Shadow of Doubt was the winner in the Mystery/Suspense/ Thriller category of the 2020 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author SL Beaumont.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Shadow of Doubt was published in July 2019.
What’s the book’s first line?
“For God’s sake, get one of the others to do it.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
A post-Brexit referendum terrorist bombing and an unexplained death leads London banker Jessica McDonald to uncover secrets and lies that will upend her life—and put her in grave danger.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
World events were the inspiration behind, Shadow of Doubt, which has been described as a financial thriller meets terrorist conspiracy. The polarising opinions surrounding Brexit in the United Kingdom and the high level of discontent and instability gave me the idea for the novel. It led me to ask the question: How well do we really know those around us?
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
At its heart, Shadow of Doubt is the story of one woman’s quest to put her life back together after it’s derailed by events outside of her control. In doing so, Jessica McDonald discovers that she possesses resilience and tenacity. She reminds me of Robert Galbraith’s Robin Ellacott.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
If you love modern-day, torn from the headlines thrillers, with strong female protagonists set in Europe, this is the book for you.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
I shared this in my Reader Group newsletter recently and there was an overwhelming consensus for these actors to play the four main characters:
Jess: Lily James
Colin: Richard Madden
Will: Tom Hughes
Ewan: Ewan McGregor
When did you first decide to become an author?
I have written stories for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t seriously sit down with the aim of writing to publish until my children started school.
I’ve always been attracted to the mystery/thriller genre. As a child, I devoured Enid Blyton tales and grew into Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, and later on John Grisham, Linda Fairstein, JK Rowling and many others.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
No, I have published a 5-book mystery series called The Carlswick Mysteries, which delves into art crime such as Nazi-looting, antiquities trafficking and rare manuscript theft. The series is set in Europe with a Kiwi protagonist and her English rock guitarist boyfriend thrown into the midst of the intrigue. I’m due to publish a financial crime novel in September 2020 called Death Count, which is the first in the Kat Munro thriller series.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part of being an indie is having full creative and business control. I have built up my team of editors, cover designers, proofreaders and beta readers who all contribute to making my books a success. Discoverability continues to be the hardest part, but businesses such as IndieReader help with that.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
My motto is never say never!
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
JK Rowling has been a significant source of inspiration for me. Not just her ground breaking Harry Potter series or the fantastic Cormoran Strike novels, but her perseverance to keep writing despite being told on numerous occasions that no one wanted to read a story about a boy wizard!