As a published author of futuristic thrillers, Marco Eletti has a knack for intrigue and unlikely plot twists. But police say his latest storyline doesn't add up, and have arrested the 33-year-old from the northern province of Reggio Emilia on suspicion of the brutal murder of his father and attempted murder of his mother, La Repubblica reports.

Eletti said he arrived at his parents' house Saturday in the hamlet of San Martino in Rio to find his 58-year-old father beaten to death with a hammer, and his 54-year-old mother near death with knife wounds to her wrists and arm.

Eletti from his publisher's official author page.

But the Italian Carabinieri are questioning his version of events, accusing the novelist of drugging his parents before the deadly assault, with the idea to construct the scene to look like there had been a violent exchange between the spouses, with the wife killing herself after she'd realized her husband was dead. The mother is in a coma, but is expected to survive, reports regional daily Il Resto del Carlino.

Eletti, whose books include La regola del numero sette (Rule Number Seven) Punto d'impatto (Point of Impact), denies any involvement. Police say they've found multiple clues and pieces of evidence including gloves and rope that point to the son, who they say plotted to kill his parents over a dispute about the family inheritance.