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A man in a suit and fedora smokes a cigar in a dark alley, holding a briefcase, with framed police photos nearby in a black and white film noir style.

A man in a suit and fedora smokes a cigar in a dark alley, holding a briefcase, with framed police photos nearby in a black and white film noir style.
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create a news article for this prompt FICTION — THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION / NOT A REAL PERSON OR EVENT The Somerville Ledger — Special Feature Headline: Legendary Gangster “James McLain” — New Evidence in 1950s Crime Novel Sparks Renewed Interest Byline: By Ava Carter — Culture & Fiction Desk — October 2, 2025 Lede: This is a fictional report. A newly reissued crime novel and a companion archival exhibit have resurrected the name James McLain, a fictional mobster created for the book Winter Hill Nocturne. The reissue includes fabricated “archival” police blotters, photographs and a mock mug shot created by the artist for the novel’s world-building. Body: The novel’s author, writing under the pen name M. Harding, assembled a trove of prop documents intended to immerse readers in mid-century New England organized-crime lore. The exhibit — labeled throughout as part of the novel’s world — includes a staged press photograph and a faux police report. “Everything in the exhibit is created for the story,” the publisher says. “We wanted to make the imagined world feel tactile, but we made sure every item is clearly marked as fictional.” Historians and local archivists welcomed the vivid storytelling but urged caution. “Fictional artifacts are fun and immersive,” said Dr. Lena Ortiz of Somerville Historical. “But when objects look like primary sources, it’s important to flag them clearly so researchers and the public don’t mistake them for real records.” Sidebar (Fictional context): See more

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