Murder can happen anywhere, even in a quiet rural community, and the police can be counted on to get to the bottom of it.
Only sometimes, even an idyllic little town can have a dark underbelly, and a supposedly open-and-shut case turns out to be not so simple – as readers of A Place of Secrets will discover.
This is local author Shane Peacock’s newest book, the second release in his new Northern Gothic Mystery series, following up on last year’s As We Forgive Others.
As the second book in the series, readers will note the continuity from the first book as local police officer Alice Morrow and ex-NYPD detective Hugh Mercer tackle another case.
“A lot of the same themes, traditions of Gothic literature – Southern Ontario Gothic literature – but this second book is told from the perspective of the other protagonist in the series,” Peacock said in a recent interview.
As We Forgive Others is told from the perspective of Mercer, whose disastrous career and marriage have caused him to retreat “to an unnamed northern country,” where he meets Morrow.
“They fall into that case together, and into each other’s arms.
“In the second book, from her perspective, we see him through her eyes and we see the situation through her eyes.”
Each character has his or her own secrets, as echoed in the title, “and it fits in with the whole theme of Canada being a place of secrets and, in some ways, humanity – everyone has secrets. Communities too.”
Like many small rural towns, the unnamed one in the book has a goodly contingent of senior citizens. The focus on this group was a risk, Peacock admitted, as one might think no one would be interested in reading about old people.
“But you present them in just the right way, as real people, kind of scary people as well – they’re just as scary as younger people. They’re scary the way human beings can be scary. There’s no reason you can’t write a story with a lot of elderly people and make it compelling and intense,” he said.
Peacock chose the occasion of this interview to announce, for the first time, that there will be a third book in the series.
“I have just signed a contract. The story will continue,” he said.
For the third book, he will return to Hugh Marlowe’s perspective, though he is pleased with having tackled the challenge of being a male author writing from a woman’s point of view in A Place Of Secrets. It was his first attempt to do so.
“I think this is my 24th book, and I’ve always believed I should stay in my lane and write what I know. But if you are a man writing female characters, and if you are a female writing male characters, you inevitably have to do that.”
Though Alice’s story is not told in first-person, but he feels the third-person perspective got her point of view across. And as a man with a wife and two daughters, he figured he had a pretty good background to draw from.
There has already been a successful launch of A Place of Secrets earlier this month at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge and, though the official launch date is Sept. 27, it’s widely available now.
Reader’s Nook is featuring a book launch Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., at the Prep Food Co. (7 King St. W., Cobourg), featuring the author in conversation with Ted Staunton. There will be readings from the book and, of course, drinks and food will be available from the menu.
Staunton will be the musical accompaniment to Peacock’s daughter Hadley.
“She will sing two or three songs from the book,” he said, referring to Alice’s musical tastes.
“One way to describe the books is, they are atmospheric. And songs play a role in the books,” Peacock said.
“Hopefully, her singing will provide that kind of live atmosphere.”
He invites everyone to enjoy a preview of Hadley’s work on YouTube, because he considers her quite a talent.
Last year’s launch of As We Forgive Others was also held in downtown Cobourg, at the Black Cat. They had an overflow crowd, so they had to stage two sittings – hence the move to a larger venue. And with the larger menu, it’s almost like a dinner-theatre revue with entertainment, readings and the opportunity to buy a copy of the book (or have your copy signed).
Though the event is free, organizers would appreciate an RSVP from fans at info@readersnook.ca or 289-252-2214 to make sure they get a spot.
