Des Moines police stories inspire detective novel

A box filled with memories of long-gone relatives has inspired a local writer to pen a detective tale with a distinctly Des Moines twist.

Jan Walters of Indianola is the author of “York Street: A Ghost and a Cop Series.”

The book is a nod to the Des Moines Police Department and Walters’ way of recognizing four generations of her family — dating back to the late 19th century — who have served on the force.

“When I was growing up, my grandmother told me story after story of adventures and escapades (my great-grandfather) got into,” Walters said. “Before my grandmother passed away, I sat down with her and said, ‘Grandma, I want you to tell me all of these stories and I want to write them down and actually record them so my kids, my grandkids can have them and read them.’ ”

When Walters retired in 2010, she found the hand-written notes in a box under her bed.

“I thought boy, what if my great-grandfather were alive today? What would he think of the world the way it is today and, of course, what would happen if my son — who is a policeman today — what if the ghost of my great-grandfather came back and they worked on solving a case?”

The book is about a young officer named Brett O’Shea, who wants to become a detective. Shortly before his ailing grandmother passes away, she tells O’Shea that he needs to solve his great-grandfather’s murder case.

With the help of a ghost who visits him after his grandmother’s death, O’Shea sets out to clear his great-grandfather case and solve a series of more recent crimes.

Walters used her family members and retired Des Moines police officers who meet at Crouse Cafe in Indianola on Sundays to help develop her characters’ personalities.

“In living with a family of cops, sometimes police officers see things differently than you or I do,” Walters said. “They see things black or white. You’re either breaking the law or not breaking the law. There is no in between.”

She said that’s reflected with O’Shea’s character, who starts out as a very straight-laced, by-the-book kind of guy. By the end of the story, Walters said, he understands that sometimes he has to break some rules to get the bad guy.

As for Al, the ghost part of the ghost-and-a-cop, he was modeled after Walters’ great-grandfather, John Brophy, who served as a Des Moines police chief for a short time.

“He actually did picket the Des Moines Police Department when he was suspended,” Walters said, talking about a chapter in the book. “He was on the police department during Prohibition and was very much against alcohol.”

Walters found ways to tuck her great-grandfather’s stories into her book.

During one scene, officers drive up to the old Colonial Bread Company at the corner of Second and University and knock on a window with their flashlights. Just like one of the stories from her childhood, the store owner opens the window to give the officers fresh-baked bread.

In another scene, officers round up the hobos and put them on a train to Chicago.

“Things like that, they really happened,” Walters said. “And I don’t think average people would believe that happened.”

Walters is already hard at work on her second book, which will be titled “Red Sunset Drive.”

She envisions at least a three-book series; she plans to name each book after a street in the metro area.

‘York Street: A Ghost and a Cop Series’

AUTHOR: Jan Walters

PAPERBACK: 288 pages

PUBLISHER: iUniverse

COST: $17.95 softcover; $4.99 e-book

AVAILABLE: iUniverse website, http://bit.ly/1Dxl4kD; Pageturners Bookstore in Indianola; Barnes and Noble at Jordan Creek; and Amazon.com.