The film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing opened to an impressive $17 million over the weekend, but it looks like the murder and intrigue of the film has translated over to real life. The author of the book on which the film is based, Delia Owens, is wanted for questioning for a murder in Zambia that is nearly three decades old.
Owens, now 73, is wanted for questioning in connection to a deadly shooting of an alleged poacher in the 1990s. The murder was allegedly captured on video and was broadcast on American television, per The Atlantic. The footage is described as a literal snuff film, and the alleged shooter is Owens’ stepson.
Authorities believe that Owens and her then-husband, Mark Owens, could be accomplices to the murder, and they believe that they helped cover up the slaying. They also indicate that the pair may have been involved in other crimes as part of their conservation efforts in the southern African country. This has all been detailed in a New Yorker expose titled “The Hunted” by Jeffrey Goldberg.
The crazy thing about all of this is that many believe this has helped promote the film. PR guru Juda Engelmayer of Herald PR called the circumstances a lucky break. He said, “If it is a coincidence, then it couldn’t have been planned better from a public relations and marketing point of view. It has created even more buzz.”
As of January 2022, Owens’ novel has sold more than 12 million copies and has spent 166 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers List, setting the record for holding the No.1 spot longer than any other novel. The book focuses on Kya, a young girl in the 1960s who is forced to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina. When the body of a local big shot Chase Andrews is discovered in the marshes, Kya is viewed as a kind woman who is unjustly arrested and tried for his murder. The pair were once lovers, and he tried to sexually assault her weeks before his death, focusing more on her as the murderer. There is a twist at play here that I won’t reveal, but it’s pretty interesting that the author of this story is involved in her own murder mystery.
Reese Witherspoon produced the film, which was met with dismal critical reviews but has been received more fondly by fans of the book, given its 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, who is getting glowing reviews even from critics who didn’t like the film, and it even features a song by Taylor Swift. All of this is a perfect storm to bring even more attention to the movie.
What are YOUR thoughts on Delia Owens being wanted for questioning in a murder?