How to write

Third Degree, by Greg Iles, is set in Athens Point, Mississippi, a small town where the family doctor still makes house calls and the neighbors keep eye out for one another. 

Laurel Shields is a thirty-five and mother of two, a teacher and wife of a well respected physician. However, despite all appearances, she and her husband don’t really know each other.  Laurel is having an affair and Warren has participated in illegal business practices with his shady partner.  Warren stumbles across evidence of Laurel’s betrayal and all their secrets seep out, spoiling any opportunity of redemption.

Warren demands the name of Laurel’s lover. When she refuses to oblige, he holds her captive and his mental stability erodes with each passing moment.  At the same time, Shields’ medical practice is under investigation for fraud.  He has no idea that while his personal life crumbles, his partner and office manager are scheming to frame him for their crimes.

Laurel’s lover, Danny McDavitt, can only stand by helplessly as police surround the home.

The characters all are roughly drawn with broad strokes.  

Laurel is victimized throughout, by Danny or Warren, taking no responsibility for her circumstance.  Her only attempt to escape ended abruptly when Warren threatened to shoot her.  She continued to cling to the idea of reasoning with Warren to gain her freedom.  

Warren is controlling and his grip only tightened as events spun into chaos.

Danny is heroic and respected in the community, but when he has an opportunity to confide his role in the domestic situation, he acts as a coward, opting to keep the affair secret.

Supporting characters are either uneducated, racist, nosey or vindictive, but they are not multifaceted studies of humanity.  Too many stereotypes were employed to fully believe the characters, their motivations or the resulting actions.   

Iles has the uncanny ability to peel away the civility of marriage and expose hidden possibilities. He poses the frightening questions about how well we can really know any one, husband, wife, lover or friend. Anyone is capable of betrayal.  It chilling to consider the greatest threat is not unknown, but rather, it hides close to home.