In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by novelist Carole Hailey to talk about her gripping debut novel, Scenes From A Tragedy.

We discuss how Carole was drawn to writing about a devastating plane crash in the Lake District and how her background in law shaped the way she approached research, investigation and storytelling. Carole shares her fascination with exploring the aftermath of tragedy rather than the moment itself, and how the ripple effects of loss can be just as compelling as the event.

One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation is Carole’s decision to write about psychopaths who aren’t murderers - the people we work with, live with and sometimes love, and how that choice adds an unsettling realism to the novel.

Carole also offers brilliant advice for writers, particularly around the idea of “writing what you don’t know”, and how curiosity, research and empathy can help bring unfamiliar worlds convincingly to the page.

You can find Carole here: https://www.instagram.com/carolehaileyx/

You can buy Scenes From A Tragedy here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/scenes-from-a-tragedy-carole-hailey/a713f711130c9596?ean=9781805461562&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

Biography of X by Katherine Lacey

True Crime Story by Joseph Knox