Queen for a Day

Note: This story is available in Dark Yonder: Issue 11

“The last time a private eye solved a murder was never.” I love this quote from Ed McBain. Because of this and many other reasons, I steered away from writing PI fiction for the longest time. Then, on a whim, I binged the first seasons of Magnum P.I. and The Rockford Files, and it finally hit me how fun it can be to take a break from things like probable cause and the exclusionary rule and just let a character with minimal resources try and solve a crime.

This was the first story ever published featuring Casey Burton, my down on his luck private investigator. How is he down on his luck? Casey had all the makings of a traditional hero--the charm, the brains, the physical ability--but one bad turn sent his life into a spiral that he was never quite able to pull out of. He’s not a sad sack, though; despite it all, he never stops trying to help people.  

For me, the best part of Casey’s stories is the setting. I grew up in Virginia Beach and spent most of my formative years working in various bars and poolhalls around town. I left many, many years ago, and the Beach that I knew is long gone. But that’s the great thing about fiction; you can revisit all your old haunts. Better yet, you can share them with others. If you read any of the Casey Burton I hope you enjoy the visit to slightly seeder Virginia Beach than the tourists get to see.

Dark Yonder is a great magazine, and this particular issue is packed with other crime writers I respect and enjoy reading. Trust me, you'll love it.