Formula-based thrillers start with a body and unwind to the culprit, often with more bodies thrown in. I general, I am against generalisations, but there needs to be some alarming event in the opening chapter of a thriller – dark clouds or, at least, a downpour. It’s more traumatic to be confronting a soaked victim (with a knife or bullet wound) at your front door than looking out the window and exclaiming, “Oh, it’s pouring outside.” As one writer advised, “Think of the high point of action and start your novel there.” That will get the reader’s attention. However, I prefer a mix – a gathering storm PLUS a dramatic event. When writing MUTINY I did not originally intend to have anyone murdered in the first chapter, but…(you will need to find out for yourself – free kindle offer finishes in three days). Meanwhile, stay indoors and enjoy the dark clouds gathering on the opening pages of MUTINY – they may well be followed by a downpour!
I was pleased with myself. Chapter One for my new novel read perfectly; at least I thought so. But I needed an independent critic – someone I trusted to be honest, even brutally honest, and give constructive feedback. Aha! I had the perfect person – my wife! She endured endless revisions of my first thriller and was keen to read my second. I was anticipating a great response to Chapter One. “Did you like it?” I asked. The reply was not what I expected.