Yes, I have a new book coming out! Publication date 12th December, just in time for Christmas, yay!
You’re very welcome to pre-order here:
For Kindle: https://tinyurl.com/yx7s3f7x
For the paperback: https://tinyurl.com/mr3wywju
I really hope you enjoy it!
People invariably ask me where I get my inspiration, and for this book, it came from a visit to Berlin on a research trip for a previous novel. I’d been deeply shocked at how fast Hitler had come into power – just three weeks – turning liberal Germany into a dictatorship almost overnight. Liberal, open-thinking Germans thought this would be impossible, so how did it happen?
Then, when I read that a poll of 8,000 adults by JL Partners showed 46% of the British public would prefer some form of dictatorship, with 18-34-year-olds endorsing such a proposition by 61%, it really got me thinking about our imperfect, somewhat messy democratic system. And so, this novel was born.
Which all sounds deeply serious, but the book has its lighter moments, I promise! It also features a bullmastiff, a religious cult, a dead mouse, and a feisty, gutsy protagonist by the name of Sid, who’s a supernatural scientist – in other words, a real-life ghostbuster. Although she firmly believes it’s the human psyche that creates things that go bump in the night, even Sid eventually faces the fact there are just some things that can’t be explained…
Finding inspiration for my next novel on Beer Beach
While the publicity starts to take off for that particular publication, I’m putting the final touches on my first psychological novel. It’s been really interesting writing from a single viewpoint for the whole book – on one hand it’s easier, but it’s also quite difficult sometimes! It’s set in Oxford, a great place to do some research, especially at The Old Bookbinders Ale House, lucky me.
When not writing, I have as usual been flying. This time in our co-owned RV-6 which I love because, unlike the RV-8, we sit side-by-side. Great for taking selfies!
I was reminded of my first book Blood Junction when I headed deep into outback Australia earlier in the year. I’d almost forgotten how endless the roads could be, how big the sky, how empty the countryside.
I visited Silverton, where Mad Max was filmed, and stopped for a pie and the equivalent of a pint. Great Aussie fare!
Mad Max country
One thing I really enjoyed while on the road, were the painted silos. Fantastic.
Loving the outback artistry
I couldn’t resist adding a photo here of Manly Beach, which is where India Kane of Blood Junction fame swims out a little too far…
Reminiscing over my debut novel Blood Junction
Or where she flees through the desert, with the police and a pack of hunting dogs on her trail…
No wonder I set three books down under. It really is a land of extremes and a great foil for thrillers.
It’s thanks to my Dad that I have a kiwi passport that enables me to drop into Australia whenever I can afford to.
And while I was there this time, I was delighted, and very moved, to visit the Nowra Naval Museum and see the actual aeroplane – a Sea Fury – that my father used to fly with the Australian Fleet Air Arm. Don’t I look proud!
I have to admit I was tempted to write another book set in Australia, but when I returned home and got back into the zone, I couldn’t turn my back on such atmospheric and stunning places like Beer Beach and Bath. So much history, so much creative stimulation. I think it might have to be set in the West Country.
While I consider what to write next, I’m reading like mad. Three books in particular stand out:
Three Hours was deservedly chosen as a book of the year by The Times and other newspapers, and I could see why. It really is that good. It’s set in rural Somerset, in the middle of a blizzard, following a school under siege. If you read one thriller this Christmas, I’d go with this one. Unputdownable, but also beautifully written and laden with atmosphere and terrific characters.
Next up is The Russian Doll. Again, a really well written book, which follows a seemingly naïve personal assistant who lands a job with a super-rich Russian. Like its title, the book has many layers, which are gradually revealed as the sinister truth begins to reveal itself. I loved the descriptions of London and having a peek into the rarified world of the exceptionally wealthy.
Lastly, Beneath the Skin was a cracking psychological thriller, and perfect for anyone who enjoyed the superb Apple Tree Yard. Great characters entwine with an absorbing mystery that kept me turning those pages until the end.
I hope you’re having a terrific Autumn – or spring, if you’re further south – and that all is well. Thanks as always for your support, and if you do buy my new book, I hope it keeps you entertained!
Happy reading!
Warm wishes
CJ
© CJ Carver 2023