Is the solution to this mystery patently transparent?

[valarltd]

For my friends who read horror and mystery novels:

Working on a dual-plot novel called Dirty Toes

Plot 1: Children are turning up dead in their beds. They complain of a scary lady in their room for a night or two before this. They are missing all the flesh from knee to hip. But there are no cries, and no other wounds on them.

Plot 2: DJ Admire, private detective, is called in by a man who was ridden as a horse on a faerie ride and forced to shoot elfshot at a centaur herd. He wants his name cleared, since he says it was Unseelies. DJ finds a huge uptick in Unseelie behavior in the last six months.

Is the answer to this story patently transparent?

Comments are screened. Anyone giving the right answer in a comment will NOT be unscreened. Of course, if too many get it right off, I'll call it a wash.

Comments

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

A person who rose with the Wild Hunt was trying to clear his name? Oh, this SCREAMS connection.

However, you should take my reaction with a grain of salt; I love myths of all sorts.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

There is a connection. But you're not where I was going with it.

[ravenskye8.livejournal.com]

Plot 1 - Nikusui?

Plot 2 - The plot itself is understandable... Centaurs are pissed at guy for injuring & possibly killing them, he claims Unseelie fae were in control of his actions, he wants to clear his name... Unseelie fae are known for such actions, and so it looks like guy has a good defense if detective is finding more Unseelie activity than normal... That being said - I don't know HOW you're going to resolve the problem... there could always be a twist that the guy went beserk on the centaurs on his own and is just using the Unseelie activity as a cover... but I'm not sure if you're asking is the conclusion of the story obvious from the setup, or if you're concerned that the average reader knows too much about the setting that the getting to the solution becomes too much exposition...

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

I'm asking if the conclusion of the two plots together is blatently obvious. I figure there will be some exposition involved.

The title so far is Dirty Toes (adding that to the post)

[(Anonymous)]

The D-Man Checks In: Smacks somewhat of The Wild Hunt from Celtic legend. Banshee or witch in the bedrooms? Not sure what the missing skin is about. Material component for something the culprit needs. Not sure why it takes 1-2 nights to size up the intended victim before taking the flesh though. Maybe it takes that long to cross the threshold between worlds? The fairy realm & witchcraft do not always fit in with what or operate how normal people might think of for motives. I ordinarily get a bad vibe though off any story wherein children are mutilated. Dead is one thing... Skinned?! "Yuckie."

Not obvious, but definitely gross, therefore not much interest in reading.

Not sure if a supernatural mystery is a good way to go here, as--like I noted above--the fairy realm & witchcraft do not always fit in with what normal people might think of for motives. Could be the culprit just finds that particular part of children especially tasty. There are all manner of ways to kill people--especially children--in their sleep without making a sound or leaving a mark. A simple pillow pressed over the face will do it for most. Then just dice & slice & be on your way before daybreak. Some killers have no motives that make any sense at all to anyone but themselves.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Not the skin. Everything down to bone.

So the answer is not obvious from the title, the A plot and the B plot put together?

I think it's screamingly blatant but nobody seems to be getting it. And it's NOT an obscure reference.