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And Then There Were None
The Spire follows a New York City detective who is put on a high-profile case when four people are found murdered in a luxury penthouse. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The idea stems from the classic Agatha Christie mystery, “And Then There Were None.” The key difference being the setting – not an island but instead, a luxury skyscraper. The idea of a group of strangers being murdered, one by one. However, the concept evolved to more of a howcatchem as opposed to a whodunit. As well, the novel draws from the Jeffrey Epstein case, and is an integral plot element.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
I like to apply rules to my characters. In this instance, Mike Vogel wasn’t going to use his gun. This directly contradicts the classic American detective story, in which the gun is used to solve most problems. My approach with Mike is from the opposite side.
What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?
The ending. In any novel, it’s coming up with a satisfying conclusion. This book was no exception. But, with a mystery, it requires something more. The reader themselves must have an opportunity to crack the case. And they expect the detective to solve it. The reader expects the solution to be complex. Not simple. Otherwise, they are let down. Which makes that the most challenging part of the writing process. At least it was for The Spire.
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
Although The Spire is the first in the Mike Vogel series of novels, the book I’m writing now is a departure from that. It’s titled The Special. The story takes place inside a cargo plane hijacked over the Atlantic. The captain is forced to play a cat and mouse game with the thieves while attempting to take back control of her aircraft. The challenge is being able to maintain momentum for the entire novel, while keeping the setting in mostly one location. It will be available in 2025.
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To find the killer, Mike must use all of his investigative skills and grapple with his own dark secret, while searching for the purported sex tapes of the world’s most powerful men—videos worth killing for—and holding the key to the entire investigation.
Pursued by Talon—a shadowy private intelligence company—with ties to the U.S. government, and perhaps the killer too, Mike must uncover the truth about what happened that night in The Spire.
The Spire
Set against the backdrop of New York City’s contrasting landscapes, Shaun Goldsmith’s The Spire delves into the dichotomy of a metropolis that is both a tourist’s paradise and a locale with a darker, hidden side. The narrative follows veteran detective Mike Vogel as he navigates through the complexities of a double homicide in The Spire, a symbol of affluence in Midtown Manhattan. Characterized by his formidable ego, Vogel faces a convoluted case teeming with an abundance of suspects, pushing his detective skills to their limits.
Goldsmith’s writing style is notably brisk and impactful, characterized by straightforward sentences that convey a certain ‘too-cool-for-school’ attitude commonly found in notable works of the cops-and-robbers narrative. The influence of revered authors such as Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler is palpable, with Goldsmith even paying direct homage to Chandler in his writing. The protagonist, Mike Vogel, is a quintessential detective figure whose personal life is overshadowed by his dedication to solving crimes. This portrayal taps into a recurring theme in detective literature: the transformation of a detective’s persona, often towards cynicism, due to the nature of their profession. Vogel’s character may ring familiar to avid readers of the genre, yet his journey remains engaging.
The Spire excels in its gradual narrative build-up, with the plot intensifying progressively. As readers explore the upper tiers of New York’s social strata and delve into the city’s underbelly, it becomes clear that the mystery surrounding the Spire murders may not conclude with a definitive resolution. However, this aspect does not detract from the novel’s appeal. Instead, the journey alongside Mike Vogel, an intriguing and dynamic character, becomes the focal point of Goldsmith’s storytelling.
The Spire offers an immersive experience into the life and mind of a dedicated detective while painting a vivid picture of New York City’s multifaceted character. Goldsmith skillfully delivers a narrative that is as much about the intriguing protagonist as it is about the unfolding mystery, making it a captivating read for fans of the genre.
Pages: 369 | ASIN : B0CVFY99DG
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