"The Fabric of Evil"
By Linda Langwith
For: The Crime Scene Issue #10
www.crimescenescotland.com
Violence, lies, betrayal and love are elements of the human condition. Each one of us has been either victim or perpetrator of evil, while love, if we are blessed enough to experience it, transforms us into beings who can withstand all the rest. Take these elements, place them in a landscape that is uncompromising and implacable, as only sea and moor can be, make evil the antagonist and bring Gemma Ravenscroft on a journey of self-discovery that will shatter her illusions, break her courage and ultimately save her life, and you have "The Golden Crusader." Timeslip, fantasy, mystery, history, and suspense weave themselves into the fabric of the novel, each moving the story forward, and each forcing the protagonist to respond, react and grow.
When I began to write the novel, the ending was yet to be discovered, the characters enigmas, but they became flesh and blood, moved in spaces that were real and took their place in a world where evil wears the guise of good, violence is seldom gratuitous and the capacity to love should never be in doubt.