Sunday Times bestselling author Jennie Godfrey talks to us about her debut novel 'The List of Suspicious Things' and shares how she spent most Saturdays as a child in her town's library and how those experiences shaped the story of her novel.
Jennie Godfrey is the author of the Sunday Times No.1 bestseller The List of Suspicious Things which was published by Penguin Books in January. You can also find The List of Suspicious Things on the Suffolk Libraries catalogue.
I can't remember a time before I loved books and reading. I had a book on the go from the youngest age, and my mum actually took me to the doctors once, because she was worried that I was reading too much and not sleeping enough (I read with a torch under the covers every night). The doctor reassured her that she didn't have anything to worry about thank goodness. The library in the town where I was born (Dewsbury) was a thriving hub of the community then, and I spent most Saturday's there - it's one of the reasons the library plays an important part in The List of Suspicious Things - I am so grateful for my library experience as a child, we were not well off enough to buy books at the rate I was reading them, and the library was my solace.
I wanted to be a writer when I was growing up, but gave up on those dreams when I realised that being a writer was unlikely to put food on the table in the recession hit 1980's when I came of age. Instead, I went into the corporate world but remained a voracious reader, until what was essentially a mid-life crisis (!) when I realised that if I wanted to do something creative, it had to be soon. I did the opposite of all the advice of 'don't give up the day job' and left my job with nothing to go to - and I wrote and wrote and wrote. I am so glad I did!
I am lucky enough to live in rural Somerset now, and have a room devoted to writing and books, with a view of the Quantock hills. It is very boldly decorated with prints, as I love interior design. It is my favourite place to be, and I treat writing very much as my job, in that I arrive at my desk with a goal for the day and don't leave until I have done it. Writing is the best way I have ever found of losing myself, in the best possible way. When I am 'in flow' there is nothing like it!
The novel is set in 1970's West Yorkshire and it is the story of 12 year old Miv. Her home life isn't great, money is tight, Margaret Thatcher has just become PM, and her mum is ill in a way she doesn't understand. There is also an undercurrent of fear in the area caused by the murders of women that have been taking place since 1975. For all these reasons Miv's father decides he's going to move the family down south which to Miv is a terrifying prospect. To prevent this she decides she will make Yorkshire safe for her family again by catching the murderer, recruiting her best friend Sharon to help. The two of them create a List of Suspicious Things and investigate them one by one, finding out all the secrets of their community in the process.
I must confess I am still a teenager at heart so it wasn't too difficult for me (!) but if I ever felt I was losing Miv's voice I would turn to my own diaries - which I've kept since I was 13 years old.
To me, the 1970's feel like yesterday, so I was actually really shocked to remember the attitude to women at the time, especially the victims of Peter Sutcliffe. It felt impossible to me that this was during my own lifetime.
It has been successful beyond my wildest dreams - and I really hope so!
I am writing my second novel at the moment.
All The Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker has been my go-to recommendation since I devoured it last year.
That I once sang on Radio Two's Friday Night is Music Night when I was in a children's choir!
