Crime thrillers are the ;post popular story genre.  

I have never before tried my hand at writing one but am now giving it a go. There is a serial killer targeting one particular group of people in a series of highly planned and far from random attacks.

Writing at the moment is slow as I take great care to introduce characters and facts in the right order while not giving anything away that will, I hope, build up the suspense.

This is the introduction, just a few hundred words to start the story off:

"Congratulations on your promotion Sir. I know I speak for all of the team when I say how proud we are to be a part of this new initiative."

"Thank you Sergeant,"  detective Chief Inspector Graham Warner smiled. "I know I have a very good team but with just five members in The Major Incident Team let's hope any incidents are not too major !"

It had been the brainchild of Thames Valley's Police and Crime Commissioner, an initiative not completely supported by the chief constable which could be why there were just five team members, Warner, Detective Sergeant Theresa - Terry - Abbott and Detective Constables Dave Mc Dermott, Stuart Miller and Bill Coldrich.

"As you know we go operational tomorrow so let's get the office organised today, no doubt something will be assigned to us tomorrow."

Nothing was assigned to the team on Thursday 12th January. It was a day for marking time, twiddling thumbs and kicking heels. Not that any team member wanted a serious crime to be committed, every officer had crime prevention within his brief, surely with Thames Valley Police's area of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire there had to be something that needed the attention of the newly formed Major Incident Team. Never before in their separate careers had any of the five ever had a day when there was nothing to do.

Warner suggested the team assemble the next day at nine but every one of them was in the office by eight. The call came at eight fifteen.

"A particularly nasty murder in North Bucks," Warner announced to his team. "Our first case. We'd better take two cars, Terry you come with me, Dave you take the others in your car. The address is on the incident page on the computer."

"I'll get it Sir," Detective Constable McDermott clicking to print out the address. "Milton Keynes, even with lights and sirens it'll take at least forty minutes to get there."

"I doubt the deceased is in any hurry," Warner said as the team speedily left the office to head for the cars.

"This looks particularly nasty," Terry said as they raced to the scene.

It was nasty. A man in his thirties laying face down, shirt pulled up to his neck, trousers and underpants to his knees, stomach ripped open. The local officers had secured the area and crime scene staff were in attendance.

"I'm Jim Lapworth," the white plastic-suited doctor said, "forensic officer."

"Pleased to meet you, Graham Warner."

The two needed but did not shake hands.

"Rather nasty, head's bashed in, lower abdomen ripped wide open."

"Cause of death ?"

"One of them but which I can not tell you until I get him back.  I can fit in a postmortem at one if that would suit you."

"One is fine."

"Who is he ?  Any ideas ?  Sergeant Terry Abbott - Terry with a y not an ie,"  Sergeant Abbott introduced herself.

"There was a wallet in his right trouser pocket, it's been bagged up and uniform have it for you. I also bagged up a Stanley knife placed on his chest, almost certainly it did this."  Lapwoth cast an arm about the semi-naked and mutilated corps."

"Murder weapon ?"

"Possibly but until I get him back I'll not know if it was the knife or the blow to the head that killed him.  Not found yet anything that could have been used to hit him."

"Excuse me Sir," a uniformed sergeant approached. "Sergeant Cort, Thames Valley D Division. I can be your liaison with the local station if you wish."

"Thank you Sergeant.  What is this place ?"

"They call it The Blue Lagoon, Sir. It's an old flooded clay pit from when there was a brickworks here. The council turned it into a nature park but very few people come here, there's no parking you see, just a few fishermen and the off dog walker."

"It was a dog walker who found the body ?"

"Yes Sir, one of my officers has taken him home to leave his dog then will drive him to the station and take a statement from him."

"Very good Sergeant. No sign of the weapon used to hit the victim on the head ?"

"I'm afraid not Sir, we have searched."

"And who is our victim ?"

"I have his wallet bagged up for you Sir, there was a Halifax debit card and a Tesco employee  card there in the name of Anatol Sawicki."

"Any address ?"

"I'm afraid not Sir."

"Too much to hope there's any CCTV anywhere about."

"Not a thing Sir. I can organise a house to house if you would like but as you can see the nearest houses are not exactly close by."

Warner pondered. "Looks like a planned murder," he said.