In the quiet aftermath of a recent string of solved cases, twenty-seven-year-old Detective Haley McHugh relaxes with pizza and her creator, the author behind the famous Nikki Jones book series. Their downtime is abruptly interrupted when Haley receives a text revealing that a film adaptation of the books is officially moving forward, and the lead actor has arrived. Following a direct order from the police commissioner, they head to NYPD headquarters to offer full cooperation.

In a bustling hallway of the precinct, they meet twenty-seven-year-old Ellie Blackburn, the English actor cast to portray Haley. Poised, sharp, and charismatic, Ellie's real-life presence immediately challenges the mental image built over countless drafts and character sketches. As Ellie steps away to speak with production staff members Tony and Mike, Haley retreats with the author into a quiet, semi-deserted evidence storage room. Recognizing the sudden shift and the initial hesitation, Haley offers quiet reassurance, urging patience and expressing absolute confidence in Ellie's dedication to the role. Through a cracked door, the distant sounds of the precinct blend with Ellie's soft laughter, leaving the boundary between fiction and reality suspended in delicate, charged anticipation.

an find the complete Novelist and Detective series via the link below 🔗📚

• Novelist and Detective Series