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The Darkest Mysteries
In Scam at Mount Diablo, you blend elements of romance, humor, and mystery into the crime thriller genre. What inspired you to take this approach and how do you balance these different elements in your writing?
As my stories are based on true events, in my experience, in real life, romance, humour ansd mystery are not mutually exclusive nor do they occur sequentailly.
In the darkest of mysteries in one’s life, sparks of humor can appear unexpectedly and at the same time, the beginnings of a love interest can appear. Anyway, my life has been like this. I didn’t have to invent it.
Jack Rhodes is a complex character with both computer and martial arts skills. How did you develop his character, and what challenges did you face in creating such a multi-faceted protagonist?
I have met people who have exceptionall computer and martial arts skils, but in focusing to develp these skills some part of them gets lost or part of them was missing or wired differently in the first place which enable these skills to develope above and beyond the norm. An example is people with autism who exhibit savant capabilities within a narrow focus.
Scam at Mount Diablo is the third book in the series. How has your writing process changed or evolved over the course of your career, and what have you learned from your previous works?
My writing regime hasn’t changed. I rise at 5 am. walk on the beach with my wife, we have breakfast together, she goes to work and I am at my desk by 6:30 am. I then write for three hours, despite what is happening in the world. I have learned that I must ensure that there is consistency in the Jack Rhodes character as well as the secondary characters who are in all the books. Someone once described Jack Rhodes as a Jame Bond Noir, which, when I read it, I realised wasn’t a bad summation.
What advice would you give to aspiring crime and mystery writers who are looking to develop well-drawn characters while also maintaining a thrilling plot full of twists and turns?
When you are next in a coffee shop, get out your notebook, choose someone in the coffee shop (don’t stare) and describe them. Not just there physical charactistics, but what they are wearing and why are they wearing those clothes and what you think is going on in their mind. Then write the most unlikely thing you think they will do. (Maybe this person will come over and smack you because you were staring). A weel later read what you wrote. Write everyday and read every day.
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Scam at Mount Diablo
Jack Rhodes is about to lend his hand in solving the case of a suspected serial killer. There are common threads that run throughout the cases, and the team that has assembled believes this is not the killer’s first round of victims. Jack is no amateur when it comes to investigations, and he soon begins asking all the right questions to get the ball rolling. As disturbing as the murders are, there exists another and, perhaps, even more, disconcerting commonality. All victims are successful women who own and operate their own companies. Jack quickly realizes that this aspect of the crimes puts Stella West, his close friend, in imminent danger.
Scam at Mount Diablo, by Mike MacKay, follows the main character Jack Rhodes as he thwarts one attack after another all while doing his part to solve a series of murders and prevent Stella West from becoming a serial killer’s next victim. Jack is adept at what he does and puts both his computer and martial arts skills to remain one step ahead of his enemies. MacKay’s novel is an enthralling crime thriller that contains elements of romance, humor, and a hefty dose of mystery.
This is the third book by MacKay I have read, and I can say beyond the shadow of a doubt that Mike MacKay is going to become a name to remember. I never throw around the word “love” loosely when it comes to writing, but I absolutely love MacKay’s work. His characters are well-drawn and pull the reader effortlessly into the story. Jack is a one-of-a-kind main character. His relationship with Stella adds a perfectly measured dose of romance to an already fascinating plot. Some crime thrillers lack character development and focus too heavily on the plot. MacKay’s work is the ideal blend of a plot full of twists and turns and a cast of stand-out characters.
I am giving Scam at Mount Diablo, by Mike MacKay, a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend MacKay’s work to any fan of crime thrillers and mysteries. MacKay’s novels offer something others seem to lack; depth of character. Readers will fall quickly into Jack’s world, become invested in his plight, and remember him long after they finish the last chapter. With no lack of action sequences, Scam at Mount Diablo is a sure-fire win for readers who want their socks knocked off from the first chapter.
Pages: 321 | ASIN: B0C3FFCL36
LITERARY TITAN 