Tell us a bit about yourself and your books

Known as the ‘Duchess of Dark Domestic Noir’, I’m a former solicitor and the author of seven psychological suspense thrillers, including the top ten bestseller My Husband’s Lies and four gothic-tinged psychological thrillers under the pen name CE Rose.

My twisty novels are multi-layered, dark and edgy ‘domestic suspense’ stories, set in South Manchester and the surrounding areas, that delve into complicated relationships, secrets and the moral grey area. Drawing on my days as a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer, I love to create ordinary, relatable characters who get caught up in extraordinary situations, pressures, dilemmas or crime. I admit to an obsession with the human psyche, what goes on behind closed doors and beneath people’s façades. I also enjoy performing a literary sleight of hand and I guarantee a jaw-dropping ending!

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

From a very young age I made up stories in my head before sleep, so I’ve always enjoyed storytelling. I didn’t translate that into being an author until I took a career break from the law to bring up my three daughters. With more free time on my hands, the creativity spark ignited and I’m now fatally infected with the compulsion to write.

Has any author inspired you?

My writing journey began with short twist-in-the-tale stories which were very much influenced by Roald Dhal’s adult short story collections such as Switch Bitch. I still love a good old twist — or several — in my novels, but I’m also keen on really developing my characters, their emotions and relationships in the vein of authors such as Kate Atkinson and Lisa Jewell.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have always been interested in human beings, their stories, their history, their secrets and particularly the things they aren’t admitting to! During my career in the law, and later in my role as a moderator, I met many people in all walks of life who’d found themselves in conflict of one sort or another — with the police, their spouse, their child’s school, their neighbour. This helped my understanding of the human condition, what goes on behind closed doors and particularly recognising there are two, if not more, sides to every ‘truth’, which is why I love to write about it.

Do you have a special place for writing?

I’d love to say that I roam the far hills and dales with my trusty pad and pen, but I actually sit myself at my study desk with a large mug of Yorkshire tea every morning and let my imagination run riot.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Definitely a pantser. I mull on two or three unconnected things that have intrigued me — maybe a setting, a person with an interesting back story and a dark family secret —  then I mentally develop a couple of twists or a possible ending and the rough outline of a character. After that I set off and see where that character takes me.

Is your writing ever inspired by people you know or real life incidents?

Like Frankenstein, I borrow parts of people I know to build my creations. There’s also a bit of me and my experiences in each novel, which can be satisfyingly cathartic, such as my horrible boarding school experience in Betray Her. My Husband’s Lies was inspired by a tipsy family friend telling me a secret at my brother-in-law’s wedding and The House on the Water’s Edge includes extracts from my parents’ real love letters. And of course, if someone has annoyed or upset you, they might just appear as a less-than-nice character…

Tell me what your latest creative work is about?

My next psychological thriller is due out in November. It’s still awaiting a title, but it revolves around Laurie Dunn, a criminal solicitor, who returns to her family home-cum-dental practice after splitting with her boyfriend. Back in her childhood bedroom, she’s haunted by unsettling dreams and a sense of unease which  triggers a profound need to investigate her family history.

After she’s terrifyingly mugged in central Manchester, she falls into the arms of fellow Solicitor, Finn, and they join forces to uncover dark secrets from her formative years. As she begins to question everything she thought she knew, she becomes increasingly reliant on Finn. But he is navigating his own twisted past. Can Laurie trust him? Can she even trust herself?

What inspired you to write this book?

As usual I have brought together a few different strands — not least that heart-thrashing sensation when one is sitting in the patient’s chair at the dentist. A couple of the twists were also inspired by my return from CrimeFest to Manchester on the train a couple of years ago, when a chatty elderly lady told me her dark family secrets and said, ‘there, you can put those in your next book’. So I did! I can’t share what they are as that would be spoilers…

What advice would you give to other writers?

Be tenacious! The world of publishing can be brutal, the rejections and particularly the trend of ghosting are really tough. But you have to be in it to win it, so polish your work to the very best standard, listen to those who have something constructive to add and keep going. There are lots of downs, but the highs of seeing your book on a bookshelf are absolutely worth it!