{"id":8225,"date":"2018-10-19T21:25:05","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T21:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/?page_id=8225"},"modified":"2026-02-11T19:59:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T19:59:42","slug":"about-a-study-in-crimson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/the-dakota-stevens-mystery-series\/about-a-study-in-crimson\/","title":{"rendered":"About A Study in Crimson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>DAKOTA BEGINS…<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Study in Crimson<\/em><\/strong>, a prequel and the 5th installment in the critically acclaimed Dakota Stevens Mystery Series, shows a younger, devil-may-care Dakota at his charming, witty, and resourceful best.<\/p>\n

Dakota\u00a0 has just thrown off the shackles of the FBI and launched his own private detective agency. But it\u2019s not going well. His so-called cases are limited to tawdry divorce work, and his personal life is a shambles.<\/p>\n

In short, Dakota Stevens is a hot mess<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Back to School\u2026
\n<\/strong>Enter the Director of the FBI, who compels Dakota to go undercover at an Ivy League university. His task? To rescue a college coed from the clutches of a Svengali-like sex researcher.<\/p>\n

Dakota Meets Svetlana\u2026
\n<\/strong>While working the case, Dakota meets sexy international chess grandmaster Svetlana Kr\u00fcsh. Svetlana, bored with her chess career, is seeking a new challenge. Dakota desperately needs an associate of her caliber, but the two get off to a rocky start.<\/p>\n

Learning the PI Trade\u2026
\n<\/strong>Can Dakota navigate a minefield that includes flirtatious coeds, passionate professors, hired thugs, and former FBI colleagues? Can he repair his personal life? Can he learn to trust Svetlana? And, most importantly, can he rescue the girl in time?<\/p>\n

Buy: <\/strong><\/span>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excerpt from A Study in Crimson<\/i><\/h1>\n

While the other students turned back to Dr. Cantor, Sally continued to stare at me. With my fingers still laced cockily behind my head, I flexed my arms in the snug polo shirt. The swelled muscles strained the sleeve cuffs. Sally\u2019s eyes widened. After she\u2019d been staring at me for a few seconds, I winked at her, jolting her out of her trance. She spun around and whispered to her girlfriend. During the rest of the lecture, Sally and her friend kept stealing glances at me.<\/p>\n

When class finished, I stayed in my seat and made sustained eye contact with Sally, smiling at her as she filed out with the other students. My first encounter with Miss Standish was an unmitigated success. I\u2019d piqued her curiosity\u2014step one in getting her away from Dr. Malone.<\/p>\n

Eventually Dr. Cantor and I were alone in the amphitheater. He waved me down to the pit. Putting on my jacket and grabbing my messenger bag, I walked down and shook his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting comment today, Mr. Stevens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, professor. Great lecture. I haven\u2019t thought about Bundy since my training days.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stowed some papers in a briefcase and hoisted it off the lectern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t much time\u2014appointment over at Grossman,\u201d he said. \u201cPerhaps you could walk with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCertainly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"I followed him out a side door and down a hallway, and then we were outside, walking across campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Director Reeves called and asked for my help in this charade,\u201d he said, \u201cI must admit I was initially skeptical. But\u2026I don\u2019t care for Dr. Malone, so I\u2019ll be happy to vouch for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate it, professor,\u201d I said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind my asking, sir, why don\u2019t you care for Dr. Malone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s a charlatan who gives those of us doing real<\/i> psychology research a bad name,\u201d he said. \u201c\u00a0\u2018Sexual Attractiveness Study<\/i>,\u2019 my eye. Honestly, I don\u2019t understand why the administration allowed him here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe because he\u2019s controversial and a minor celebrity,\u201d I said. \u201cDue respect, professor, this university does<\/i> seem to enjoy controversy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I suppose you\u2019re right. Anything to keep that endowment growing.\u201d He turned to me with a wry smile. \u201cThere\u2019s a joke in academia, maybe you\u2019ve heard it\u2014that we\u2019re actually a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund running a university on the side.\u201d<\/p>\n

I chuckled. \u201cNo, I\u2019ve never heard that, but it sounds apt.\u201d<\/p>\n

When we reached Grossman Library, Professor Cantor said goodbye to me, walked up a couple steps, then stopped suddenly and considered me over his shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Stevens?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProfessor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Miss Standish is the reason you\u2019re here.\u201d He looked around to make sure no one was within earshot, and spoke softly. \u201cBut somebody needs to look into Malone\u2019s background. I mean really<\/i> look into it\u2014not the pro forma box-checking our illustrious HR department does. You could start by contacting the long<\/i> list of prestigious institutions that have hosted his ridiculous sideshow. My gut tells me there\u2019s something off<\/i> about the man. Frankly, I\u2019ve never met anyone who reminded me more of Ted Bundy than Dr. Malone.\u201d He swallowed and gave me a trepidatious look. \u201cFair warning, Mr. Stevens\u2026I think you\u2019re dealing with a psychopath.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where I Got the Idea for A Study in Crimson<\/em><\/h1>\n

The story of how Dakota Stevens and Svetlana Kr\u00fcsh met and became an investigative team is one that has haunted me for 15 years\u2014ever since I opened a fresh notebook and began the \u201cpre-production\u201d that became the first novel in the series, A Real Piece of Work<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew I wanted Dakota and Svetlana\u2019s introduction to mirror the first meeting of Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019s novel A Study in Scarlet<\/i>. Like other aficionados of Sherlock Holmes, I have always loved Stamford\u2019s introduction of them to each other in a chemistry lab, and Holmes\u2019 famous first words to Watson: \u201cYou have been in Afghanistan, I perceive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I began writing A Study in Crimson<\/i> before I knew how and when Dakota and Svetlana would meet. At the outset all I knew was, I wanted the title of the story to have \u201ccrimson\u201d in it as my homage to A Study in Scarlet<\/i>. However, early on I decided the word \u201ccrimson\u201d would refer to blood, as well as an incidental connection to Harvard University.<\/span><\/p>\n

While living in Cambridge, Massachusetts after college, I spent many mornings writing at Au Bon Pain caf\u00e9 in Harvard Square, and my afternoons playing chess there. \u201cWhat if,\u201d<\/i> I said to myself, \u201cSvetlana were the interim coach of the Harvard chess team, and she spent her free time crushing amateurs at the caf\u00e9?\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

I have subtitled the novel \u201cA Prequel to the Dakota Stevens Mystery Series,\u201d but it would have been equally accurate to subtitle it \u201cThe Dakota and Svetlana Origin Story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope you enjoy it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Chris<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Feature Locations in A Study in Crimson<\/em><\/h1>\n

The majority of the case in\u00a0A Study in Crimson<\/em> takes place in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, with a few sideline scenes in Washington, D.C., Manhattan and Walden Pond, Massachusetts. The following photos will give you an idea of the places this case inhabits (please see footnote regarding photo rights and credits):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
The J. Edgar Hoover FBI building in Washington, D.C.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Fall, Central Park in Manhattan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Aerial View of Harvard University across Cambridge, from Business School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Widener Library, Harvard Yard, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Acorn Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Annenberg dining hall, Harvard University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Cabot House, Radcliffe Quadrangle, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Race Point Beach, Cape Cod, Provincetown, MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Harvard Square chess table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
Quote by Henry David Thoreau at entrance to Walden Pond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next up for Dakota and Svetlana…<\/h1>\n

Having admired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019<\/span>s stories since I was a young boy, I am slowly writing a collection of mystery short stories about Dakota and Svetlana in the vein of Holmes and Watson. I\u2019<\/span>ve written two of the thirteen stories so far, but since I want every story in the collection to be a polished gem, it\u2019s likely to take me quite some time to finish them<\/span>.<\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DAKOTA BEGINS… A Study in Crimson, a prequel and the 5th installment in the critically acclaimed Dakota Stevens Mystery Series, shows a younger, devil-may-care Dakota at his charming, witty, and resourceful best. Dakota\u00a0 has just thrown off the shackles of the FBI and launched his own private detective agency. But it\u2019s not going well. His … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2835,"menu_order":17,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8225","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8225"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9990,"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8225\/revisions\/9990"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orcutt.net\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}