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Fall From Grace - Outline
I am taking an on-line mystery writing course and have created some character sketches (focus is on theme & flaws) and an outline of proposed scenes. I would appreciate feedback: questions raised, issues you see, etc. NOTE: I previously posted some work on an earlier version of this concept but the storyline and characters have morphed during my outliine process so I created a new thread.
Title: Fall From Grace
Theme: We must take responsibility for our actions.
Protagonist & Flaw: Fresh out of college, twenty-one year old Maria is struggling in her first job as the Financial Administrator at The Grace Museum. Growing up in a typical middle-class suburban household, her life had been carefully choreographed by loving parents and a supportive societal network. On her own now for the first time, she finds herself unprepared to deal with the responsibilities of the adult world. Pretty and smart, Maria is used to things going her way. Her flaw is that she lacks personal responsibility due to inexperience and a sheltered life that failed to teach accountability.
Antagonist & Flaw: A tall man of athletic build and rugged good looks, Ray found years ago that people assume he's a good guy. Time and again, Ray has used this to his advantage. He has lived all over the country doing all sorts of jobs, committing thefts here and there and moving on when he sensed growing suspicion. Now middle-aged and working as the Maintenance Manager at The Grace Museum for the past year, he increasingly resents the material success of others. He attributes the progress of others to good luck and the stall in his progress as bad luck. Ray's flaw is a lack of personal responsibility, caused by laziness and a sense of entitlement and encouraged by a superficial societal environment that has failed to enforce accountability.
Main Supporting Characters:
* Jim, the victim: Jim comes to the museum to collect a painting that his mother Alice loaned to the museum last year. His mother just lost a long battle with cancer. A single man and only child who devoted himself to the care of his mother for the past several years, he sees the painting—treasured by his mother and in the family for generations—as a way to keep her presence in his life. His unexpected death a month after his mother passes is initially believed to be a suicide.
* Emma, a volunteer at the museum: Emma is a retired school teacher. She is "a nice old lady", old-fashioned and observant. She is aware of Maria's troubles and tries to befriend her.
* Julie, the museum's new Director: Julie is a dynamic leader, focused on improving the reputation of the museum. She inspires the staff and contributors with her "big picture" vision for the future but has a "hands-off" management approach and doesn't seem to care about the day-to-day operational issues. Her flashy lifestyle impresses potential donors but breeds envy among some of her employees.
* Evelyn, museum office manager: Evelyn has worked at the museum for 10 years--longer than any other current employee. She is the recognized source for museum operating history. A terrible gossip, Evelyn is nevertheless very well-liked.
* Donald, former museum curator: Arrogant and distant with people, Donald reserves his emotions for beautiful things (especially art). The only employee to have ever spent his entire working career at The Grace, Donald retired to avoid facing changes proposed by the new Director. He was the architect of the museum's original inventory control system and changed as little as possible over the years so as not to take away from his time purchasing, exhibiting and maintaining the artwork.
OUTLINE (with scene markers)
ACT 1
HOOK
Maria finds Mr. Drew's body
BACKSTORY
Reminisces about first day of work (meets staff)
Receives call from credit card company
Local newspaper reports apparent suicide
Talks to volunteer Emma (learns about painting)
TRIGGER
Finally performs overdue inventory audit (painting is missing)
CRISIS
Receives call from mother (loss of painting linked to suicide?)
STRUGGLE
Begins secretly investigating theft of painting
Contacts Retired Curator Donald (defensive & uncooperative)
Encounters Maintenance Manager Ray cleaning storage room
Talks to Office Manager Evelyn (staff gossip, old inventory procedures)
Attends party at apartment complex (talks with neighbors)
Overhears volunteers discussing her (Maria a thief?)
Visits Retired Curator Donald (new leads)
Finds missing inventory file on her computer (planted by someone?)
Confronted by Museum Director Julie about disappearance of painting
Volunteer Emma stops to chat (new info suggests murder, not suicide)
EPIPHANY
Seeks out Emma again (looking for info, learns life lessons instead)
PLAN
Meets with Museum Director Julie (reveals mistakes made, suspicion of murder, info gathered)
Musuem Director Julie contacts police
Police commence investigation
Agrees to wear wire and meet with prime suspect
CLIMAX
Meets with Maintenance Manager Ray (he confesses)
ENDING
Police get their man
Takes charge of personal finances
Calls parents (twist: reveals decision to enter police force)
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