disappeared for six weeks, and no one noticed.
At the urging of his beloved grandmother, Detective Jack Diamond brings this missing person’s case to his colleagues at the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, hoping that solving the case will help ease his way back to work after his near death experience. As Jack wrestles with his own personal issues, he and his colleagues peer into the bizarre and seedy underbelly of new-age prenatal care, racing to figure out where Marjorie went, why she disappeared, and why no one noticed when she did.
I have had several people ask questions, and others requesting more juicy details about my book, other than where to buy it (click here, or click the links below). So here you go:
1. Can you read No One Noticed without having read the first book in the series?
First of all, No One Noticed is book number 2 in the Jack Diamond Mystery series. Yes, you can read the book as a stand alone novel, without having read the first book (Diamonds for Diamond). It holds up quite well all on its own. However, in my personal opinion, if you're going to start reading a book series, why not start with the first book and then move on to book number 2?
2. Is this book based upon a real story?
Well, yes, and no. Once upon a time in a land far, far away, I heard a story about a missing person whom the police suspected had died. The story was fascinating and resulted in a non-body conviction. (A person was convicted of her death, even though her body was never found.) But after discovering many details of this case, I found myself uninterested in the person who died, and frankly, I had no sympathy for her. As a writer, I found several challenges with writing about that case. First of all, I try never to write about real cases -- other than to get a hint or an inspiration from a case -- so that I do not step upon the toes of the dead. Or the living. I have a rather vivid imagination and I like to embellish upon stories, molding them and changing them to suit my own personal needs. Secondly, I didn't think anyone would really care to read about someone who may or may not have died who may or may not have been a likable person. I wanted my victim to be well-loved, to be an important and significant person at home and at work, so that when she disappeared, her absence would most definitely be felt, be important, be significant. I felt that a more likable character would create more of an interest when the reader found out she disappeared for six weeks before anyone noticed.
3. Will there be a book 3 in the series?
Absolutely. Book number 3 will also be inspired by a real case, but will be completely fictionalized so that I can embellish upon the story, use my own imagination, twist the plot lines to suit my needs, and so forth. I wrote more about book number three at the end of book number two, so that's just one more reason why you should go and buy No One Noticed.
FURTHERMORE, I am seriously contemplating writing a book that will go between book 2 and 3. Book 2.5 if you will. In this in-between book, I am contemplating writing a romance book that features Jack Diamond and Claire Wilcox, the love of his life. I had several thoughts behind this idea. One, many people have told me how much they love Jack and Claire, and they want to see more of them, and more of the romance. Two, I love romance stories. Three, I struggle to write too much romance in the middle of a murder mystery. Some romance, sure. Some hints here and there about sexual tension seems fine. But to me, it would be almost a bit too distracting to have the romance and sexy bits in the background of the murder investigation story line.
I also am madly in love with the idea of writing more stories that move the character plots along. Character development is one of my favorite aspects to writing my novels and reading other people's novels. I have always loved reading book series where the same characters appear in book after book after book, learning and growing and being. I fall in love with characters and want to know more and more about them.
I am also fiercely determined to have all of my books have a character connection between them. For example, I have a rough plot outlined for the story of Monday's mother. I have a fairly significant plot planned out for a two-book romance series that includes both Monday's mother and someone from the book about Matt's life (Charlie's roommate). I have written an entire draft of a book (which needs to be heavily re-written) which explains Matt's background. And so on, and so forth.
4. You're a female writer, why do you have a male detective as your main character?
Good question. Before I began writing Jack Diamond's story, I had always planned to write a male main character. I guess it never occurred to me to write a female main character. In No One Noticed, I do introduce Andi Overton, a female detective who is currently in charge of the Special Investigations Unit, specializing in domestic violence cases and cases involving child abuse. Andi, the character, is based upon the real - life Andi Overton whom I met at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in San Diego in 2016. She's delightful and amazing, and is currently running for mayor in the town of Hagerstown, Maryland. Go Andi!! It is my intent to have Andi (the character in my book) have a larger and more significant role in the Jack Diamond Mystery series as the books continue.
In the very first manuscript I wrote, I had two main characters, one male, one female. It was so much easier for me to write the male main character. Perhaps it's easier for me to write males because I watch them every day and interact with them every day. Self-introspection as writing inspiration seems odd to me. Most of the detectives and peace officers that I know are male. My one friend who is a female officer reminds me a great deal of Claire. She's stunningly gorgeous, fiercely independent, unbelievably intelligent, an incredible athlete, and truly a lovely human being. She's an amazing cop, and almost too good to be true. I made Claire into a plastic surgeon who dedicated her life to fixing children who were born with birth defects. Seems fitting to me.
If all y'all have more questions, please don't hesitate to post them. I'll answer them along the way!
Meanwhile, please go and buy my book.
And then leave lots of great feedback!!
Here is a closer look at the entire book cover for book 2,
for those of you who are interested:
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Buy my books!
Diamonds for Diamond (Book 1 in the Jack Diamond Mystery series)
and
No One Noticed
(Book 2 in the Jack Diamond Mystery Series)
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