Building a Conspiracy You Can Touch
- JoAnn Hess

- Sep 1
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Legacy, power, and the paper trail behind the thriller.
Great conspiracies feel physical: keys, ledgers, crests, the weight of a door that shouldn’t open. In Shadowfall, we design each clue as an object with history—and a choice baked in. The protagonist isn’t decoding lore; she’s deciding whether to torch a dynasty or wear it. That’s the thriller engine: power isn’t abstract—it’s notarized, inherited, and always personal. Our rule of thumb: every reveal must change a relationship and the stakes on the next page.
Comments