This month I discovered The Honest Author podcast hosted by thriller writers Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister. I’ve been binge listening to their episodes, especially the ones where they interview other authors about their writing processes. What I’ve learned is that there’s no one way to write a book! I find this comforting. It means that my method of writing is just as valid as anyone else’s and there’s something quite liberating about that.
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Listening to The Honest Author podcast has also influenced my reading choices this month. While browsing in my local library, I spotted How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister on display. I don’t usually venture further than the historical fiction or romance sections, but I picked up a copy and finished it in just three days.
How to Disappear is the gripping tale of a blended family navigating the criminal justice system when fourteen-year-old Zara witnesses a murder. When Zara’s identity is revealed online, her life is threatened. To protect her daughter, Lauren must give up everything: her name, her home, and even her husband. But in a world of camera phones and social media, staying hidden is harder than you might think.
This book is full of unexpected twists and turns. I liked the multiple viewpoints, allowing me to see the story play out from not only Lauren and Zara’s perspectives, but also see the impact on Poppy, Lauren’s step-daughter, and Aidan, the husband Lauren has to leave behind.
I also grabbed a copy of Wrong Place, Wrong Time.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a unique thriller that follows Jen, who witnesses her son Todd kill a man on the street in front of their home. Todd is arrested and Jen isn’t allowed in to see him. She goes to bed that night in utter despair. When she wakes up, it’s the day before the murder. Jen doesn’t know how or why, but she’s been given a chance to change her son’s future.
I flew through Wrong Place, Wrong Time too. The story’s premise had me intrigued from the start. Just when I thought I had it all figured out midway through, there was another unexpected plot twist!
Now I’m eager to dive into some of Holly Seddon’s books. The premise of Don’t Close Your Eyes appealed to me most so I’m starting there: estranged twins who need to find each other when one witnesses something she shouldn’t and one is accused of something horrific. Sounds good, right?
