Psychological thriller novelist Jacqueline Sutherland talks to us about her latest novel 'Twin Truths' which is set in Southwold, and what to expect at her upcoming appearance at this year's Slaughter in Southwold crime fiction festival.
Jacqueline Sutherland is the author of two psychological thrillers. Her debut, The Coffin Club, was published in 2022 and closely followed in 2023 by her second novel, Twin Truths, which is set in Southwold. Always a fan of words and with a career in PR and Marketing, she has previously been published for flash fiction and women's short stories in national magazines. She is an alumni of the Faber Academy. Jacqueline is appearing at Slaughter in Southwold on Saturday 15 June. You can find Jacqueline's books on our catalogue.
As a child, I was the quintessential bookworm. I devoured every book I could - reading everything I was allowed to borrow from the library and all those that I wasn’t supposed to read from my parents’ bookshelves. I mixed Thomas Hardy with Virginia Andrews and George Eliot with Stephen King. I’ve always loved a page turner and always wanted to write one myself one day.
I’ve always written. From books about girls boarding school on my mum’s portable typewriter (much in the style of Malory Towers), to angsty, emotional (and truly terrible) poetry in my teens. Then moving on to rhyming picture books when I was on maternity leave and eventually on to flash fiction and short stories, several of which were published in anthologies or women’s magazines. But all of those efforts drove me to do what I really wanted to do - write a novel.
The Faber Academy was a key part of that. I always say it was the best decision I ever made (apart from marrying my husband!). It helped me in so many ways, highlighting the need to get feedback and share my work to improve it, and also helping me to build a writing community which has been the greatest support.
Generally, if life allows, I write at my kitchen table and always with a cup of tea, and I don’t allow myself to get up or stop writing until I need another cup of tea.
However, in the past, I have written in the car waiting to collect my boys from a party or an after school club, or in hotel rooms or cafes, depending on where I am and what I need to do to meet my word count. I’ve even dictated a scene into my phone on a dog walk if needs be!
I’m a real plotter! I generally have a detailed synopsis for a book before I start writing, and sometimes even to the level of a chapter plan. I find it helps me to make sure I’ve planted the right seeds in the right places for the reader to find along the way. I know other writers that like to ‘pants it’ - meaning they just start writing and see where it goes - but I find the blank page too daunting for that!
I always think a good idea starts with a character, a setting, an experience or an event. And these can come from anywhere so it’s good to keep your eyes peeled.
It might be a character that intrigues you - someone that you see every day on your way to work. A setting that makes you curious - for me, Hollow Farm sparked the idea for the farmhouse in The Coffin Club because it sounded a bit sad and desolate. Otherwise, an experience you’ve had might be the trigger to start writing, or an event that you hear about, for example, a stolen child being found ten years later. Any of these four things - Character, Setting, Experience or Event - are rich pickings for a story idea.
Twin Truths is the story of Belle, a woman approaching her fiftieth birthday who can’t wait to have her twin daughters back from their first term at university to help celebrate her birthday and Christmas. But when one of them asks at the last minute to bring her new boyfriend (Ivo) with her, things take a turn for the worst. It becomes apparently very quickly that Ivo knows much more about Belle than he should, and it soon becomes a race against time for Belle to uncover Ivo’s secrets before he exposes hers - and rips her family apart.
I set it in Southwold for many reasons. Firstly - I love Southwold and know it well. I’ve holidayed there many times with my family and thought it was the perfect setting for a domestic suspense. The beautiful community setting alongside the ferocity of the sea, the isolation of the marshes. But also because the local landmarks such as the pier and the lighthouse gave perfect opportunities for dramatic scenes. It all just fell into place.
I’ve got a third book coming out in May 2025, called The Everyday and Far Away. However it’s a very different genre - commercial women’s fiction. I’ve also got another psychological thriller on submission, so please keep your fingers crossed for me.
Hopefully some good bookish chat! I love meeting other booky people - readers and writers!
I’m in the lucky position that I get previews of books from publishers and I’ve really enjoyed Under Her Roof by A.A Chaudhuri and The Night She Died by Sarah Clarke - both psychological thrillers coming out soon!
I have danced on stage at Sadler’s Wells and also, on another occasion, I have tangoed with Brendan Cole!
