Let’s take a look at the facts as they presented themselves:
1. No one is ‘fessing to writing the books.
2. Nathan Fillion does book signings, but he said to Parade Magazine, “I don’t show up and pretend to be Richard Castle.” So he isn’t claiming or even acting as if he has penned the bestsellers.
3. The publisher, Hyperion, has given only one clue: The real author has appeared on Castle. (1)
4. As we know there are a number of well-known authors who have appeared in Castle’s poker games – including James Patterson, Stephen Cannell, and Michael Connelly.
5. The about-the-author blurb on the Heat Wave cover offers: Richard Castle is the author of numerous bestsellers, including the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm series. His first novel, In a Hail of Bullets, published while he was still in college, received the Nom DePlume Society’s prestigious Tom Straw Award for Mystery Literature. Castle currently lives in Manhattan with his daughter and mother, both of whom infuse his life with humor and inspiration.
6. The “Nom DePlume Society.” If it exists, it’s a secret society, because I couldn’t find an actual record of anywhere. (Not that I do believe it is real, but I had to be thorough.)
7. Tom Straw – the “award bearing name”– however does exist. He is an actual person, who is –shocker – a writer. He’s written a mystery novel THE TRIGGER EPISODE, as well as maintained a successful career as an award-nominated writer for shows such as Mary Tyler Moore, Night Court, COSBY and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Not surprisingly, on the Amazon page for his book, the most common books people who purchased his book also bought were the Richard Castle books.
8. Tom Straw is also referenced in the Author’s Note in the book.
Which means for Tom Straw to be a “suspect” in this mystery, we have to prove he’s appeared on the show. According to Nathan Fillion (and Parade Magazine), he has. But when? What episode?
This required a little more digging, but ultimately I found the answer. He did appear on the show, in a non-speaking, cameo role. And the proof is in the pudding, or in this case, the video.
Here is a screen shot taken from CASTLE’S Season 2, Episode 5 — during the launch party of HEAT WAVE (which is ironic). The man sitting at the table with Nathan Fillion is Tom Straw (or an identical twin.)....
(englisch)
Bin echt gespannt, ich hab es zufällig in der Buchhandlung gesehen und Probe gelesen.
