Marathon Motor Works was a brass era automobile manufacturer based in Tennessee.

[2] Marathons acquired a good reputation for quality and durability due to the factory controlling all parts, engineering and manufacturing.

The Herff-Brooks Corporation purchased the Marathon machinery and moved production and many workers to Richmond, Indiana.

Although the murder itself is fictional, the book uses the documented disagreements and possible dishonesty among the board and executives to provide a plausible motive.

Residents of Nashville submitted their ideas and the chosen name pays tribute to the building's previous use as Marathon Motor Works.