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Sprinkling of the Absurd
Lonely When You’re Dead centers around a freelance writer sent to Quebec City to cover a poetry festival that quickly turns into a murder investigation, complete with riots, biker clubs, and drug debts. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Good question. The obvious inspiration is simply the breaking news on any given day. It seems there is no shortage of large groups of people running seriously amok at one public or not-so- public gathering or another: rock concerts, sporting events, political rallies, children’s birthday parties. I haven’t as yet heard of an authentic poetry riot, but I’m sure it’s coming down the pike, unfortunately. But the idea of a poetry riot—rather than the actuality—is kind of intriguing, if you like your plots garnished with a sprinkling of the absurd.
Quebec City feels vivid and uneasy throughout the novel. What drew you to that setting?
My wife and I lived in Boston during the 1990’s. Quebec City was a day’s drive away, and a fine place to spend a long weekend. The city is lovely, and the old town looks like a slice of Europe set down on the St Lawrence River. Charming. The question of Quebecois sovereignty was the hot issue during the years that we visited Quebec City. There was a definite tension in the air throughout Quebec province. Sovereignty was a can of worms that hadn’t been opened yet, and no one on either side of the question was sure what might pop out. So, potent times.
The humor in the novel is very dry and sideways, even during violent scenes. How important was comedy to the book?
Quite honestly, I don’t consider myself a humorist, or even a particularly humorous writer. The humor seems to seep in, no matter what I intended originally. Lonely When You’re Dead may have a bit more humor than my other novels, because of the slightly absurd nature of the premise. Also, I think the noir/hardboiled approach to the narrative lends itself well to a bit of humor. Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler are thought of as the patron saints of hardboiled mystery writing, and their work certainly displays a sense of humor mixed in with the grim mutterings and threats of bodily harm. Maybe it provides a kind of respite from the bare knuckles of the story.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I seem to be attracted to the mystery and thriller type of novel, and I’ve got a few ideas kicking around. I’m hoping to have a new book out by early next year. Best laid plans of mice and men…
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Lonely When You’re Dead
Roy Chaney’s Lonely When You’re Dead is a literary noir mystery about Claude “Murph” Murphy, a freelance writer sent to Quebec City to cover a poetry festival that turns violent almost immediately. What begins as a strange assignment about poets Ian MacGregor and Georges Zazou turns into a murder investigation tangled with riots, biker clubs, drug debts, political unrest, and the uneasy feeling that art can attract danger as easily as admiration.
What I enjoyed most is how confidently strange the book is. A poetry festival turning into something like a street war sounds absurd, and it is, but Chaney plays it with a straight enough face that the absurdity becomes part of the menace. The writing has a gritty, sideways humor to it. Murph is not a slick detective. He is tired, underpaid, curious, and often in over his head, which makes him easy to follow through all the chaos. I liked that. He feels like someone trying to take notes while the room is on fire.
Chaney also makes some bold choices with the tone. The novel moves between deadpan comedy, noir violence, and oddly tender moments, especially around MacGregor, his mother, and the lingering question of what poetry means to people who either worship it, exploit it, or fear it. The story has a lot of names, factions, and backstory pushing into the frame. But that messiness also suits the book. It feels like Murph is chasing a story that keeps changing shape in his hands. The genre may be crime mystery, but the book is also a satire of literary culture, fandom, politics, and the way people turn dead artists into symbols before the body is even cold.
I recommend Lonely When You’re Dead to readers who like offbeat noir, literary mysteries, and crime stories with a crooked sense of humor. For readers who enjoy a mystery that wanders into smoky bars, busted lighthouses, bad poetry readings, and moral fog, this one has a distinct flavor. It’s weird, sharp, and surprisingly thoughtful.
Pages: 294 | ISBN : 978-1737540670
