The Three Wrongs

BRIEF SYNOPSIS

FICTION – PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
62,000 WORDS
by GLENN WILSON

The Three Wrongs follows soon-to-be bankrupt James Neill fighting and then using circumstance to commit, what he considers as being, the perfect crime by making a shocking ‘reality’ film.

James discovers a schoolbook on a park bench. Inside is a ghost story called “The Three Wrongs” about a young girl who is killed in an accident but is not allowed into heaven until she rights three major wrongs she had committed in her life. So she comes back to earth as a ghost to correct the wrongs. James fantasizes about creating the film and a dream shows him the path to do this. The writer, twelve year old Claire O’ Connell, unwittingly becomes central role in his film.

The book is set into three main parts with timelines running adjacent. The first part, written first-party and present tense, follows the making of James’ film and all the thought process that develop as a result. It opens with James sitting on a park bench reflecting on his broken life. He notices two girls talking and realises that one has left her schoolbook on the bench. In the first few chapters explores the mind of the main character and it is easy to feel sympathetic to him. Though very soon James decides to turn his fantasy to reality. He captures Claire on her way home from school using a hired van and using Claire’s parents as his alibi. James befriends Claire to find out three wrongs that she committed in her own life. He starts to feel an attachment to her but his plan is to kill her and go about to emulate her ghost, using his alter ego to film the reactions to the people affected by the righting of her wrongs. He cons his way into several houses (including Claire’s) by convincing families that his company is making a reality TV show. Therefore he has an excuse to put cameras into Claire’s house. Claire’s death occurs through a fit of rage but circumstance kindly opens doors for James in order for him to make his film. In helping police with their inquiries and staying one step ahead of them at all times James thinks, as the reader does, that he has got away with it, until he sees Claire’s Father on his land. Claire’s real ghost has led him to James.

The second part of the book is Claire’s parent’s story. As James emulates one ghost, Claire’s real ghost is leading Claire’s Father to the truth. In this part of the book you realise just how ironic so many of the incidental happenings in the first part of the book had such a big effect on circumstance without James realising. This part of the book is the real film as Claire’s parents tell the tale to Hollywood maverick Marcus Ritchie. What becomes so apparent is that you realise how many of the clues lie in the past – indeed going back years beforehand. It is not simply a case of telling the same story through different eyes but it is an insight into the feelings the parents feel in coming to terms with their daughter’s disappearance and murder. Claire’s father Michael describes how he followed his heart, believing Claire’s ghost was helping him solve her murder. His investigation leads him back to France where two years earlier the family toured the Riviera. James rights his own wrong – an injustice to Claire by not returning for her trophy after she lost it by the river in Satilleau. She returns the gesture by laying clues in his thoughts and dreams – he follows the paths – never realising how close he is to uncovering the mystery sounding her murder.

What is quite disturbing though is that events seem so realistic you have to get your head around the connotations: Initially, did Claire’s ghost exist before her physical death – if so was she killed by her own ghost? These are questions Michael asks himself the more he investigates his thoughts, memories and physical clues – that were placed by James in his attempts to right Claire’s wrongs. James expects to create one effect but Michael reads these clues differently. Eventually Claire’s ghost does indeed lead Michael to James and only afterwards does Michael realise the extent of James’ motives.

The third part of the book is very short, only three pages and is Claire’s original story. Here you realise how Claire had prophesised her own destiny without even James realising how apt it would all end up being. It adds further fuel to the “Chicken and the Egg” scenario which gets created in the book.

The epilogue to the book has another massive double-twist – it’s a loop-round –– The only question unanswered by James’ actions to Claire’s Father is how James discovered the book in the first place – The epilogue finds Michael in an identical situation to James and the book ends with the reader looping round to the beginning and answering the other unanswered questions about how circumstance is able to lead the path it does. And once again, the “Chicken and the egg” scenario starts all over again.

Geographically the book is set within a fictitious town of Tensfield within the Lake District area of England but many of the other places are real. James makes the film in the Glencoe area of Scotland and I have tried to keep much of the aesthetic feel and beauty of his surroundings as I can, even allowing the occasional historic reference. Despite the disturbing storyline I have tried to capture beauty as a running theme:- beauty of the countryside, physical beauty, beauty within the making of James’ film and even beauty in Claire’s death sequence. I am also in the latter stages of compiling a soundtrack to the book with beauty being the main theme. It’s a juxtaposition of emotion and content and I would hope that the book, especially with the music part of the overall package, would move any reader.

SUMMARY OF LAYOUT

Prologue - Single page, two paragraphs asking the reader if they would follow their own heart – even if they betrayed their conscience.
Part One The cameraman (villain)’s story – Written present tense, first party This is the main body of the book and allows you to identify with the hought processes of the character and follow his work in committing his crimes and making his film.
Part Two - The Director’s (victim’s parents) story – Written past-to-present and third party. This is the ‘real’ film and allows the reader to start to uncover the mystery surrounding what has happened in the background to allow the villain to commit the crimes he has.
Part Three - The writer’s story: Based on the schoolbook found by the villain. Only three pages and contains a chilling twist as the victim Prophesises her own fate.
Epilogue - Short two-page epilogue written present tense, first party. Written from the Victim’s father – he finds himself back at the bench where the villain first saw the victim.