Writing - Various Genres, From Technical, Cook Books to Fiction, Memoirs, Etc.

flyinglentris

flyinglentris

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Some members should know that I have been reviving my writing projects as a break to my pandemic routine rut.

I have been making fine progress on my western novel, but have just been looking over a crime novel that I had been toying with. I am having some trouble making a decision on the crime novel. It involves serial killer murders, not by a single person, but by a cult of several people with a very special twist involved. What I can't decide is how the murders are committed so that there is a clear connected modus operandi between all of them. The idea would be to create some confusion among the crime stopper law enforcement types whether they are dealing with copy-cat killings, but hey, the answer is clear, The way the victims are killed is unique enough and unpublished that they can't be copy-cat. So, the crime solvers are dealing with a single killer in their minds - except ...

Digging for a unique solution to this modus operandi issue, let me query members how they would have a serial killer cult execute the killings, not why, when or where, but just how. How can the killings be unique, but always a repetition of a similar method, but by multiple persons, part of the cult?

How would you imagine? Take a stab at being an inverse detective.
 
Not sure the psychology around serial killers would go along with your basic concept and having multiple serial killers with enough similarity in their psychosis and in the same city and then get together to plan murders in a way to create uniformity all for the reason to confuse law enforcement into believing it's one person. sorry mate I can't get engaged or get my mind around that.
 
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Wouldn't it be better to just finish the other book first? One project at a time so as to avoid confusion?
 
I wouldn´t dream of offering a plot solution to someone who is writing a book - unless we were joint authors. I think that solution has to come from you, FL; after all, you´re writing the book and what you´re asking is a pretty important part of the plot!
 
They would have to share the same personal background, profession, hobbies, or experiences to derive a theme..
 
Rocklobster said:
Identical murders, at exactly the same time in different parts of the city..cool
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The book could take a theme where the audience is led to believe it's one person, then after, when the serial killer has been apprehended more identical murders take place leading to the conclusion of a copy cat but there's just too many facts that are not known to make this logic stick with your main detective eventually uncovering the assailant has a twin. And so on.
 
garlichead said:
Not sure the psychology around serial killers would go along with your basic concept and having multiple serial killers with enough similarity in their psychosis and in the same city and then get together to plan murders in a way to create uniformity all for the reason to confuse law enforcement into believing it's one person. sorry mate I can't get engaged or get my mind around that.
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Murders will take place in multiple places, across state lines and are not gender or age specific. They do not set out to mask themselves as a single serial killer. They are just out to kill and will use a common method, sort of like the thuggee did. Their motives will not be revealed in this thread.

<edited> Commonality might be by leaving a sign and not by the method used, which could vary. The investigators of the crime will obviously be FBI with the crimes occurring in a wide multi-state region. It is what they find that leads the story on toward its turning point and climax, the discovery of the cult and its hierarchy and leadership, the surprise ending.
 
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I was hoping to be given some sort of tickle on how to set up the pattern of murders in this crime book and in a way, I got that. I have reasoned that whenever you have more than a few people involved, even just two, there will inevitably be variances in thinking and actions. So having a common emblem involved seems to be the ticket. The methodology will inevitably vary from cult member to cult member. The emblem will always remain the same, unless, an idiot cult member neglects to leave the cult's signature emblem at the site of the crime.

Thanks.
 
First of all how do you address a group of mentally deranged murders who act on mostly hallucinations, psychosis generated by events that happened mostly in their childhood and kill on impulse to act like the league of extraordinary gentleman. Just curious, you know help us help you.
 
garlichead said:
First of all how do you address a group of mentally deranged murders who act on mostly hallucinations, psychosis generated by events that happened mostly in their childhood and kill on impulse to act like the league of extraordinary gentleman. Just curious, you know help us help you.
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Cults (perhaps in particular religious cults) and propaganda can make people do extreme and violent things and these things aren't necessarily to do with their childhood. To take an extreme example, the Islamic radicalisation of Western individuals which have resulted in brutal murders.

Reference also the Jonestown massacre, which although very different, involved hundreds of people, many from educated backgrounds who took their own lives.

At the end of the day, many murder mysteries are totally preposterous. I'm reading one (a best seller) which involves far to many co-incidences to be feasible. Its escapism for the reader and some authors pay more attention to 'reality' than others.
 
garlichead said:
First of all how do you address a group of mentally deranged murders who act on mostly hallucinations, psychosis generated by events that happened mostly in their childhood and kill on impulse to act like the league of extraordinary gentleman. Just curious, you know help us help you.
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The murderers do not have to be mentally deranged. Instead, they are manipulated to participate in something they view as necessary or fitting their value systems. Morning Glory mentions such cases in the previous post. This then, is the essence of a cult. Think about Charles Manson and how he manipulated several people to commit murders. Even in the case of wars, manipulation is an active ingredient. So OK, this touches upon the surprise ending to this novel, - how were the cult members drawn into the cult and how were they induced to commit murders? When money, revenge, sexual gratification, psychological issues and social tensions are not issues, what might induce membership in the cult and participation in its foul objectives? Who ultimately, is behind the cult and sponsors the manipulation? What is their motive?

Again, the members of the cult are not mentally deranged, do not act on hallucinations or psychotic behavior induced by childhood issues. You're far off track there. The novel will ultimately explore how people are manipulated to do things, even though they may feel strongly that they make their own decisions. This exploration is a thematic revelation to be exposed in the novel. In life, social manipulation of one sort or another happens all the time.
 
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