Black Butterfly, or Red Admiral

One day my daughter and I were sitting on the patio talking, and of all things a black butterfly flew into the yard and buzzed me. I’ve never seen a black butterfly before and didn’t even know they existed. This beautiful insect hung around for about half an hour, maybe more. He landed on my shed and practically posed for photos. I obliged him.

Of course, I researched it. It’s called a Red Admiral, and although it’s black, there’s some color on its wings.

I couldn’t get this bug off my mind. Who’d have thought a black butterfly could inspire a mystery. Well, it did, and of all things the story is more about the mob back in the 1950s than the butterfly. In the story, the black butterfly isn’t a what, but a who.

Of course, the butterfly begged to see itself on a book cover, so I obliged. I tried putting other elements from the story on the cover with the insect, but it just didn’t work. There’s a yellow dress in the story and I tried adding that. Nope, it didn’t work. I even tried putting a violin case containing a gun and ammo on the cover, but that didn’t work either. It was a lone butterfly or nothing. I have to admit that half the fun of a book is creating the cover, especially when I can use my own images on it.

 So what kind of story did this little guy inspire? A book titled Black Butterfly - A Bogey Man Mystery. What else?

“Chris and Pamela Cross are in the thick of things, once again, when an elderly neighbor asks for their help. The Black Butterfly has been accused of deadly crimes and her past is catching up to her.

The body of a gangster who’s been missing for over sixty years is found buried under a casino floor in Las Vegas. Once again, the Black Butterfly is accused of murder, which brings the thug’s family to California to find answers.

 Enter Chris’s mother and the Church Ladies. Have they lost their minds? Why on earth would they try to protect a woman thought to be a Hit Lady in the 1950s?

The Crosses are about to find answers that might have been better left buried in time.”

I said sometime back that I was never going to write anymore Bogey Man Mysteries, but this theme seemed to fit the Bogey characters best. I guess the lesson learned is never say never.

Now I’ll take a break from writing and turn my attention to a neglected home. It’s also begging for attention. Then it’s on to another Sandi Webster mystery.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading about the Black Butterfly and the thugs who tried to frame her.

Until next time, have a great week and don’t forget to support your local authors.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website (in dire need of updating)

CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

I almost forgot. Old Murders Never Die – A Sandi Webster Mystery, will be free on Amazon on Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1 (not an April Fool’s joke). If the idea of a ghost town intrigues you, this is the book for you. Imagine being stranded in a ghost town with a history. (CLICK HERE to view the book trailer.)