Meet the Author: Catherine Cooper

Catherine Cooper is an author and freelance journalist living in the South of France. Her works include The Chalet, which was a Sunday Times bestseller and longlisted for the CWA New Dagger Award, The Chateau, and The Cruise. Catherine's most recent book, The Island, is a gripping psychological thriller and was published in October. You can find The Island and Catherine's other books on our catalogue.

Who were your literary influences as you were growing up and did you have books around you as a child?

I always read loads as a child, particularly Enid Blyton (especially Famous Five and Mallory Towers) and of course, Agatha Christie.

What was your path to publication? Have you always enjoyed writing?

I’ve always loved writing – as a very small child I loved the Desmond the Dinosaur stories by Althea (I wrote my own Desmond story to send to her and was thrilled to get a reply). I had a short story published in J17 Magazine when I was at university, and finished my first full length novel in 2002 – just as my first child was born. That was women’s fiction (or ‘chick lit’ as it was then called) and while I secured an agent who was very enthusiastic about it, it didn’t find a publisher.

By the time the children were at school and I had enough headspace to write again a few years later, my agent had retired but I found a new one, Gaia Banks (who I am still with) and we submitted a few YA novels to publishers, which had some nice feedback but ultimately no takers. So I changed tack again and decided to write a thriller set in a ski resort because at the time I had never read one (though at least two others came out at around the same time). That was The Chalet, which was pre-empted by Harper Collins four days after submission. The Island was my fourth book for Harper Collins, and I’m now working on my fifth.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

It varies, but I tend to try to get other work and admin out of the way in the morning and work on fiction in the afternoon. When I’m writing a first draft I try to do 1000 words a day pretty much every day to keep up momentum. First draft I also tend to do on my laptop on the sofa or outside if the weather is nice, while editing happens in my study on my ‘main’ computer because it has two large screens which makes it easier to move things around.

I have seen you described as 'the queen of glamorous crime'. Was that a direction you were drawn in or did it just happen?

I love that title! It was kind of by accident. I also work as a travel journalist and have to admit I am a total sucker for a luxury hotel. The Chalet was inspired by some beautiful ski hotels I’ve visited and some days if I’m stuck for what I’m going to write, I find myself describing a lovely suite or a gorgeous meal. The readers seemed to enjoy this element of The Chalet and my editor encouraged me to ramp up the glamour factor in the next ones which I was more than happy to do. It’s a nice niche to have – it suits me down to the ground.

The Island is set on a luxury resort in the Maldives. Did you get to experience the lifestyle in the interests of research?

I did! It was fantastic. I already felt I knew quite a lot about the Maldives from receiving press releases and writing about the amazing facilities in round up pieces over the years, but there is never any substitute for visiting. I was lucky enough to be able to arrange a press trip to Huvafen Fushi where everyone was incredibly welcoming and helpful, and I really think that my visit helped me bring some authenticity to the book. While it was in some ways as I expected it to be, it was all kind of ‘even more so’ – unreally beautiful, the service absolutely seamless, fabulous food, the villas incredible and it helped me see quite how much space and privacy these resorts offer. It was an amazing experience and I’m really keen to go back.

Can you tell us a little about The Island and how it was to write?

The Island is about a small group of journalists and influencers visiting a new Maldivian resort, Ketenangan, for a soft launch. Obviously because it is one of my books, people soon start being injured and killed! This is intercut with a backstory set in 1990 around twins Henry and Ophelia, who then ran balls for privileged teenagers and now own a chain of hotels, including the new Ketenangan.

I particularly enjoyed writing this one – as a journalist I often go on group press trips and I’ve been wanting to write about this for ages – you get such a diverse group of people the dynamics are always fascinating! Plus usually no one knows each other so there is plenty of scope for hiding secrets.

Is there anything you can share with us about your latest project?

It’s very much a work in progress but it’s about a girl band member who goes missing and a reunion concert in Las Vegas of the remaining members several years later. Title is still TBC and publication will be late 2024.

One book, piece of music or work of art that everyone should experience?

Oh, so hard to choose one! I’d probably say Mozart’s Requiem for music, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier for books. Am I allowed two?

What is the strangest or funniest thing that your readers have shared with you?

I can’t think of anything strange or funny, but there is one lady who got in touch some time ago to tell me that her daughter with dyslexia never usually likes to read but had absolutely raced through The Chalet. That was lovely to hear and I’ve just sent a signed copy of The Island for her daughter’s 18th birthday.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

I’m such an oversharer on social media there probably isn’t much – In 2013 I won Hotkey Publishing’s Christmas Novella competition with a New Adult novel called Baby It’s Cold Outside. It didn’t sell many copies, but is still available for purchase on Amazon. Oh, and I learnt how to do the Rubik’s Cube as a child and on a good day, can still do it.