Affairs of the Heart

- from Susan

Funny, LadyKillers, that you should ask. I am beginning to address my editors’ notes for MIXED UP WITH MURDER, the third Dani O’Rourke mystery, and am coming up against the same issue I do in every book: What to do about Dani’s ex-husband?

Richard Argetter III (Dickie to his friends) has two Porsches, a house in Pacific Heights, a pied a terre in Paris, and $450 million. He pursued Dani ardently, married her happily – to the dismay of his social-climbing mother – and then betrayed her in spectacular fashion with a celebrity underwear model.

Dickie and Dani have been divorced for several years now, but Dickie wants her to forgive him and try again. Dani? Not so much. Over her dead body, in fact. The problem is Dickie has his good points, including a rather sweet, lopsided grin and the apparent devotion of a puppy dog now that it’s too late. He can still make her heart jump now and then, as he does in the second book, THE KING’S JAR, coming out in May.

In her first encounter with murder, Dani met a handsome, green-eyed homicide inspector in San Francisco. It’s not easy to date a cop who spends most of his waking hours chasing bad people, but she is trying, and there’s progress, even if it’s slow.

My readers are divided. Some say Dani should never, ever let Dickie get close to her again. In their eyes, he is a betrayer of the first rank. Others, perhaps swayed by that $450 million or by his having taken a bullet for her once before, or – okay – for that apartment in the Fifth Arrondissement in Paris, hope she’ll find it in her heart to forgive him just this once. As the creator of these characters, I’m pulled both ways by the readers, never mind Dani and Dickie’s own hearts.

So here we are in MIXED UP. Dani’s shuttling between San Francisco and a small New England town. Charlie, the handsome cop, is giving her advice on the phone, Dickie is on his way to the next town over for his prep school reunion, while onto my stage walks a muscled young patrolman with aviator shades and a toothpick in his mouth. What should a single, 30-something woman do? My editors and I aren’t quite in sync, although I’m not going to say which romantic plot point we’re discussing. I have to convince them, as beta readers, that Dani’s choices in affairs of the heart are true to her basic character and intelligence.

OFFER:  I’ll send an autographed copy of the paperback edition of MURDER IN THE ABSTRACT to be person who leaves the best reason for Dani to choose either Charlie or Dickie here or at my website (susancshea.com) by next Tuesday! Dani and I can use all the help we can get!

Comments

[Terry Shames]

Oh, Susan, this is too hard. Dickie will inevitably cheat again--or at least Dani will worry that he will. And Charlie--is a cop! He's never going to have much time for her. I'd love to say Dickie, because he's so charming. But what I think would be delicious is if Dani gave in to him--just once--for a night of passion (or an "almost" that is interrupted?). That will keep your readers enticed without having to make a choice, just yet.

[Seshu]

Dani will only marry Dickie, knowing he is a cheat, with a pre-nup that states she will get a huge pay out if he has zipper trouble and wanders.

Meanwhile, she continues to see the cop as a friend for now, telling him that she has a plan. he may not like it, but she assures him it will work. All this further complicates their romance, but he has little time, as you have said, since he is a cop. She needs lots of attention.

She and Dickie have their problems from the get go after the marriage, and what do you know -- he cheats, and with a bridesmaid of all people.

Dani now has enough money and support $$ coming in to sort herself out, and see how things go with the cop as the divorce begins to get going. Dickie has no way to break the agreement.

But to further complicate things, the divorce lawyer lost his wife to cancer three years earlier, he is older, and darned good looking.... The attorney likes Dani...

enter a third man!

[Liz]

Dani should remember not just the cheating but the disapproving mother-in-law. And, if Charlie is wrapped up in work with only a little time for Dani, isn't that better than the time Charlie will have to share between his affairs?

[Susan Shea]

Oh, this is interesting. Dickie's assets aside, so far no one's stepping up to advocate for giving him another chance. Thanks Terry, Seshu and Liz - I'm listening!

[Ann]

Sooooo why does Dani have to choose either of them? Couldn't she decide she's happy "flying solo" for now, and spend time with whoever she wants? :-)

[Susan Shea]

Ann, Good point - why choose? It's so final. If she can enjoy the flirting and resist the pressures, she's a stronger woman than I was at her age! But, then, I get to make her as strong as I want her to be. ;-)

[Mysti Berry]

Which one makes her laugh? That's the one she'll pick, sooner or later. Sex and money are great, but laughter is the glue!!!!

Of course, in this case I'm just another reader, so don't pay my opinions too much mind :)