The Victorian House in River Bones

I had searched the Net to find Victorian house plans to use in River Bones. I found this 1986 Queen Anne Victorian. After examining the floor plans online, I was able to purchase permission to use the house drawing on the front of the original book, before it was re-published. The cover has changed but not the story.

This is Talbot House, named after friends that Sara Mason came to love, and who were the previous owners.

The Floor Plans

A lot of the story takes place inside this home, as well as outside. For me this was the perfect layout for the story. These are the exact drawings of the house

The First Floor

While the house in the picture above doesn’t look long, it really is. It’s just the angle at which the picture was drawn.

Now readers can follow along when the action takes place inside the home.

Sara remodels the home and removes the dining room fireplace, then installs a grand staircase where the maid’s staircase stands when entering the kitchen.

So much action takes place inside, I can see it happening just by looking at this floor plan.

The 2nd Floor

When Sara bought the home, the Talbots had already enlarged the servant’s room out over the back porch and made it the master suite. Sara further remodeled and installed two ways to enter the suite or bathroom and dressing area. It is in this area where she is cornered by the killer. When she is able to foil him by escaping through one of the entrances, she runs to the front of the floor, where she falls from the top of the staircase due to remodeling. She is stunned and disoriented. Then the killer flies through the air and lands on top of her.

There are some things that we fiction writers write about and can’t help falling in love with. This house is one I could easily love. I have always loved architecture and once worked for a custom home builder who let me make changes in the floor plans. If only I were in ad situation to build a home for myself, I would build this… and not be afraid of the ghost that haunted the house in the story.

Some links for River Bones, the first story in the series.

eBook: http://mybook.to/RiverBones

Paperback: http://mybook.to/riverbonespb

Large Print: http://mybook.to/riverboneslp

Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/y3enc8w9