It Could Have Been Murder centers around three friends who begin a murder adventure business, Diamond Teams, a company helping teams or individuals plan out all aspects of a murder: selecting a target, every detail and contingency—all without actually murdering anyone–followed by a granular debrief with the client. Every client goes through an extensive vetting process to ensure Diamond Teams doesn’t assist someone in actually murdering a target. After 20 years, though, one client slips through. His project is terminated, and he now wants revenge. Diamond Teams must come up with a plan to deal with the ex-client, but his strategy is different than anyone had thought. Diamond Teams must outthink and outplay the former client before he irrevocably harms them all.
I’m E.D. Rich, born and raised in Indiana, where I pursued my education with a Bachelor’s in English Composition and French from DePauw University, followed by a Master’s in Health Administration from Indiana University. My career has been centered in the healthcare space – mainly revenue cycle management, operations, and compliance. I’m a wife, mother to a college senior, and dog mom to two Standard Poodles. Knitting is my therapy, and teaching piano lessons is something I treasure because music is a gift to be shared.
The inspiration for “It Could Have Been Murder” came from a TED Talk, a conversation with my son and one of his friends, and a lovely afternoon walk with my sister. How does one pull off the perfect crime, and what trips up even the most careful criminals?
As far as my writing process goes, I think it starts with diving in. Just start. Write for a while (I try to shoot for 1,000 words when I get into writing mode), and if nothing happens, walk away for a bit, talk to friends and family, have some cocktails, ask yourself ‘what if,’ peel the onion. If your idea doesn’t sprout legs, go in a completely opposite direction. Take your characters on an entirely different journey and see what happens because there are no wrong answers. See what works and what doesn’t work, and sometimes by turning on its head this thing that doesn’t work—you might find something amazing buried there.
The first draft of my book took four and a half months to complete, and, for me, it was fun ride. My goals for the book are that you’ll enjoy the characters, content, and adventure.
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