Bernadette Pajer's "A Spark of Death"

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Bernadette Pajer's A Spark of Death is the first book in the Professor Bradshaw Mysteries.

Here she provides some perspective on casting an adaptation of the series:

Who would play Professor Benjamin Bradshaw in the movie A Spark of Death? Well ... the story is in tight third-person POV, and I never actually describe Bradshaw. His age, 35, is known, his dour, plodding personality that's breaking free, his intelligence and dislike of society. A few remarks are made by other characters. An assistant professor says Bradshaw is almost handsome when he smiles. Physically, though, he's whoever the reader sees him as. I know what he looks like to me, but I hesitate to say because I don't want to contrast with an image in a reader's mind. Two of my friends read the book in manuscript form. When talking about it afterward, one believed Bradshaw was short, fair, and had a mustache. The other was positive he was tall, dark, and clean-shaven. Both were certain they saw him as I described him. I did mention once that he "shaved" but gave no specifics. A man with a mustache shaves, so does a man without one.

It's a matter of getting the feel of the character right, not so much the looks, of course. The British do such a great job with mystery series, like the new Sherlock. They somehow nailed the mood and personality of an historical character in a contemporary setting. Brilliant! I wonder who that director would choose to play Bradshaw? I'd love to see the whole Professor Bradshaw Mystery Series filmed for Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. Dare to dream, what? (Sorry, I've been reading Sayers).

Learn more about the book and author at Bernadette Pajer's website.

The Page 69 Test: A Spark of Death.

Writers Read: Bernadette Pajer.

--Marshal Zeringue