SHELBURNE FALLS — In 2012, this village portrayed “Holton Mills, N.H.” in the Hollywood movie “Labor Day,” and then, in 2013, it was “Carlinville, Ind.” in the movie “The Judge.”
But in Fred DeVecca’s first mystery novel, “The Nutting Girl,” it’s just called “Shelburne Falls.”
For many years, freelance writer/filmmaker DeVecca wanted to produce a film or work of fiction set in his hometown — and now he has.
“The Nutting Girl” cover, by local artist Peter Ruhf, illustrates the Glacial Potholes — the scene of the mystery in DeVecca’s first novel, which is to be released by Coffeetown Press in Seattle on Aug. 1.
DeVecca has lived in and near Shelburne Falls since 1979. Some of the novel takes place in McCusker’s Market, Mocha Maya’s Coffeehouse, the old Blue Rock Cafe, the Bridge of Flowers and the Glacial Potholes — all named in the book.
DeVecca, who was coordinator of Pothole Pictures from 2000 until this year, rubbed elbows with the directors and production crew who came through Memorial Hall theater during filming. “Labor Day” filmmakers also used the auditorium as a staging area.
But mostly, says DeVecca, “I was struck by how these film crews came in and just took over the town. That’s when I sat down to write this book.”
During those two summer months, this village of 2,000 residents was swept up in a kind of Hollywood frenzy, stargazing behind the scenes, watching world-famous actors do take after take in iconic buildings made to look like diners, offices or courthouses.
DeVecca took in the movie-making scenes along with everyone else and then sat at a table by the window of Mocha Maya’s Coffeehouse for many mornings, writing scenes for his novel while observing the comings and goings of the town. The book took about two years to write, he says.
The plot is about a talented, famous and wild young celebrity and her protector — a middle-aged, ex-cop and ex-detective haunted by his past. She disappears just as film production starts up in the village, and he has to find her. Tropical Storm Irene (or something like it) even has a small part to play, as the famous woman film star is swallowed up by the Deerfield River and goes over the dam.
Vermont mystery writer Archer Mayor, who frequently names real places in his “Joe Gunther” detective series, advised DeVecca to “call it Shelburne Falls.”
“Even though bad things happen (in the book), the town is portrayed in a sunny, bright quirky way,” says DeVecca. “The detective is trying to get rid of the evil.”
“Texas Wind” author James Reasoner called DeVecca’s book “one of the best debut private eye novels in a long time,” and added, “I’m eager to read whatever Fred DeVecca comes up with next.”
The phrase, “The Nutting Girl,” is the name of a Morris Dance tune that DeVecca, a Morris dancer, is very familiar with. The song is about a beautiful young woman who tosses away the nuts she gathered for a wild fling with a young man who wins her with a song.
Detective Frank Raven is a former monk who drinks too much and worries about aging. The movie star is “one of those young women who are total trouble,” according to DeVecca. But as the two talk, each one’s perspective is influenced by the other.
“All I tried to do is take all the standard private-eye trope, but put it in a fresh way,” he said. “It’s meant to be fun and fast-moving.”
While the place names are real, the characters are fictional and do not represent real people, he said. Nor does the villainous director in DeVecca’s novel resemble any of the film directors he has met.
“I’ve incorporated a lot of Hurricane Irene into it,” adds DeVecca. “When the moviemaking starts, the starlet gets swept away (in the river) and disappears. She goes over the dam.”
DeVecca said he researched whether it’s possible to go over the dam and survive it by speaking with Shelburne and Buckland police officers and with whitewater rafting expert Bruce Lessels of Zoar Outdoor.
The book is to be released on Aug. 1, and DeVecca and Boswell’s Books plan to hold a book-signing and party at Underdogs Lounge on Bridge Street.
This month, DeVecca stepped down as coordinator of Pothole Pictures, and one of the highlights of his 17 years has been the filmmakers DeVecca has brought to the area to speak about their films. This has included “Capote” and “Moneyball” director Bennett Miller, Richard Rush, who was nominated for an Oscar for “The Stunt Man,” and Vermont film director Jay Craven.
Maybe “The Nutting Girl” will be made into a film someday, and then DeVecca could be the Pothole Pictures guest star, explaining it all to another local audience.