To B Plot or Not to B Plot: Not the Answer You Expect.
A while back, a fellow writer in a Facebook group asked me a question that stuck: "Is there a scene in your book you hope readers will really remember?"
That question made me think about the heart of my story — beyond the mystery, beyond the murders, beyond the shadows.
For me, it’s one small, seemingly ordinary scene that carries enormous weight. It’s when Frank, freshly dismissed from a murder case, lands a new client — but not the kind you’d expect.
Here’s how it begins:
I WAS EMPLOYED AGAIN the next afternoon. Different case. Very different client.
When your five-year-old daughter hires you for eleven quarters, three nickels, and a Canadian penny, what are you gonna do? You take the job. Even if you know her ‘case’ is just her mother’s new boyfriend eating her birthday candy. Feeling needed, I took the job.
That moment captures so much of Frank’s world: his desperate longing to hold on to family, the bittersweet ache of watching his ex-wife and daughter from a distance, and the invisible glass between what was and what can never be again. It’s playful and tender, but it carries a quiet weight — a child’s game that reflects a man’s true priorities.
A Different Kind of B Plot
In many detective stories, the B plot is a romantic entanglement — a femme fatale, a love triangle, a chance for the protagonist to show vulnerability.
Frank’s B plot is different. Instead of glamour or temptation, it’s messy, raw devotion to his daughter and the complicated ties he has to his ex-wife. Every case, every compromise, every misstep is measured against what kind of father he is — what kind of man he wants to be in her eyes.
This shift in focus changes the stakes. Noir is still about danger, shadows, and moral compromise, but here, the emotional tension comes from love and loss rather than lust or betrayal. That father-daughter bond is the heartbeat of Working Stiff, the anchor that keeps Frank human when the city is at its most corrupt and chaotic.
Why This Scene Matters
It’s not just a sweet moment. It’s the lens through which readers can see Frank’s true character. In a world full of lies, murder, and moral gray zones, this scene shows who he really is — a man trying to hold onto the pieces of life that matter most.
It’s hope and heartbreak intertwined, a reminder that even in noir, love can take forms we don’t expect — and sometimes, it’s the love that drives a story more than the mystery itself.
Available Now
If you’re curious about Frank Leland’s story, Working Stiff is now available i ebook, paperback, and hardcover. Dive into the streets of 1977 New York, follow Frank’s cases, and discover the B plot that makes him human.
👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FKHKL5B6
Also available from Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other fine bookstores.