Someone has been murdered on Independence Day in Haven Park, a small town with a population of 517 – correction 516.  I would not be surprised if the population experiences a further downward spike as the story progresses. 

The murderer is, as the strapline states; closer than they know.  The reader’s quest is to discover who he/she is and what their motive(s) are.  The answer is not as easy as it may first appear to be.

Haven Park is a place where anything can and does happen.  Some love affairs are flaunted, others kept secret. Skeletons are many and closets jammed packed.  Even the detective investigating the case has his own demons.  1960s America is alive and kicking.

Independence Day is written in the style of a soap opera with the reader held captive by dynamic dialogue rather than descriptive passages. So far, there are 11 chapters (plus two interludes) with plenty of red herrings scattered throughout.  The author advises that the story will run to approximately 30 chapters, quite a way to go before we discover exactly whodunit.

Each chapter is broken down into three scenes; the majority are set in the present with occasional flashbacks.  Other sections of the site include character backgrounds, chapter recaps, town overview and history, story trivia, faqs, interviews with the author and a story forum.

A lot of effort has gone into creating a web fiction experience and I have enjoyed what has been posted so far. The plot is gripping, the characters stereotypical – yet nevertheless believable. 

My only dislike was the continuing links to character profiles which run throughout the story.  I understand why they are there and think I would find them less distracting if they were a more subtle shade other than white, which tends to jump out from the dark background.

Good, old fashioned soap opera very well done and positively entertaining.

NB I preferred this site layout: http://haven-park.110mb.com/ to the one accessed by the WFG link.

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