What JR, Alexis, and Domingue Taught this Mystery Writer
One of the best compliments I’ve received from readers about the Lady Mystery series is that each mystery unfolds like an episode of television. The vivid nature of the storytelling, the feeling that you’re in the room watching the events happen, is high praise for a kid who spent her youth as a TV junky.
Yes, I must confess.
I was an addict. As much as I’d love to say that my inspiration was birthed from the high-quality ITV/PBS broadcasts like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, I can’t.
The show was great, but I fancied others more; the more soapy or dramatic, the better. I confess Dallas and Dynasty cemented my love for intrigue.
Vanessa, did I read this right? Dallas, the show famous for JR’s light grey Stetson hat, Bobby Ewing’s Lucchese riding boot, Domingue Devereaux’s Michelle Mason blue satin dress, or even Nolan Miller’s red velvet gown fitted for Alexis Carrington Colby—those glamours American programs influenced your need for gritty, witty mysteries?
Yes, I say meekly, then proclaim loudly with a grin. I contend that these shows possess the ingredients every great mystery, particularly a murder mystery, needs to be indelible and hook a reader like a catnip. Doubt this? Remember when eighty-three million watched the greatest soapy mystery ever aired, “Who Shot JR?” Consider the big reveals in the equivalent in Korean Dramas: Vincenzo, My Name, or Squid Game for those too young to remember.
Why Dallas and Dynasty?
These two shows delivered three irresistible axes: power, manipulation, and secrets. Heroes and villains must plod along these coordinates to capitalize on intrigue and make the most of each flawed character.
The Axis of Power
Of all the many characters in Dallas and Dynasty, John Ross (JR) Ewing embodied power the most. JR is driven and will use his money and influence to get what he wants. This archetype loves using money and threats to make politicians look the other way or to buy a vote.
Lady Worthing respects the power that the magistrate, Lord Duncan, wields. He can allow her to investigate or force her away. Duncan could restrict her access to crime scenes and the clues his runners have discovered. Lady Worthing’s godfather, Neil Vaughn, is powerful, too. As the rumored man who does the Prince of Wales’s bidding, Vaughn’s influence stretches across London, particularly in the shadows of criminally plagued Seven Dials and every gaming table where cards and cads gather.
Power makes everyone, including an amateur sleuth like Lady Worthing, think twice about making accusations. Yet, wielding power is a two-edged sword. It can determine more than who wins or fails. It may shift a person, like JR, from a villain to a layered hero.
JR as Villain and Hero
Did JR Ewing deserve to be shot? If you view him as a villain, you can see the punishment is fitting for a man destroying careers, reputations, and companies. Yet, if you see him as a man willing to fight for his beliefs and do anything for the people he loves, you might see his point of view that he’s driven to protect his way of life. Then, you’d be counted among the fans who were glad JR survived and continued to use his power like a velvet boxing glove, still learning how much strength to exude. Lady Worthing is young and beginning to trust her instincts. How she develops her power will become more complex and entangling as the series progresses.
Manipulation
Manipulation moves people and positions. It can also twist circumstances without being overtly threatening. Alexis Carrington Colby used her soft voice to get what she wanted. She persuaded people to cover up facts she needed to be hidden. Historically, laws, customs, or social expectations have often disadvantaged women. Alexis uses these imbalances to her advantage, getting her way by exposing scandals or threatening to go to the papers. Lady Worthing, Abigail Carrington Monroe, knows her position in society as a woman of color married to an absent wealthy peer is precarious. Someone will always look for her to misstep, proving she doesn’t belong in high society. While dealing with this pressure, Abigail understands that others are also wary of being dragged into scandal. She doesn’t mind helping men realize how damaging it would be to their reputations if word made it to the scandal papers implicating them in murder. Her voice is soft, but she will speak truth to power and do everything to elicit a confession.
Alexis as Vixen and Heretic
Alexis Carrington Colby is a vivacious creature. She’s willing to use her charms to get what she wants. Alexis believes in her mission. In a youth-driven culture, she goes against the grain, being sexy and desirable to exact revenge on those who’ve come against her or threatened to destroy her world. Her value system is selfish and vane but held as dear to her as a religion. She’s her own faith, the glory of Alexis. She’s a temple with a congregation of one.
I craft Abigail with the same blind passion for abolition. Her zeal has put her at risk, threatening her safety and reputation, but she’ll coerce others to join her fight. Moreover, every villain must have a dire sense of self-preservation. I want my readers to know that each murderer belongs to the same religion of one. They will burn down the whole world to save themselves or the person they love.
Secrets
Secrets are the silent engine driving the world. When Dominique Devereaux arrived in Denver, she was determined to be named a Carrington. She brought as many secrets as she did luggage. The dazzling woman, who’d found fame and fortune in entertainment, was the unknown half-sister to the wealthy Blake Carrington. The mystery of her birth gave her an advantage over her peers, allowing her to size them up before revealing the news. Abbigail’s unknown powers of detection, even her sixth sense of danger, often enable her to asses others. She appears non-threatening. The hubris of the guilty often discount her to their doom.
Even though the murders in the Lady Worthing series harbor secrets, so does Abigail. She’s often mum about her husband, friends, and family. She does possess knowledge, even hidden memories that, once unleashed, will devastate those she cares for the most. How I decide to expose these secrets will help complicate investigations and add barriers to Abigail’s quest for the truth.
Dominique as Valor and Humanity
It’s very brave or vainglorious to think that the stranger Domingue Deveraux can challenge the highest levels of Denver society and survive. Before coming to town, she had a comfortable life with a daughter safely ensconced in school, away from scandal. Yet Domingue risks collateral damage and reveals her secret identity. She’s fearless yet very human, wanting to be included and loved by the Carrington family that has rejected her.
A sleuth, even a young woman in 1806 with lots to lose, has to be created to be braver than the rest. Abigail believes wholly in her convictions, which are worth jeopardizing everything, even risking death. Other titled ladies could be content in their parlors entertaining or enjoying box seats in Drury Lane. Instead, Abigail risks her life and good name to expose a killer.
Nonetheless, her bravery doesn’t make her any less vulnerable. I hope it exposes how human she is. Abigail is not all-knowing. Every risk she takes exposes her true underbelly—her found family, the people who stand by her as she makes her own decisions and forges her unique path.
Dallas and Dynasty made me pay attention to the details that defined the characters’ arcs or offered deeper insights into who a victor, villain, or bystander was. I want people to tune in and enjoy the Lady Worthing Mystery series. There will be shocking twists. There will be drama. I hope you and eighty-three million others will come along for the ride.
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