“It was obvious when Grant arrived that the danger had passed. Mount Vernon Street was quiet and empty and completely devoid of gunfire or shooters.” One of the fun things about writing fiction is telling the stories you like to read. Making stuff up. Creating a world. Or shaping an existing world to suit the story. I like to use real locations, either ones I’ve visited or places I’ve researched. Either way, it’s nice go see them once the book has been published. With Beacon Hill I had the pleasure of visiting Boston again and stepping into the real world behind my fictional one. Here are some of the places I used in the book.
Costello’s Tavern. Centre Street, Jamaica Plain. Changed to Flanagan’s Bar in the book. Okay, so it’s not exactly from Beacon Hill but it is a Jim Grant watering hole. I had a burger the size of a tower block and lived to tell the tale.
Mount Vernon Street, Beacon Hill. Daniel Hunt’s house was changed to fit the story but the street is exactly where I say it is.
Massachusetts State House. Just to the side and round the front of Hunt’s house.
Coffee Shop, junction of Mount Vernon and Charles Street. Where Grant sits watching Hunt’s house and foils the bank robbery. This was actually Charles Street Market when I wrote the book but I needed a coffee shop. Three years later it’s Peet’s Coffee & Tea. I had to have a coffee, even though there is no outside seating.
Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits, junction of Mount Vernon and Charles Street. Across from the coffee shop. When I called in and told the owner I wrote the coffee shop and now it exists he asked me to write a story about him winning the lottery.
One Winthrop Square. Daniel Hunt’s office. Real place, different purpose.
Joe’s American Bar & Grill, Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. Where Grant meets Kincaid and is surrounded by armed cops. I changed the interior to suit the story. The Old Town Trolley Tours runs outside the park.
Deer Island Treatment Plant. Again a real place, different purpose. I changed things extensively for the explosive climax. This place would never blow up the way I describe, but that’s creative licence for you.
All the other locations are real too but I didn’t get chance to visit them. Check them out on Google Maps. That’s what I did. Of course when it comes to the book, the reader creates his/her own version. You own half of the creative partnership. Hope you enjoy the ride.
