Disappearing Act…

by Penelope Neri

I don’t know whether it’s the writer in me or a serious personality flaw, but when I’m reading, or watching a movie, I often find myself wondering what I would do differently in the hero or heroine’s situation.

Would I bury the body of my blackmailer under that new swimming pool, or ‘fess up?  Would I leave my bed to look for that crazed ax murderer, or grab my Uzi and get the heck out of Dodge?

In the nineties, I remember watching ‘Sleeping With the Enemy’ starring Julia Roberts, and having similar thoughts. In the movie, Julia’s character is married to a real creep.  She escapes an awful marriage by faking her own drowning. The idea intrigued me. How would I fake my own death if I wanted to disappear? Living here, in Hawaii, the answer was relatively simple.

Hawaii, my home state, has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Sparkling turquoise ocean. White sand beaches. Brilliant blossoms.  Deep valleys overgrown with jungle-like vines and creepers. But, despite its beauty, our islands’ lush foliage hides dangers, too. Sheer cliffs. Deep crevasses. Impenetrable terrain.  Add difficult weather conditions, and any one of these can cause serious injury, or death, even to experienced hikers. And, hidden by dense vegetation at the bottom of a steep cliff, even an injured hiker is unlikely to be found.

Each year, several hikers disappear in Hawaii’s valleys. Thankfully, most are recovered by our brave firefighters, but some missing persons are never found. They are missing, presumed dead. But are they really?

DOUBLE PLAY is my first contemporary romantic suspense. The story begins with—yes, you’ve guessed it!—pretty Liz Harper’s disappearance while hiking in Hawaii’s Kahana Valley State Park. Hawaii Detective Jack McQueen is not convinced. A cynical former NY cop, Jack thinks Liz’ husband, Dr. Richard Harper, murdered her.  Or maybe, like Julia Roberts’ character, she staged her own disappearance to escape him…?

While you’re reading DOUBLE PLAY, do me a favor: ask yourself how you would disappear? I’d be curious to hear your answers!

Aloha,
Penelope

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