Briefly tell us about your book.
Harper Brown is an expert in picking locks, breaking her way out of car boots, talking her way out of trouble and avoiding romantic relationships. She’s addicted to True Crime podcasts and used to write a micro-blog called: ‘How to not get murdered.’ All she wants in life is to be an investigative journalist, and so when she gets a job in Paris as an Arts and Culture writer, she quits her job in marketing and boards the next Eurostar. This could be a stepping stone to her dream job. All she has to do is whatever it takes to get there. But it turns out the city of Love has a darker side too, and soon Harper finds herself entangled in a web of lies, trying to piece together a series of murders, and chasing the scoop of a lifetime. This is the story that could make her career… but only if the killer doesn’t catch her first.
What was the research process like for the book?
I went to live in Paris for almost three months in order to research it and many of my experiences there made their way into Harper’s story. Then there was a huge amount of research required in terms of the French legal system (which is very unlike the Australian, British or American systems). There are a number of other aspects to the story which I had to learn about too, but I don’t want to ruin the plot for you so let’s leave it at that!
If I looked at your internet history, what would it reveal about you?
Well, mainly it would leave you terrified of me. Terrified and perplexed as to how I ever cobble together a novel with the amount of time I spend googling random facts as a means to procrastinate.
Does the creative process get easier for you with each book?
I wish I could say ‘yes’, but the truth is: no. Every time I sit down to write a new book it feels like I need to learn how to construct a novel all over again. The only thing that does get easier is my familiarity with the process; I recognise that whichever stage I am in, no matter how difficult, is normal and part of the process.
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