Comment from Lori Mulligan

Excellent

Hi Jim, I think this is an excellent theory and a nice way to summarize connections among the players. I'm very eager to see where it goes and where I can take it as I've signed up to write chapter 14. I like how you're setting it for some answers to be made and moving towards a conclusion.

My only minor thought is I thought this was taking place in the 1940s so the COVID reference there me off for a minute but in big scheme of things it doesn't matter. Great job!

 Comment Written 09-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 09-Mar-2025

Thanks very much, Lori.

I guess nothing ever really stated when it takes place. There have already been a number of anachronisms if the 40s was the time frame. I know that I had Mama George put a transponder in the stolen tiara that could be traced with GPS. Also the first Waffle Hut was built in the 50s, and Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay" wasn't written until the late 60s.

Much of the dialogue does sound more like classic noir of the 30s and 40s rather than modern noir, but that's what we get with multiple authors. As you say, it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

Have fun with your part!

reply by Lori Mulligan on 09-Mar-2025

Thanks for such a thoughtful response and again it doesn't matter esp in comparison to how nicely you tiddied up the story and offered some clearer paths forward. I thought it was great! And thanks. I hope I can do my chapter justice among all these great authors!lori

Comment from Neonewman

Excellent

Excellent work, Jim. I love how Ethan has narrowed the possibilities down. You created a bit of tension and suspense which I personally enjoy. Where do we go from here. Lol. Let's see if Ethan's theories hold up. I'm intrigued.
God bless,
Steve

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Steve, if you develop a different theory about the case, go for it. Nothing says Ethan has it all correct at this point. Have fun with it!

Comment from Begin Again

Excellent

Great job, Jim!You pulled the story back together and like any good detective narrowed down the possibilities. You didn't need my help...you did an excellent job. Now to see what Ethan is really made of and which way this story will go...Are the jewels in the house or was there always something far deeper behind this whole thing? Thanks again.
Smiles, Carol

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks so much, Carol, for your help and encouragement. I really think adding some of your touches helped my chapter a lot, and you've been teaching me the noir style of writing for which I'm grateful.

This has been a lot of fun, and I've really enjoyed being a part of it.

reply by Begin Again on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks so much...I am glad I could help but you did just fine by yourself...Pulled it all together very well. Have a great day!

Comment from Wendy G

Excellent

A wonderful chapter - and I amn so pleased you were able to make a good link back to the events of my chapter. Ethan's conclusions are plausible, and this is a great continuation. Well done.
Wendy

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks for your kind words, Wendy, but I can only take a little bit of credit here. In your chapter 9, you provided most of the ideas for Ethan's theory. I just sifted through them and put together the ones that seemed to lead to a cogent, consistent theory of the situation with answers to a few of the questions you posed.

Chapters 10 and 11 didn't do too much to advance any one theory nor really set us off in a different direction, so I went with what you came up with. You provided so many possibilities and questions, that I thought the time was right to narrow down and focus on one set of ideas to put together this theory. I have you to thank for most of this.

That being said, other authors are free to debunk any of it and set us off in a new direction. That's what makes this such an interesting project.

Comment from Dolly'sPoems

Excellent

This sounds like a complicated historic theft of these jewels as they pass from one there to another without going to their rightful owner. And poor Ruby is nowhere to be found! I enjoyed your inventive story around this dilemma Jim, as always, your story is well written and entertaining, I am enjoying the drama, love Dolly x x x

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks so much, Dolly. It was starting to get so complicated, I thought we needed a chapter to put it all together, which is what I tried to do. Much of the credit goes to Wendy's chapter 9 that posed many of the ideas and questions my chapter attempted to explain.

Comment from patcelaw

Excellent

I very much enjoyed listening to your chapter in the book and I wish you the best with all of your writing. May you have a wonderful day and may you have a wonderful weekend. Patricia.

 Comment Written 07-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thank you so much, Patricia, for your very kind words.

Comment from Carol Hillebrenner

Excellent

You have the right style, but I needed a score card to figure out who is who and what they know about the jewels. Does Mama George still have the jewels lost somewhere in her house?

 Comment Written 07-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Yep. That's Ethan's theory at any rate.

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

Thanks for the re-cap as I think I can't seem to keep track of the storyline as it keeps progressing in different narration styles. In the beginning it sounded more like the same writer but now each one has taken a different style so it helped to read your version. Still, everyone's life seems to always be in danger!

 Comment Written 07-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

That was the reason for this chapter in which there wasn't too much new, but I felt we'd gotten to the point where a few things needed to be nailed down. It can get tough to follow with so many different possibilities. Glad this helped, Helen.

Comment from Cecilia A Heiskary

Excellent

Jim,

This is a great chapter to the book. It appears that everyone is chasing these gems and they can't find them. I think Ethan has it right and they are still at the house somewhere.

Well done

Cecilia

 Comment Written 07-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks, Cecilia. A complicated plot, to be sure. It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

reply by Cecilia A Heiskary on 08-Mar-2025

You're welcome

Comment from Debbie D'Arcy

Excellent

I think you've certainly nailed the noir style, Jim! I'm finding it difficult to recognise the same author I've come to know:)) I'm not quite following everything in this book but Ethan is clearly pulling all the facts together here with impressive skill and, by the end, is not afraid of any of these goons and is firmly in charge. Thank you, Jim, for this intensive, fast-paced read that has left my head spinning:)) Take care Debbie

 Comment Written 07-Mar-2025

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2025

Thanks so much, Debbie. I've relied on Carol's help and style to try to get the feel of this genre, which doesn't come naturally to me. I haven't read much noir. It has it's own lingo and character type, which are quite alien to me.

To be sure, this is a complicated plot, but I guess that's to be expected with so many contributing authors, each adding something of their own. Every so often, I think we need a chapter to try to put some things together and make sense of it all, and that's what I've tried to do with my two chapters. I did a lot of analysis of the previous chapters and a lot of thinking before starting to write this one in an attempt to put together a consistent theory of the case.

Wendy's chapter 9 provided much of the fuel for this. I thought she had done a great job in laying out some theories and posing questions that I tried to answer here. It was really fun to do this.