Second Thoughts Past Times Cara Hunter

We’ve all heard almost ‘second novel syndrome’. Three words to smasher fearfulness into the pump of whatever writer. As if it wasn’t difficult plenty to write 1 book, you’re as well as then faced alongside having to practise it all over again. And if the showtime mass is fifty-fifty modestly successful the stakes are higher still.

I was actually lucky alongside Close to Home. It was a Richard as well as Judy mass guild selection as well as that was exactly almost the best launch-pad for a novel serial y'all could mayhap dream of. I was too lucky inward that I’d pretty much finished the minute mass earlier Close to Home was fifty-fifty published, thence some of the trace per unit of measurement area was off. But when I sat downwards to begin In The Dark I even thence faced all the park challenges of writing a minute novel, the showtime as well as most pregnant beingness to come upward up alongside a halfway decent idea.

And fifty-fifty if y'all receive got an idea, at that spot are technical challenges alongside writing the minute novel inward a series, which aren’t the same every bit a minute mass every bit a standalone. Some things are easier, of course, every bit some key elements are inward house earlier y'all start.

The setting, for example. In my case, the ‘much murdered’ metropolis of Oxford, familiar to criminal offence fans across the the world cheers to the adaptations of Morse as well as Lewis as well as Endeavour (though I’ve made the witting conclusion to locate the DI Fawley books inward parts of the metropolis that volition last less familiar to TV viewers).  Like Close to Home, In The Dark was inspired inward large purpose past times North Oxford. It’s a perfectly preserved Victorian suburb, alongside tree-lined roads as well as huge Victorian mansions ascension 3 or 4 storeys high. It’s a beautiful as well as respectable house thence it’s all the to a greater extent than unthinkable every bit the setting for the terrible criminal offence that Fawley finds there.

The cardinal constabulary squad is too the same every bit inward Close to Home. Not exactly Adam Fawley himself, but the squad closed to him. The flashy DS Gareth Quinn who’s his ain worst enemy; the sold as well as dependable DC Chris Gislingham; DC Verity Everett, who people underestimate at their peril; the just-a-bit-geeky DC Andrew Baxter, as well as PC Erica Somer, freshly escaped from a pretty disastrous human relationship alongside Quinn she wishes she’d never started.

The nifty pleasance of whatever sequel is to re-engage alongside characters who intrigue you, as well as I receive got to confess I actually dear this team. The dynamics betwixt them are actually interesting to write, as well as their relationships are starting to evolve inward fascinating ways. And there’s truth inward that quondam cliche that your characters accept on a life of their ain – I know it sounds counter-intuitive to tell that almost people who be only inward your ain head, but it actually does happen. They start to practise things y'all hadn’t planned, as well as every bit y'all dig through the layers y'all discovery things inward their pasts that y'all hadn’t expected. 

Nowhere is that truer than alongside the grapheme of Adam Fawley himself. I experience closest to him, of course, non exactly because he ‘carries’ the series, but because his sections are written inward the showtime person, thence I receive got to think myself into his caput when I write for him. When I wrote Close to Home I had no thought it would plow into a serial – I thought I’d last lucky plenty if someone exactly wanted to position out it. So I didn’t receive got a huge spreadsheet setting out how his grapheme would last revealed over time, or how his personal life would develop. I’m starting to practise 1 now, though! I think hearing how the producers of The Archers receive got vast files almost each of their characters – non exactly basics similar historic stream as well as superlative as well as colouring of eyes, but all the things that receive got happened to them, as well as when.  Of course, mine is tiny past times comparison, but I practise know what they mean. Especially every bit correct straight off I receive got Close to Home out, In The Dark imminent, No Way Out inward in conclusion copyediting for publication inward January, as well as I’m writing issue four, thence it’s slowly to forget who did what as well as inward which novel (it has happened!). And alongside 3 books written I practise straight off receive got a clear thought of how Adam’s story is going evolve, as well as I promise readers who warmed to him inward Close to Home volition desire to come across how that plays out – how he faces upward to the tragedy inward his past, as well as the comport on that is even thence having, particularly on his human relationship alongside his wife.

And I’m absolutely delighted that Penguin receive got straight off commissioned a 5th mass every bit well, thence that spreadsheet of mine looks probable to last growing for a piece yet….

In The Dark past times Cara Hunter ( Published past times Penguin Books) Out now.

A adult woman as well as pocket-size are flora locked inward a basement room, barely alive.  No 1 knows who they are - the adult woman can't speak, as well as at that spot are no missing persons reports that stand upward for their profile. The elderly human being who owns the solid claims he has never seen them before.  The inhabitants of the tranquillity Oxford street are inward shock. How could this hap correct nether their noses? But DI Adam Fawley knows that naught is impossible.  And that no 1 is every bit innocent every bit they seem . . .