A news story on the BBC this morning set my crime-writing mind fizzing. What does it do for you?
A man’s decomposing body has been found in the chimney of a solicitors’ office in Derby. He’s thought to have been a burglar… (read the story here) Obviously my sympathies go to those involved, but another part of my mind is off and running with the fictional possibilities…
Now… move your imagination away from fact and into the land of fiction.
What if… he wasn’t a burglar? What was he doing?
Who’s waiting for him?
What happened because he didn’t turn up at the agreed time?
What was he after?
Was it an accident? How did he die?
Did anyone working in the office know about him?
What next?
Related articles
- Decomposing body of suspected burglar found stuck in chimney (mirror.co.uk)
- Smell alerts staff to body of a ‘burglar’ in chimney (itv.com)
- ‘Burglar’ wedged in chimney (theage.com.au)
- Man’s body found stuck in chimney of Derby Grade II listed building (telegraph.co.uk)
Freemagination 
I used a similar premise for “Buying Murder”, the third book in my Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries series, only the body was in a wall. One person gave me a low-star review on Amazon because she thought the idea was ridiculous. As a twenty-five year real estate agent, I’ve seen bodies turn up in odd places in properties more than once.
LikeLike
In England lots of people ended up the wrong side of a brick wall – truth is always stranger than fiction… And it seems that bodies in chimneys are relatively common. It does make you wonder!
LikeLike