Awareness of the outside world. LRK3DE: Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation Named Official Charity of 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™. Although press release is dated 2022, Grayson is still listed as Official Charity on 2023 Fact Sheet PDF.
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An outline for a mystery trilogy, dreamt up after spending the weekend watching the the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Death In The Dressage Ring. Judge dies during Main Character’s dressage ride. The circumstances are complicated, so MC is drawn into investigation rather than being punted off to the side, as a member of the public would ordinarily be. MC may spend time as suspect.
Detective is female. (This becomes important later.) If a romance subplot is required, MC can become enchanted with another member of the investigating team, while Detective meetcutes a horseman. For a queer twist, arrange genders of supporting characters as required.
MC breaks the case by noticing judge’s schedule. A weird combination of locations and/or types of show. Why would they take position X at show Y when they are qualified to take position A at show B? A nuance that only someone who knows the show calendar would catch. Turns out judge was using cover of traveling to shows for nefarious plot purposes.
Corpse On Cross Country. Body is found days before big event. Arrange forensic details so that event is allowed to continue. Maybe body is found on adjacent land that was to be used for the day. After discovery, that loop is cut off & course is rerouted. For plot reasons, there is pressure to get things solved before event is over. Therefore, Detective asks MC to act as translator and tour guide for ins & outs of horse world. MC has job that makes her willing to take on danger of poking around a murder. Resolution of mystery is related to events in book one.
Showdown in Show Jumping. Detective starts taking riding lessons.
EITHER
Detective starts lessons strictly out of her own interest. Because of friendship with MC. Because of romance with X. Whatever. She hears things.
OR
The infiltration is deliberate. Deaths in books one & two point to larger criminal enterprise. Many, many people are tracing this organization from various angles. Detective is sent to take lessons because of her experience with horse world in previous cases, using above scenario as plausible explanation. No one expects much to come of it, but are chasing every option. Has to lie to MC &/or romantic interest as to reason for sudden interest in lessons? Romantic interest is a trainer him/herself?
Making plot choices. The second, undercover, version strikes me as more noir. Lots of gritty realism. Lots of emotional fallout from hidden motives. The first version has possibilities for ‘It’s all interconnected.’ Detective honestly and truly starts lessons because she’s curious, because she rode as a kid, because she needs to get out more, whatever. However, the villain assumes that Detective is closing in and this prompts haste and mistakes and ultimate leads to villain’s downfall.
In either case, Detective is only semi-undercover. She makes no secret of her job and she really does take the lessons. She hangs around. People start get used to seeing her. They start to treat her as just another rider at the barn. This is why detective is female. Easier to write her as friend of MC. Also, easier for her to merge into horse world and become just another anonymous amateur rider.
Plot shenanigans occur.
~~~ curtain ~~~
Screenshots taken 29 April 2023.
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Free Fiction 4U. “Download Bold – The Eventing Series: A Prequel for FREE!” Natalie Keller Reinert: The Eventing Series, scroll down. You probably have to create an account. I have neither downloaded nor read. I was simply amazed to find free, eventing-specific fiction to offer you.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 