I like to set my thrillers in the location where I’m living. I know that you can research any location in the world these days on Google. But nothing beats actually visiting and/or knowing the location where you’re setting your novel.
That’s why I set my first thriller, Scandal, in Palm Beach and my second, Delusion, on the Main Line of Philadelphia. I was living near those locations when I wrote those novels. Like James Patterson said in his MasterClass video on writing thrillers, if you visit the location in person, you get to see –and smell– details you can’t pick up on Google.
When I got the idea for Book3 I was living in Nassau County, Long Island, but by the time I started on the first draft I was living some 60 miles further East on the South Fork of Long Island. Book3 is now titled Fool Her Once and will be published by CamCat Books in Spring 2022.
Setting Thriller on North Fork
The two forks — North and South– are separated by a body of water known as Peconic Bay. You can get from one Fork to the other by boat in about 20 minutes. Not long right? But the two Forks may as well be on different planets.
Till recently, the North Fork was NOT a summer getaway location. At all. It was more a bucolic land of working farms and vineyards where you could get stuck behind a tractor on the two-lane, otherwise known as Route 25, that runs from one end to the other. And, house prices were reasonable.
The South Fork, also known as The Hamptons, has been used as a setting in numerous thrillers and mysteries. Journalist, James Brady made The Hamptons famous in the 1990s with bestsellers like Further Lane (1997) and Gin Lane (1998). More recently Cate Holahan used The Hamptons as a setting for her thriller, One Little Secret. James Patterson has set a few of his bestsellers on the South Fork.
The North Fork? Well, that hasn’t been used as a setting for quite as many novels. But bestselling author Nelson DeMille used it as a location in his 1997 bestseller Plum Island. And, he has this map (below) within the front covers of his book.
I chose to set Fool Her Once mainly on the North Fork because it’s still considered to be more secluded and remote than the South Fork/Hamptons. Also, once I moved to the South Fork, I got to know the North Fork really well because it’s where I regularly drive for fresh produce.
Bucolic Setting
The main road (the two-lane) that runs from one end to the other is dotted with farm stands which adjoin the farms from which they get their produce. For example, these are the eggs which I bought this weekend:
at this farm, Catapano Farms:
where the chickens which laid those eggs were running around, cage-free, on the side of the two-lane (below):
It’s the next best thing to raising chickens in your own backyard.
North Fork Murder
Nelson DeMille wrote this by way of introduction to the North Fork in Plum Island : “The South Fork of Long Island, which is on the other side of Peconic Bay, is the trendy Hamptons : writers, artists, actors, publishing types, and other assorted anals. Here, on the North Fork, the folks are farmers, fishermen and such.” And, then DeMille added: “And perhaps one murderer.”
And so it is with my thriller, Fool Her Once.
When the body of a young woman washes up on Robins Island (photo above) which lies in the mid-point between the North and South Forks, the cops come to talk to my main male character — who is the husband of my female protagonist, Jenna. Geographically, Robins Island is located on the North Fork off the coast of New Suffolk and is owned by a Wall Street billionaire. Aside from his home and living compound, most of the island’s 435 acres are a nature preserve.
I particularly like islands as settings because the research is so much fun. I blogged about my trip around Robins Island here.
Where Is It?
My brother, Michael, one of my ace beta readers suggested that I include a map of the locations in my thriller. So, here it is:
I think it’s a good idea! What do other readers think? Please let me know. And, let me know if you liked this blog by clicking on the Like button below.
I think maps are cool – but do present specific challenges in the ebook formatting. I love finally getting to hear some details about your book!!
Didn’t think about it so far as e-books go, Eldon. And, hopefully, not an insurmountable challenge!!!! And, yes, I’ll be getting into a few more details about my characters as I get closer to publication date. Thanks for reading
Great blog. Looking forward to learning more. It’s particularly intriguing to hear your personal connections to the locale and the story. Thanks.
I’m happy you enjoyed the blog, Nick.Promise there’ll be more about the North Fork in the coming months. Thank you for commenting.
I love seeing maps as well. Makes the setting more personal as we read.
Yes, I agree. It puts you right there in the story. Thanks for the comment, Cathy.
Joanna, Love the blog! I really do like the map. I have several friends who live on the North Fork and have recommended that they look for you book as soon as it is out.. they are very excited.
I hope your friends can stay excited until publication day! Please let them know I’ll be posting more blogs about the North Fork this summer.
I must say I don’t know of too many novels set on the North Fork. Of course, now that I’ve said this, readers will be contacting me to let me know that hundreds of novels have been set there LOL Thank you for reading, and loving the blog.