Behind the characters - Adam Greene and Alex Albury in my thriller mysteries

Continuing my theme of looking behind the characters (see previous blog entry on DI Andy Horton, Art Marvik and Inspector Alun Ryga) here is what shapes my other two fictional sleuths in my standalone thriller mysteries IN COLD DAYLIGHT and IN FOR THE KILL.

In my thriller, In Cold Daylight, Adam Greene is a reluctant hero. A successful marine artist he wants nothing more than to be left alone to paint. He opts for an easy, quiet life leaving the ambition to his successful career wife, Faye. He wants to forget the past, including his mental breakdown following the tragic death of his former girlfriend, for which he holds himself responsible.He is always overshadowed by the legacy of a lack of self esteem caused by a domineering father and a highly successful manipulative brother. But all that changes when Adam is forced to take up the quest to find the truth behind the death of  his closest friend, firefighter, Jack Batholomew after Jack is killed in a fire. In doing so Adam has to face the demons of his past. He has to discover why so many firefighters from one watch have died of cancer and why Jack himself was killed in an attempt to hide a scandal that goes to the heart of government. Adam puts his life on the line. He is tested to the limit and is finally forced to examine his past and confront his relationships with his over ambitious wife, his father and brother.  He has to find an inner strength through experience and overcoming adversity.

Alex Albury, the protagonist in my thriller, In For The Kill, has it all; a successful business, loving wife and kids and a glowing reputation. Then someone steals his identity and executes a skilful and clever campaign against him by planting fraudulent information on his computer.

Before Alex can fully understand what has happened he finds himself convicted for fraud and embezzlement and serving a prison sentence. His life, as it was, crumbles.  On his release from prison he sets out to discover who has ruined his life and why. He has nothing left to lose. He's set on revenge with a pathological aversion to using any form of modern technology for fear the perpetrator will strike again.

With his life and reputation destroyed he no longer cares what happens to him. His goal is to kill. But when it comes to it can he do it?  Will he become the criminal that he is supposed to be or do his original values reassert themselves? 

The characters in my novels are very real to me and if they're real to the writer then they will be real to the reader.