Review: ‘The Spring’ is a love letter to San Francisco in serial thriller form
Each chapter of this murder mystery Substack highlights facts about San Francisco, such as distinctions of our private high schools or best spots for a burger.
By Katie Sweeney
The Spring is a fast-paced, gripping true crime novel that unravels the murder of 17-year-old Alexa Thomas. The story by native San Franciscan Annie Wilson puts us in the days after the Giant’s third World Series win in the fall of 2014. The first chapter debuted on January 1 on Wilson’s Substack — My Plastic Camera — with new chapters following every Tuesday and Friday. At less than 2,500 words, each chapter is a quick morning-coffee type of read.
Wilson spent five years working on another novel before shelving it unfinished last summer. But after taking a creative writing class in Paris, she decided it was time for a new project. “I have a list of ideas, and one of them was to create a Thursday night masterpiece mystery set in San Francisco in the Presidio,” Wilson said.
She lives six blocks from the Presidio and, having spent many hours walking in the park, is familiar with a lesser-known feature, El Polín Spring. It’s here where the dead body of Alexa is found the morning after Halloween.
Wilson’s intriguing plot, compelling characters, descriptive settings, and cliffhanger ends make it hard not to be hooked after reading just one chapter. The story is told through the point of view of three law enforcement officers: SFPD’s Jean Hagen, the Presidio’s Paco Mayfield, and the FBI’s Mark Greenberg. The trio spends much of the novel unraveling the mystery of Alexa’s murder and closely examines Hagen’s complicated personal life. “The thing about Jeannie’s family is their legacy,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of families like this in San Francisco where everybody passes the bar, and they go to work in the family business, but she didn’t. She’s had some fuck ups, and she’s trying to figure out who she is.”
Besides legacy and reputation, Wilson’s story touches on many other themes: entitlement and privilege, sex, teenage bullying, and state versus federal police policies, to name a few. She’s researching and writing in real-time consulting with “a close family friend who’s been in the police department for 20 plus years,” she explained. “I’ve talked with him, and he was like, ‘Oh, no, this is right.’”
While the plot is serious and timely, it’s also a love letter to San Francisco with detailed descriptions of the city’s storied past and places. In one chapter, she mentions the Ramaytush Ohlone and their original ownership of the Presidio land. In another, she tells the history of SF’s flower market. Each new chapter highlights captivating facts about SF, such as the unique distinctions of its private high schools or the best restaurants for a burger.
Why a serial and not a book?
“There’s this history of serials I like. Tolstoy wrote Anna Karenina as a serial. Dickens wrote tons of serials, and then there’s Tales of the City. A lot of people don’t even remember that it was actually in the Chronicle as a serial,” Wilson said.
She enjoys the digital format, which allows her to experiment with other art forms. “It’s fun because I’m taking the photos that are the chapter heads.”
Wilson uses a Holga camera to capture moody, mysterious shots of San Francisco. “They’re trippy, and they can be really deep, or they can be nothing at all,” she said, adding:
“You don’t know what you’re getting until the film processes, which we are not used to anymore. So the idea that you drop it off and it takes two or three days to get the scans back makes it feel like an art form because you have to compose the shot and think about light. And I’ve been doing them in the Presidio and around the Presidio, and they seem to lend themselves to the story. They’re interesting sites in the city, but they’re not touristy photos; they have some twists.”
Wilson also created playlists, as she thinks of The Spring as more of a television miniseries than a hardback book, and maps that illustrate details from the novel. She says there are several months of the story to unveil, and it’s flowing freely out of her. “I have the story arc,” she said. “I know who did it, but I haven’t told anyone, so no one knows.”
The Spring expresses Wilson’s love for San Francisco, and she views writing it as a personal victory. “I’m writing it for myself to prove I can finish this project and because I’m really enjoying it in a way that I haven’t enjoyed a writing project in a long, long time, and I’m still getting a kick out of it.”
Katie Sweeney is a San Francisco-based writer.
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What we’re doing this week
Bloom Floral Ball
Welcome to "Bloom," an enchanting costume ball where the beauty of spring and your fabulous fantasy collide in a celebration of abundance. This is a follow-on event to The Academy’s Spring Flower Festival, happening the same day. Immerse yourself in cascading blossoms and fabulous looks. Guests are invited to dress in their floral best—whether you choose to embody the grace of a blooming rose, or the mystery of a tropical orchid, interpret as you wish, but look your best.
WHEN: May 18, 2024, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
WHERE: 2166 Market St., San Francisco
Golden Gate Bandshell Concerts
The free outdoor concerts feature a diverse lineup of local artists performing genres like singer-songwriter, folk, rock, jazz, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, and more. The historic 122-year-old Golden Gate Bandshell received upgrades like a new stage, lighting, and sound system during the pandemic. This beloved San Francisco tradition is put on by the SF Recreation & Parks Department and Illuminate.
WHEN: From May through November
WHERE: 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco
Thank you to you and Katie for this lovely review!!!