When I first began writing The Shard of Perfection, I didn’t realize how much the process would demand from me—not just as a writer, but as a person. At its heart, this book is about Neil Ames grappling with the sharp, painful truths of his past, truths he’s avoided for years. In some ways, it mirrors the way we all navigate our own histories, clinging to the comforting illusions that keep us moving forward, even as they slowly cut us apart.
Neil, as a character, has always been someone who carries his scars just beneath the surface. He’s endured a lifetime of betrayal and loss—most acutely in the brutal murder of his fiancée, Emily Granger. That event set the foundation for the Neil Ames, PI Mystery Series, and every book since has been a layer of his quest for both answers and redemption.
But The Shard of Perfection is different. This story isn’t just about solving another case—it’s about Neil finally confronting the lies he’s built his life around.
The Shard as a Metaphor
The concept of shards—of brokenness, of something sharp yet beautiful—runs through every layer of this book. For Neil, these shards represent the fragments of Emily’s memory that he’s been holding onto for years, refusing to let go. But what happens when the thing you’ve idealized turns out to be something else entirely?
As I write, I found myself exploring this theme in unexpected ways. Emily, who has always existed in Neil’s mind as a symbol of innocence and perfection, begins to crack under the weight of the truth. The closer Neil gets to understanding what happened to her—and who she truly was—the more he realizes that perfection isn’t real. It’s an illusion, often constructed from shards of truth and pain.
For me, this is a deeply personal journey. As an author, I’ve always been drawn to flawed characters and complex stories, but this time, it feels like I am holding up a mirror to my own perceptions of love, loss, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.
Crafting the Global Mystery
One of the joys of writing The Shard of Perfection is weaving together a mystery that spans continents. From the vibrant streets of Singapore to the stark beauty of Kazakhstan, the story unfolds in settings that are both breathtaking and dangerous.
Each location brings its own challenges—and its own revelations. The idea of the New Silk Road became a key element early on, not just as a physical journey but as a metaphorical one. It represents the tangled connections of global trade, crime, and power that Neil must navigate. At the same time, it reflects his personal journey: the winding, unpredictable path toward understanding the truth.
The action sequences in Kazakhstan, particularly the catastrophic crash, were some of the most difficult scenes to write. I wanted readers to feel the chaos and danger as Neil and his partner, Octavia Clarke, face forces far larger than themselves. But more than that, I wanted to capture the emotional stakes—how every lead they lose, every failure they encounter, cuts deeper into Neil’s psyche.
Octavia Clarke: A Reflection of Strength
Writing Octavia Clarke is always a highlight for me. She’s a fierce, intelligent character who serves as Neil’s grounding force, even as she battles her own demons. In The Shard of Perfection, Octavia is recovering from a near-fatal encounter during their last investigation. Her physical and emotional scars mirror Neil’s, and together, they form a partnership built on mutual trust and resilience.
In this story, Octavia isn’t just a sidekick—she’s an equal. Her strength, her sharp instincts, and her ability to call Neil out when he’s blinded by emotion make her indispensable. I think readers will see how much she contributes to Neil’s growth, even as she struggles to define her own role in the dangerous world they navigate.
The Emotional Core
At its core, The Shard of Perfection is a story about confronting the past—about peeling back the layers of pain and lies to uncover the truth, no matter how sharp or jagged it may be. For Neil, this means facing not just the reality of Emily’s life and death, but also the ways he’s allowed those memories to shape him.
Writing this story is a reminder that perfection doesn’t exist. We are all made of fragments—some sharp, some smooth, but all essential to who we are. And sometimes, it’s the jagged edges that teach us the most.