Send Lawyers, Guns and Money

I was watching a Mel Gibson movie the other night, but I saw only the last third. It's called Edge of Darkness and it's based, I've discovered, on an English TV detective show of the same name. Why did I take a strong enough interest in the film to do some research? Well, Gibson's character, a homicide detective, is named Tom Craven. Those of you who keep up may remember I wrote a book call Spineless (Lulu.com, 2004). In that story there is a Massachusetts State Police detective named Tom Craven. Hmm. The film is set in Boston and in western Massachusetts. Spineless is set in Boston and in western Massachusetts. Hmmmm. In fact, the western MA location for both is Northampton. HMMMMMM. Both stories involve quasi-government operatives not working in the best interest of their constituencies, and, get this, killing people in a very odd way with chemicals. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
Of course there are other story and style elements in my story and the movie that have zero connection to one another. (SPOILER ALERT) Such as in the movie Craven dies at the hands of those he is investigating. No... Wait. That happens in Spineless, too.  Turns out the TV series predates my book by nearly a decade. But in the series the detective's name is Ron Craven. For the film the location is moved to Massachusetts and the character is renamed Tom Craven. Argggghhh.
Sure, sure. OK, I know. But just because I am paranoid doesn't mean they aren't ripping me off.
By the way, Gibson does a credible job with his Boston accent. I figure I have to say something nice about Mel. Otherwise they might find me in a ditch with Infidel in Aramaic scrawled across my forehead.
Loved your Simpsons episode, Mel!