I’ve identified a few reasons. Ironically, my first book, Time After Time, is a rom-com. When I wrote it, I’d recently moved to Canada, my start-up company had failed and I was miserable. Looking back, I think I was trying to write my own happy ending. Once things got back on track I shifted to suspense. People might not believe this because of what I write, but I’m a very happy, jokey person. Actually, it seems the happier I am, the darker my stories become.

Writing suspense also allows me to dig into my fears from the safety of my keyboard. It enables me to think about difficult, dangerous situations, see what my characters do once they’re in them, and how they’re changed at the end of that experience.

And finally, I’ve always been a rule follower, so my books are very much an exploration of what it’s like not to be the “good girl.” Best of all, none of it is real so I can go as dark and malicious as I please (or my editor will allow).

What research did you do for this novel?

That’s such a great question and I’ll bet my dubious search history has got me flagged on a few databases somewhere! I think the most unique bits of research were how allergy medication can jumble your memory, and how a person can die while working under a car. Like I said: dubious! I also had to research geographical locations, sought help from medical professionals, poison control and a librarian, to name a few.

I’m continually astounded by how people are so generous with their time, knowledge and expertise when I call on them for help. For example, fellow suspense author A.F. Brady read the entire novel and advised me with the psychological aspects, and Bruce Robert Coffin (a former detective sergeant, and bestselling author) has helped me get away with fictional murder multiple times. Their input was incredible!

Is there a particular author or book that influenced or inspired your writing or decision to write?

I’ve had a long-standing love affair with both Lisa Jewell’s and David Nicholls’s books. I discovered Lisa Jewell’s first novel, Ralph’s Party, at the airport back in 1999 and have read and loved all her books ever since. She has a shelf to herself in my house. I adore how she expertly shifted from rom-com to family drama to domestic suspense throughout her career, and her storytelling always pulls me in.

A friend gave me David Nicholls’s One Day when it was published. I devoured it in a matter of days and bought all his other books so I could do the same. His characters are so rich, his dialogue perfect, his stories funny yet poignant, he’s an auto-buy author for me.