Klaus Mansfeld: The Character Who Wouldn't Stay Dead

I introduced Klaus Mansfeld, aka the Leopard, in The Woman in Blue as a master art thief and mentor to Neal during his years in Europe. Initially I had no intention of Klaus hanging around. He was killed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art about a third of the way into the story, and I assumed I'd seen the last of him. But characters have a way of taking matters into their own hands and it wasn't long before I began to hear rumblings that Klaus was alive.

Target: Neal Caffrey

When master thief Klaus Mansfeld decided to persuade Neal to rejoin his crew, he called on his brother Rolf, the cybercriminal nicknamed Azathoth, for help. Rolf performed a detailed analysis of Neal to formulate his plan. He identified three key vulnerabilities to exploit.

Yellowface, the Adventures of a Bee Plot Bunny

Bunnyball is the term Penna and I use for bouncing ideas off each other. One of us will start with a concept and toss it to the other for her thoughts. When that bunny comes back, more often than not. other bunnies have hitched a ride. The initial bunny grows and grows, spinning off baby bunnies as it develops, until sometimes it's difficult to remember what we started with. And because we're writing a series that takes place over several years, we have the luxury of continuing the same bunnyball game over multiple stories. A case in point is Aidan's video, Yellowface the Masked Avenger.

Peter & Neal at the Crossroads: By the Book, Take Two

Last week in Ghosts of Caffrey Disclosure, I wrote about the connections between the events of the previous summer and those that take place in Nocturne in Black and Gold. But for Neal and Peter, even more pivotal is what occurred in Penna's story By the Book. That story takes place just after Neal was recruited and describes his first case. The lessons learned made a profound impact on both men and have led them to the crossroads they stand at now.

Ghosts of Caffrey Disclosure

It's no secret that I was inspired by Penna's Caffrey Disclosure for many of the scenes in Nocturne in Black and Gold. Several times Peter and Neal mention events which took place in that story. Sometimes the comparisons are unsettling. Could the ghosts of Caffrey Disclosure be haunting them now?

Two Puzzle Masters

In Nocturne in Black and Gold, Marta Kolar alludes to Rolf Mansfeld having become nearly as fixated on recruiting Peter as his brother Klaus is on Neal. It's easy to understand Klaus's motivation. The master thief known as the Leopard is quite familiar with Neal's ability, having refined his skills as a forger and cat burglar for two years. Klaus came to think of Neal as his younger brother and is now eager to welcome his wayward protégé back. But why is Rolf so interested in Peter?

A Thief Among Thieves

A few weeks ago, Penna wrote about the do-overs and keepers that the Caffrey Conversation AU has allowed us to perform. Removing the felon aspect to Neal's character has permitted us to establish closer relations between him and his fellow team members. It also gives Neal the chance to shed his former life while the team benefits from his expertise. In Nocturne in Black and Gold, particularly relevant is the team's attitude toward Neal's skills as a thief.