Deadly Lies came in third in the fiction category of the 2015 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Chris Patchell.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The book is called Deadly Lies, and it was first published as an eBook on December 15, 2013
What’s the book’s first line?
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.
I should explain. Jill is counting down in her head. She hears her stepfather’s tread on the stairs. She knows exactly how long it will take him to reach her room. She knows what’s coming, and this time she’s going to be ready.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Deadly Lies is about a woman on a dark and twisted road to revenge.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I was struck by an idea–a woman on her husband’s computer. She sees something, something she can’t let go. So when she goes back onto his computer and starts digging around, she can’t ignore what she’s found. The question is, what will she do about it? I pitched the story idea to my husband on the eve of signing up for my first writing course. The story idea was good, but felt a little cliché. Why is it always the husband who has a secret life? So I decided to tip it on its head. What if it’s the woman who has a secret life? What if her husband is a cop? How far will she go to protect her secrets? And what will he do when he finds out?
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The protagonist is a killer on the hunt. Is she a serial killer? A vigilante? I’ll let the reader decide.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
I feel very lucky that over fifteen thousand people have read the book. The consistent piece of feedback I get from my readers is that they can’t put it down. Deadly Lies is a departure from the mainstream. I wrote the story I wanted to write, fully knowing I was breaking some of the classic rules of storytelling along the way. If you’re looking for a story full of twists and turns and surprises, I hope you’ll like this one.