Category Archives: Designing Murder Plots

Strychnine – A Dramatic Poison!

Historically, strychnine is one of the more popular methods that writers have used to kill off characters in literature and film. Even the queen of murder mystery writing, Agatha Christi, used this method in her works. The primary source of … Continue reading

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Why Do People Kill?

It’s a simple question, but people have been struggling to find the answer for centuries. In a previous blog I discussed the core legal definition of murder, but I asked this very question as I researched the subject. Law enforcement officials are … Continue reading

Posted in a killer gene, About James J. Murray, About Murder, About Writing, All About Murder, All About Writing, Better Fiction Writing, Blog Writers, Blogging, Character Development Techniques, Characteristics of a Fictional Character, Characteristics of Killing, Characteristics of Murder, Creating Emotional Drama in a Murder Scene, Creating Interesting Fiction Characters, Creating Unique and Interesting Character Flaws, Deciding How to Kill Off a Character in a Novel, Deciding What Types of Fictional Characters Fit Into Your Plot, Defining Murder, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Arcs, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Fiction Based on Facts, Fiction Based on Real Life, Fiction Writing - A Believable Lie, Fictional Character Development, Ideas for Murder Scenes, James J. Murray Blog, Killing Off Characters in Writing, Killing Off Characters in Your Novel, Methods of Murder, Murder - The True Definition, Murder is Defined, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, New Blog, Plot Development, Plot Ideas and Where They Come From, Plotting Interesting Murder Scenes, Plotting Murder Scenes, Prescription For Murder Blog, Reasons Why People Kill, Reasons Why People Murder, Story Development, The Art of Storytelling, The Art of Writing, The Psychology of Murder, The Science of Murder, The Warrior Gene, Types of Fictional Characters, Unique Murder Plots, Why People Kill | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MURDER – The True Definition!

The criminal act known as MURDER is defined in a number of ways, but in most references the definition is distilled to the following words: an unlawful killing with malice. The words unlawful and malice give the term its defining structure and distinguishes the act from acceptable killings, … Continue reading

Posted in A How To Blog on Murder Plot Ideas, A How To Blog on Murder Weapons, About James J. Murray, About Murder, About Writing, Blog Writers, Blogging, Characteristics of Killing, Characteristics of Murder, Deciding How to Kill Off a Character in a Novel, Defining Murder, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Ideas for Murder Scenes, Instruments of Death, James J. Murray Blog, Killing a Villain in a Novel, Killing Off Characters in Writing, Killing Off Characters in Your Novel, Murder - The True Definition, Murder is Defined, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, Neuroscience and Murder, New Blog, Plotting Murder Scenes, Prescription For Murder Blog, Reasons Why People Kill, The Killer Gene, The Psychology of Murder, The Science of Murder, Tools for Murder, Tools of Murder, Ways To Kill, Ways to Murder, Writing Death Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Transdermal Patches Gone Wild

The first transdermal drug patch was marketed in 1979 and the most notable include the narcotic pain reliever fentanyl and the drug scopolamine for motion sickness. Since then, a wide variety of drugs have been developed to deliver medication effectively … Continue reading

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Using DNA To An Author’s Advantage

It’s been some time since I’ve posted a new blog. What can I say—life gets in the way! It’s amazing how getting into and out of the habit of writing can happen so easily. I’ve decided to get back into … Continue reading

Posted in A How To Blog on Murder Plot Ideas, A How To Blog on Murder Weapons, A Murder Mystery Novel, A Writer's Psyche, About James J. Murray, About Murder, About Writing, Blog Writers, Blogging, Characteristics of Murder, Deciding How to Kill Off a Character in a Novel, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Arcs, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, DNA Evidence, DNA Evidence and Murder Mystery Writing, DNA Forensic Science, DNA Testing Flaws, DNA Testing Tainted, DNA Testing Techniques Called Into Question, DNA Transfer, Evidence Free Murder, Flaws in High Sensitivity DNA Testing Techniques, Ideas for Murder Scenes, Is DNA Matching an Art or a Science?, James J. Murray Blog, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, New Blog, Plot Development, Plot Ideas and Where They Come From, Plotting Interesting Murder Scenes, Plotting Murder Scenes, Plotting The Perfect Murder, Prescription For Murder Blog, Reliability of DNA Evidence, Sources of Story and Plot Ideas, The Art of Storytelling, The Art of Writing, The Habit of Writing, The Science of Murder, Tools of Fiction Writing, Unique Murder Plots, Ways to Murder, Writing Dramatic Murder Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Espionage at the Molecular Level

In the world of espionage, privacy and security are top priorities to the success and safety of secret agents. Over the centuries, spies have utilized an evolving series of techniques to maintain the privacy of their confidential information. In Roman … Continue reading

Posted in About James J. Murray, All About Murder, Blog Writers, Blogging, Chemical Encryption, Chemical Enigma System, Chemical Passwords For Security, Chemical Weapons Discussions, Chemicals Used For Murder, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Elements of Murder, Fiction Based on Facts, Fiction Based on Real Life, Fluorescent Spy Technology, Interesting Event and Ideas Develop into Short Stories, James J. Murray Blog, Modern Espionage, Modern Espionage in Fiction Writing, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, New Blog, New Methods To Kill Characters in Your Novel, Plot Development, Plot Ideas and Where They Come From, Plotting Short Stories, Prescription For Murder Blog, Short Story Development, The Art of Storytelling, The Science of Murder, Unique Murder Plots | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Legality of Familial DNA Searches

As a runner, I’ve often told my female runner friends, “Don’t run alone!” There have been cases of solo female runners being attacked on the lovely running trails we have in and around the city I live in. That advice … Continue reading

Posted in A How To Blog on Murder Plot Ideas, About James J. Murray, About Murder, All About Murder, Blog Writers, Blogging, Characteristics of Murder, Committing The Perfect Murder, Creating Emotional Drama in a Murder Scene, Cyber Security Issues, Deciding What Types of Fictional Characters Fit Into Your Plot, Designing Murder Plots, DNA Forensic Science, DNA Testing Flaws, DNA Testing Techniques Called Into Question, Familial DNA Searches, How to Choose a Murder Weapon for a Plot Idea, Ideas for Murder Scenes, James J. Murray Blog, Killing Off Characters in Your Novel, Methods of Murder, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, My Will Be Done - A Short Story, New Blog, New Forensic Tools, Plot Development, Plot Ideas and Where They Come From, Plotting Murder Scenes, Plotting The Perfect Murder, Privacy Issues and Online Genealogy Services, Standards for Familial DNA in Criminal Cases, The Science of Murder, Tools of Murder, Unique Murder Plots, Writing Dramatic Murder Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CARFENTANIL – A New National Threat!

I’ve written blogs before about America’s love of opioid medications for pain control and the resulting opioid epidemic in this country. Inevitably, effective pain medications tend to be abused and then become more difficult to obtain legally by prescription, and they … Continue reading

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Gabapentin – The Next Drug of Abuse?

Gabapentin was introduced in 1993 and marketed as the brand name Neurontin to control epileptic seizures as well as to help control nerve pain due to nerve damage. It is an ideal drug for nerve pain, first as a primary drug and … Continue reading

Posted in About James J. Murray, About Medications/Pharmacy, Alternatives to Opiate Painkillers, Blog Writers, Blogging, Creating Interesting Fiction Characters, Creating Unique and Interesting Character Flaws, Deciding What Types of Fictional Characters Fit Into Your Plot, Designer Street Drugs, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Arcs, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Drug Abuse, Drug Misadventures, Epidemic of Narcotic Overdoses, Fiction Based on Facts, Gabapentin, Gabapentin Abuse, Gabapentin as the Next Drug of Abuse, Gabbies, Ideas for Murder Scenes, Illegal Drug Trends, James J. Murray Blog, Medication Abuses, Medication Safety Issues, Misuse of Drugs, Morontin, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, Murder With Drugs, New Blog, New Drug Abuse Phenomenon, New Drugs of Abuse, New Street Drug Trends, Opiate Epidemic, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Therapy Alternatives, Party Drugs, Pharmacy/Pharmaceuticals, Plot Development, Prescription Drugs Become Street Drugs, Prescription For Murder Blog, Prescription Prescribing Practices, Prescription Trends, Street Drug Abuse Substances, Street Drugs, The Practice of Pharmacy, The Writings of James J. Murray | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Novichok = A Political Poison?

I generally don’t blog about anything related to politics, religion or sex. However, a fascinating, yet horrifying, incident occurred recently in Salisbury, England that intrigued me. Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military intelligence officer who reportedly worked for years undercover … Continue reading

Posted in A How To Blog on Murder Plot Ideas, A How To Blog on Murder Weapons, About James J. Murray, About Murder, About Writing, Acute Poisons, All About Murder, Blog About Poisons in Fiction Writing, Blog Writers, Blogging, Bloodless Death Scene Writing, Chemical Poisons, Chemical Weapons Discussions, Chemicals Used For Murder, Deadly Poisons Discussed, Deciding How to Kill Off a Character in a Novel, Designer Poisons Used For Murder, Designing Murder Plots, Developing Story Arcs, Developing Story Plots, Developing Storyline Ideas, Fiction Based on Facts, Fiction Based on Real Life, How to Choose a Murder Weapon for a Plot Idea, Ideas for Murder Scenes, Interesting Murder Weapons, James J. Murray Blog, Killing a Villain in a Novel, Killing Off Characters in Writing, Killing Off Characters in Your Novel, Lethal Chemical Poisons, Lethal Chemicals in Murder Mysteries, Lethal Nerve Agents, Lethal Poisons, Murder Mayhem and Medicine, Murder Weapons Discussed, New Blog, New Methods of Murder, New Methods To Kill Characters in Your Novel, Novichok, Plotting Interesting Murder Scenes, Political Poisons, Prescription For Murder Blog, Russian Assassinations, Sergei Skripal, The Science of Murder, The Writings of James J. Murray, Tools for Murder, Toxic Chemical Warfare Agents, Unique Lethal Compounds, Unique Murder Plots, Unique Murder Weapons, Ways To Kill, Ways to Murder, Writing Death Scenes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments