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Today I have a chat with Caroline Mitchell the author of Silent Victim, published by Thomas & Mercer in March 2018. It’s our blog tour spot, find out what exclusive photograpg Caroline shared with us.

|Synopsis|

Emma has it all. A beautiful son, a loving husband and a dream job. Life only seem to get better when her husband, Alex, is offered a promotion and plans to move his young family to a new home. But Emma has a terrifying secret. In her back garden lies the body of a school teacher who seduced her as a teenager and Emma is responsible for it being there. Knowing she cannot leave without disposing of the body, Emma returns to original place to rid herself of it once and for, only to discovers it gone. Panic and terror lead to a confession of the crime to her husband, who promises to stand by her no matter what.

But Emma’s revelation shakes them to the core. As the idyllic life they once led becomes unhinged, soon both find themselves tangled in a web of deceit and as a chain reaction of events take place, their perfect existence begins to implode. Splitting the story between three voices, Caroline draws on her police officer experience to present the complex and blurred lines between victim and predator, innocence and guilt, and deceit and protection.

| Author Interview |

What book truly inspired your life and why?

I have quite eclectic tastes when it comes to books but when I was young I remember being enthralled by The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I cried, I laughed, it really touched me, and I got heavily into reading after that.

How did you pick who you dedicated your book to?

It’s easy to start off, as I pick family members. As time goes on, I broaden it to extended family or people who have touched my life. One book has been dedicated to the emergency services, another to the parents of missing children.

Did you do a lot of research for your book?

Many of the characters I write about are woven from the tapestry of my own experiences in the police. Obviously, I cannot write about real life events, but I’ve been involved in many traumatic incidents and met colourful real life characters that really broadened my writing horizons. I like to research locations as much as I can to make readers feel like they are there.

What was your favourite read of 2017?

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. A wonderful, heartwarming read.

If you had to take three books on a desert island what would they be?

Any Stephen King blockbuster as it would keep me going for some time.

Wuthering Heights as I could read that again and again.

A book on meditation – after all, I’m going to have time to kill!

 

Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?

I was working long hours as a police detective and desperate to leave my job. I self-published my first book and found I really enjoyed the process, so I decided to take it more seriously and write a crime thriller series. I was signed by digital publishers Bookouture, who were very new at the time. The series took off and I was very fortunate to land myself an agent, but working long hours and writing meant I was approaching burnout. I had to make a decision – choose my writing or my job in the police. I took a leap of faith and left my job. I had four children, a mortgage to pay but a huge amount of faith that it was the right decision. Now, four years later I’m signed by Thomas & Mercer, have sold half a million books and become an international No.1 Amazon best seller. However, this is a very potted account. I had plenty of rejections and knockbacks along the way. It’s a tough road but hugely rewarding. I’m very privileged to get paid to write and I never lose sight of that. I would advise new writers to grow a thick skin and immerse yourself in motivational tools. I’m a huge believer in the law of attraction and it really helped me in those early days.

Can you share with us a photo that tells a story?

I’ve attached this photo of author Mel Sherratt and I messing about at Harrogate Crime Writer’s festival in 2017. I’ve always been a huge fan of her writing and never imagined that one day we would become the best of friends. Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to befriend lots of fantastic authors. I know in the early days that it’s tough to get off the ground but if your writing is good and you persevere, being an author is the best job in the world.

What would you like your readers to know before starting your book?

My books aren’t always grounded in total realism, after all, who wants to read about a police detective struggling with paperwork for eight hours of the day? I like to take readers on a journey, with many twists and turns. It is always my aim to provide escapism, it’s why I fell in love with reading in the first place.

Do you have any questions that you would like to ask your readers?

I’ve just finished writing my tenth book. I’d love to know which of my books is their favourite and why.

|Buy Link|

 

Thanks to Midas and Caroline for the opportunity to be on the blog tour.

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