Behind the story of The Mountain View Murder

Patrick Kelly is the award-winning author of the Joe Robbins Thriller series and the Wintergreen Mystery series. The Mountain View Murder is the second Wintergreen Mystery.

Beginnings of The Mountain View Murder

“I was inspired to write The Mountain View Murder by the gorgeous vistas of Wintergreen, a mountain resort in Virginia,” Patrick said. “I grew up in Virginia and always enjoyed visiting my grandparents’ farm near the Blue Ridge Mountains. The condo my wife and I own in Wintergreen is the exact same condo that my protagonist, Bill O’Shea, owns. In his first scene, Bill walks onto his balcony to search for interesting birds with binoculars. I have done that same thing many times. Bill spies two American Goldfinches that he gives nicknames for the crazy loops they fly as they pass back and forth in front of his balcony. I gave the birds those nicknames long before I wrote the story.”

Patrick added that he was walking in the area one day when he came across a black bear heading his way. In his haste to back up, he stumbled and fell to the ground. He used this same incident, something that is common in Wintergreen, in his writing.

Outsiders and trouble

Though he now lives in Austin, Texas, Patrick and his wife and bought a condo in Wintergreen to escape the hot summers. Patrick is just on of many who like to visit the area. And with those outsiders, there’s the potential for an us vs. them mentality. 

“My protagonist, Bill O’Shea, is not your typical hard-as-nails retired cop. He’s affable, not very tall or chiseled, and afraid of heights. But he has a strong sense of justice and takes everyone at face value. During the murder investigation, many of those in the community are quick to accuse a hiker who was camping nearby on the night of the murder. The hiker is young, irresponsible, and hasn’t bathed in a week. Those in the community can’t believe one of their own is a murderer. Bill’s not buying the hiker theory. Yes, the hiker had the means and the opportunity, but what was his motive? No, Bill will keep digging until he finds the truth.”

An introverted people watcher

“I am an introvert but also a keen observer of people,” Patrick said. “I try to understand the emotions and motivations that drive people to act the way they do. The world is filled with nuance, and I try to incorporate nuance in my stories. I also have a keen sense of fair play and like to think that people who harm others are punished in the end. I realize the real world doesn’t always work that way, but it does in my fictional world. I’m also grateful that readers give me their time, and I try hard to pay them back with an entertaining read.”

A caldera inspires a thriller

“I once traveled with my family to Santorini on holiday. The view of the caldera from the top of the cliff in Imerovigli stunned me with its beauty. Coming up to that trip, I had in mind to write a thriller featuring an Austin-based amateur sleuth. Santorini was so beautiful that I decided to have the hero take a trip there and stumble into serious trouble with local gangsters. I took notes every day of various settings on the island and wrote a first draft of the novel upon my return to Austin. That novel—The Island Thief—is the fourth book in the Joe Robbins Series.”

Learn more about Patrick Kelly at www.patrickkellystories.com. Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.