In an example of life apparently imitating art a California woman has been arrested for murdering her sister and assuming her identity in a case which mirrors almost exactly the plot of The Big Picture, a best selling novel by the American author Douglas Kennedy.
A spokesman for the Oakland police department confirmed it was possible Ms Allman had read the book, which was widely reviewed, or come across a discussion of the plot. Stevie Allman, an anti-drugs crusader, is charged with murdering her sister, Sarah Allman, whose broken body was stuffed into the kitchen freezer. Stevie, who then assumed her dead sister's identity and drew cheques out in her name, is also charged with setting her house on fire to fake her own death and disguise the murder.
In the book the narrator Gary Summers murders his neighbour, whose broken body is stuffed into the kitchen freezer. Summers then assumes the neighbour's identity and draws out cheques in his name before faking his own death by setting the body on fire.
The book was on the New York Times best seller list and is being made into a film. - (Guardian Service)
Kennedy is a former public relations officer with the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.