Wilde About Oscar
(See the five discussion questions at the bottom of this narrative.)
I confess. I am an avid fangirl of a long-dead literary giant whose wit and brilliance defied the conventions of his time and speak as vividly to contemporary society as to his own. Oscar Wilde was fearless, willing to face scorn and incarceration rather than conform. Fame came to him as a playwright, essayist, novelist and poet, but he died penniless, estranged from his family and native land.
Toward the end of his life, he lived in France under the pseudonym Sebastian Melmoth. Little is known of that time in his life, and like many authors, I asked myself that eternal question: what if? Could Oscar Wilde have married again and fathered another child? Suppose a descendant of his discovered the Holy Grail—a sequel to his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray? Fortunes could be made, and literary passions ignited by such a find. The frenzied quest for the manuscript might even spark a murder or two.
My novel Murder at The Falls is both an homage to the great man and a portrait of his putative grandchild, a spunky octogenarian named Magdalen Melmoth. Forget all your stereotypes about harmless old ladies. Magdalen is quite fearless and frankly, a tad ruthless, determined to claim her family’s legacy at any cost.
Enter Persephone Morgan, leather smith and animal lover extraordinaire. She brings her therapy dogs to The Falls, expecting to spread canine cheer and goodwill to the residents. Nothing too stressful. Little does she know what danger awaits her among the smiling faces and plush surroundings. Perri soon learns the accuracy of that old saw: no good deed goes unpunished. Before long Magdalen entangles Perri and journalist Wing Pruett in a perilous quest to find and publish what she claims is her grandfather’s greatest work—the manuscript Sybil Vane.
Soon a brutal murderer stalks the hallways of The Falls, leaving two victims behind. To save Magdalen, Wing and Perri must decipher the clues and determine if she is a potential victim or a callous killer.
In The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Oscar Wilde famously observed that each man kills the thing he loves. Some use a bitter look or flattering word. Cowards betray with a kiss, but the brave man kills with a sword. Murder at the Falls explores each of these paths and the motivation that leads a clever criminal to take a life.
From Kensington (Lyrical),
Murder at the Falls by Arlene Kay—a cozy mystery with a literary touch
Murder At the Falls by Arlene Kay
Released Date: July 14, 2020
5 Questions
Leathersmith Perri Morgan brings her therapy dogs to an upscale assisted living spot called The Falls. To her chagrin, she finds that instead of mixing with a congenial group of elders, she is once again confronting danger and murder. Magdalen Melmoth, a spunky octogenarian, claims to be the grand-daughter of the famous Oscar Wilde. She also contends that an undiscovered manuscript exists, the sequel to Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Perri and hotshot DC journalist Wing Pruett pledge to help Magdalen claim her family’s legacy. When a nurse is murdered with poisoned chocolates meant for Magdalen, the noose tightens. The sleuths match wits with a clever killer who just might be Magdalen herself.
A cozy mystery with a literary twist.
Exploring the “what if” component of Wilde’s life and speculating about what might have been.
Magdalen Melmoth—Such fun writing a spunky, intelligent lady who defies all stereotypes of old age. Mags is computer literate, tough as nails, and determined to achieve her goals at all costs.
Wilde did flee to France after his incarceration, and adopt the name Sebastian Melmoth. Maybe Magdalen is on the right track.