The first to disappear in any murder story is the person who has suffered fatal harm. They are reduced to an ethnically defined, gendered, life-styled archetype with a number pertaining to their age stamped on their forehead. Oh, and they are always warm, generous and friendly. To a fault. Which is perhaps the fault that finally denudes them of any real personality and renders them unseen. Woe betide anyone that says “Aye Jim, could be a carnaptious so-and so from time to time” or “Jacky could be obstreperous when the mood took her”. It would add colour to those perfect bones…adding flawed human flesh.

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