Make This Film, Please

“Cold Flat Junction,” a wonderful novel by Martha Grimes, cries out to be a movie starring Dakota Fanning as Emma Graham, its plucky 12-year-old protagonist. Told from Emma’s perspective, the riveting story revolves around a young girl’s efforts to solve the mystery of another young girl’s death while dealing with a host of eccentric characters. My husband and I read this book aloud to each other, and we found it easy to visualize its fascinating people as well as its small-town setting and the Hotel Paradise, an old-fashioned resort where Emma lives. There are opportunities here for splendid performances, eye-catching cinematography and a screenplay filled not only with intriguing dramatic situations but also a great deal of humor. I would absolutely love to see this movie!