Long Beach Island in Early June

Why are readers so interested in murder? I’m not sure I could ever commit a good, premeditated murder – which is different from murder in self-defense or even murder as a crime of passion. I know I can do that. But how many women (or men) have longed to strangle or bludgeon a spouse for a huge misstep, or, if you’re anything like short-fused me, a simple, snide remark? I’ve been giving this some thought over the past two weeks and have come to the conclusion that we who love a good, premediated murder are just a little sick in the head. Okay, not really, but I do think we all wonder – could I get away with it?

I think I can.

I don’t have any specific flesh and blood victims in mind, as I think those I would enjoy seeing knocked off are not worthy of my time, they are not worth the effort, and they are definitely not worth serving the potential thirty years–to-life sentence in the slammer should I make a mistake. Not that I think I would make a mistake – but it happens often enough even with the best laid plans.

This is the premise of my work-in-progress novel, Recurring – a beautifully executed (pardon the pun) murder plan that has gone awry. It’s been painstaking setting up alibis, carefully figuring out times down to what feels like the nanosecond, and making high-tech work in such a way as to figure out who committed the murder and how it was done. I hope I’m doing a good job with it. I know if I was to commit a murder, it would be the way I would probably go.

Has anyone ever given “committing the perfect murder” any thought — whether fantasizing or just plain wishful thinking? Share those thoughts here – unless it’s the old frozen leg of lamb plan that’s been done to death!  Keep in mind that if you’re serious, and I hope to God you are not, the police (both in fiction and in real life)  do check internet sites visited by their suspects (there’s that pesky technology foiling our plans again). You don’t want your comment to be the one big mistake that puts you away!

Above is another refreshing shot of Long Beach Island. As it is going to be in the 90s tomorrow and feel like the 100s here in New Jersey, imagine your tootsies in the water the way you’re imagining your flawless homicide.

Have a great week everybody!