{"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\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Study in Crim\u00adson<\/em><\/strong>, a pre\u00adquel and the 5th install\u00adment in the crit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly acclaimed Dako\u00adta Stevens Mys\u00adtery Series, shows a younger, dev\u00adil-may-care Dako\u00adta at his charm\u00ading, wit\u00adty, and resource\u00adful best.<\/p>\n

Dako\u00adta  has just thrown off the shack\u00adles of the FBI and launched his own pri\u00advate detec\u00adtive agency. But it\u2019s not going well. His so-called cas\u00ades are lim\u00adit\u00aded to tawdry divorce work, and his per\u00adson\u00adal life is a sham\u00adbles.<\/p>\n

In short, Dako\u00adta Stevens is a hot mess<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Back to School\u2026
\n<\/strong>Enter the Direc\u00adtor of the FBI, who com\u00adpels Dako\u00adta to go under\u00adcov\u00ader at an Ivy League uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty. His task? To res\u00adcue a col\u00adlege coed from the clutch\u00ades of a Sven\u00adgali-like sex researcher.<\/p>\n

Dako\u00adta Meets Svet\u00adlana\u2026
\n<\/strong>While work\u00ading the case, Dako\u00adta meets sexy inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal chess grand\u00admas\u00adter Svet\u00adlana Kr\u00fcsh. Svet\u00adlana, bored with her chess career, is seek\u00ading a new chal\u00adlenge. Dako\u00adta des\u00adper\u00adate\u00adly needs an asso\u00adciate of her cal\u00adiber, but the two get off to a rocky start.<\/p>\n

Learn\u00ading the PI Trade\u2026
\n<\/strong>Can Dako\u00adta nav\u00adi\u00adgate a mine\u00adfield that includes flir\u00adta\u00adtious coeds, pas\u00adsion\u00adate pro\u00adfes\u00adsors, hired thugs, and for\u00admer FBI col\u00adleagues? Can he repair his per\u00adson\u00adal life? Can he learn to trust Svet\u00adlana? And, most impor\u00adtant\u00adly, can he res\u00adcue the girl in time?<\/p>\n

Buy: <\/strong><\/span>Ama\u00adzon<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

While the oth\u00ader stu\u00addents turned back to Dr. Can\u00adtor, Sal\u00adly con\u00adtin\u00adued to stare at me. With my fin\u00adgers still laced cock\u00adi\u00adly behind my head, I flexed my arms in the snug polo shirt. The swelled mus\u00adcles strained the sleeve cuffs. Sally\u2019s eyes widened. After she\u2019d been star\u00ading at me for a few sec\u00adonds, I winked at her, jolt\u00ading her out of her trance. She spun around and whis\u00adpered to her girl\u00adfriend. Dur\u00ading the rest of the lec\u00adture, Sal\u00adly and her friend kept steal\u00ading glances at me.<\/p>\n

When class fin\u00adished, I stayed in my seat and made sus\u00adtained eye con\u00adtact with Sal\u00adly, smil\u00ading at her as she filed out with the oth\u00ader stu\u00addents. My first encounter with Miss Stan\u00addish was an unmit\u00adi\u00adgat\u00aded suc\u00adcess. I\u2019d piqued her curiosity\u2014step one in get\u00adting her away from Dr. Mal\u00adone.<\/p>\n

Even\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adly Dr. Can\u00adtor and I were alone in the amphithe\u00adater. He waved me down to the pit. Putting on my jack\u00adet and grab\u00adbing my mes\u00adsen\u00adger bag, I walked down and shook his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cInter\u00adest\u00ading com\u00adment today, Mr. Stevens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, pro\u00adfes\u00adsor. Great lec\u00adture. I haven\u2019t thought about Bundy since my train\u00ading days.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stowed some papers in a brief\u00adcase and hoist\u00aded it off the lectern.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t much time\u2014appointment over at Gross\u00adman,\u201d he said. \u201cPer\u00adhaps you could walk with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCer\u00adtain\u00adly.\u201d<\/p>\n

I fol\u00adlowed him out a side door and down a hall\u00adway, and then we were out\u00adside, walk\u00ading across cam\u00adpus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Direc\u00adtor Reeves called and asked for my help in this cha\u00adrade,\u201d he said, \u201cI must admit I was ini\u00adtial\u00adly skep\u00adti\u00adcal. But\u2026I don\u2019t care for Dr. Mal\u00adone, so I\u2019ll be hap\u00adpy to vouch for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appre\u00adci\u00adate it, pro\u00adfes\u00adsor,\u201d I said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind my ask\u00ading, sir, why don\u2019t you care for Dr. Mal\u00adone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause he\u2019s a char\u00adla\u00adtan who gives those of us doing real<\/i> psy\u00adchol\u00ado\u00adgy research a bad name,\u201d he said. \u201c \u2018Sex\u00adu\u00adal Attrac\u00adtive\u00adness Study<\/i>,\u2019 my eye. Hon\u00adest\u00adly, I don\u2019t under\u00adstand why the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion allowed him here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe because he\u2019s con\u00adtro\u00adver\u00adsial and a minor celebri\u00adty,\u201d I said. \u201cDue respect, pro\u00adfes\u00adsor, this uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty does<\/i> seem to enjoy con\u00adtro\u00adver\u00adsy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I sup\u00adpose you\u2019re right. Any\u00adthing to keep that endow\u00adment grow\u00ading.\u201d He turned to me with a wry smile. \u201cThere\u2019s a joke in acad\u00ade\u00admia, maybe you\u2019ve heard it\u2014that we\u2019re actu\u00adal\u00adly a mul\u00adti-bil\u00adlion-dol\u00adlar hedge fund run\u00adning a uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty on the side.\u201d<\/p>\n

I chuck\u00adled. \u201cNo, I\u2019ve nev\u00ader heard that, but it sounds apt.\u201d<\/p>\n

When we reached Gross\u00adman Library, Pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Can\u00adtor said good\u00adbye to me, walked up a cou\u00adple steps, then stopped sud\u00adden\u00adly and con\u00adsid\u00adered me over his shoul\u00adder.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cPro\u00adfes\u00adsor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Miss Stan\u00addish is the rea\u00adson you\u2019re here.\u201d He looked around to make sure no one was with\u00adin earshot, and spoke soft\u00adly. \u201cBut some\u00adbody needs to look into Malone\u2019s back\u00adground. I mean real\u00adly<\/i> look into it\u2014not the pro for\u00adma box-check\u00ading our illus\u00adtri\u00adous HR depart\u00adment does. You could start by con\u00adtact\u00ading the long<\/i> list of pres\u00adti\u00adgious insti\u00adtu\u00adtions that have host\u00aded his ridicu\u00adlous sideshow. My gut tells me there\u2019s some\u00adthing off<\/i> about the man. Frankly, I\u2019ve nev\u00ader met any\u00adone who remind\u00aded me more of Ted Bundy than Dr. Mal\u00adone.\u201d He swal\u00adlowed and gave me a trep\u00adi\u00adda\u00adtious look. \u201cFair warn\u00ading, Mr. Stevens\u2026I think you\u2019re deal\u00ading with a psy\u00adchopath.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

The sto\u00adry of how Dako\u00adta Stevens and Svet\u00adlana Kr\u00fcsh met and became an inves\u00adtiga\u00adtive team is one that has haunt\u00aded me for 15 years\u2014ever since I opened a fresh note\u00adbook and began the \u201cpre-pro\u00adduc\u00adtion\u201d that became the first nov\u00adel in the series, A Real Piece of Work<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew I want\u00aded Dako\u00adta and Svetlana\u2019s intro\u00adduc\u00adtion to mir\u00adror the first meet\u00ading of Mr. Sher\u00adlock Holmes and Dr. John Wat\u00adson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019s nov\u00adel A Study in Scar\u00adlet<\/i>. Like oth\u00ader afi\u00adciona\u00addos of Sher\u00adlock Holmes, I have always loved Stamford\u2019s intro\u00adduc\u00adtion of them to each oth\u00ader in a chem\u00adistry lab, and Holmes\u2019 famous first words to Wat\u00adson: \u201cYou have been in Afghanistan, I per\u00adceive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>I began writ\u00ading A Study in Crim\u00adson<\/i> before I knew how and when Dako\u00adta and Svet\u00adlana would meet. At the out\u00adset all I knew was, I want\u00aded the title of the sto\u00adry to have \u201ccrim\u00adson\u201d in it as my homage to A Study in Scar\u00adlet<\/i>. How\u00adev\u00ader, ear\u00adly on I decid\u00aded the word \u201ccrim\u00adson\u201d would refer to blood, as well as an inci\u00adden\u00adtal con\u00adnec\u00adtion to Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty.<\/span><\/p>\n

While liv\u00ading in Cam\u00adbridge, Mass\u00ada\u00adchu\u00adsetts after col\u00adlege, I spent many morn\u00adings writ\u00ading at Au Bon Pain caf\u00e9 in Har\u00advard Square, and my after\u00adnoons play\u00ading chess there. \u201cWhat if,\u201d<\/i> I said to myself, \u201cSvet\u00adlana were the inter\u00adim coach of the Har\u00advard chess team, and she spent her free time crush\u00ading ama\u00adteurs at the caf\u00e9?\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

I have sub\u00adti\u00adtled the nov\u00adel \u201cA Pre\u00adquel to the Dako\u00adta Stevens Mys\u00adtery Series,\u201d but it would have been equal\u00adly accu\u00adrate to sub\u00adti\u00adtle it \u201cThe Dako\u00adta and Svet\u00adlana Ori\u00adgin Sto\u00adry.\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 major\u00adi\u00adty of the case in A Study in Crim\u00adson<\/em> takes place in Cam\u00adbridge and Boston, Mass\u00ada\u00adchu\u00adsetts, with a few side\u00adline scenes in Wash\u00ading\u00adton, D.C., Man\u00adhat\u00adtan and Walden Pond, Mass\u00ada\u00adchu\u00adsetts. The fol\u00adlow\u00ading pho\u00adtos will give you an idea of the places this case inhab\u00adits (please see foot\u00adnote regard\u00ading pho\u00adto rights and cred\u00adits):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The J. Edgar Hoover FBI build\u00ading in Wash\u00ading\u00adton, D.C.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fall, Cen\u00adtral Park in Man\u00adhat\u00adtan.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aer\u00adi\u00adal View of Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty across Cam\u00adbridge, from Busi\u00adness School.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Widen\u00ader Library, Har\u00advard Yard, Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, Cam\u00adbridge, MA.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Acorn Street, Bea\u00adcon Hill, Boston, MA.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annen\u00adberg din\u00ading hall, Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cabot House, Rad\u00adcliffe Quad\u00adran\u00adgle, Har\u00advard Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty, Cam\u00adbridge, MA.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Race Point Beach, Cape Cod, Province\u00adtown, MA.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Har\u00advard Square chess table.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quote by Hen\u00adry David Thore\u00adau at entrance to Walden Pond.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Next up for Dakota and Svetlana\u2026<\/h1>\n

Hav\u00ading admired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019<\/span>s sto\u00adries since I was a young boy, I am slow\u00adly writ\u00ading a col\u00adlec\u00adtion of mys\u00adtery short sto\u00adries about Dako\u00adta and Svet\u00adlana in the vein of Holmes and Wat\u00adson. I\u2019<\/span>ve writ\u00adten two of the thir\u00adteen sto\u00adries so far, but since I want every sto\u00adry in the col\u00adlec\u00adtion to be a pol\u00adished gem, it\u2019s like\u00adly to take me quite some time to fin\u00adish them<\/span>.<\/p>\n

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

DAKOTA BEGINS\u2026 A Study in Crim\u00adson, a pre\u00adquel and the 5th install\u00adment in the crit\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly acclaimed Dako\u00adta Stevens Mys\u00adtery Series, shows a younger, dev\u00adil-may-care Dako\u00adta\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2835,"menu_order":17,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8225","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_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}]}}