Hi everyone!
This week’s #SJsTwitterBookClub featured author Louisa Scarr (@paperclipgirl), who popped in to talk about her brilliant police procedural “Last Place You Look”.
As usual, after serving the virtual snacks and topping up everyone’s imaginary drink, I asked Louisa to summarise the book for us: “LPYL begins as a man is found dead in unusual circumstances in a hotel room. At first, it's assumed as an accident, but as West realises the victim is the man she's been having an affair with, she knows there is more than meets the eye. Meanwhile, her new boss, DS Robin Butler, as with all good detectives in fiction, has a traumatic past, and a secret threatening to be exposed. So it's all about protecting the people we love - and finding the truth, at the expense of everything else. Good fun stuff!”
We talked about how Louisa became a writer and what sparked her love of books. I asked whether there was particular book or author. “Crikey,” she said, “all of them. I read A LOT when I was a child. I was/am definitely an introvert, so I spent a lot of time by myself, quite happily. And the feeling of books, the smell. Just love them. Then I started writing and the feeling of creating your own worlds, and imaginary friends. Nothing better.”
We talked about planning our books, and I said this: “I plan. But then I veer off the plan. And then some months later I look at the plan like it's some weird ancient artefact, a map from an unknown time of an unknowable region, long forgotten.” Whilst Louisa made me very envious by presenting us with this:
(Click on the above tweet to be taken to the thread)
It was a fascinating discussion and if you haven’t read Last Place You Look then do so immediately!
Next week I’m appearing at @FrintonLitFest (details and tickets here) so #SJsTwitterBookClub is having a week off, but the week after we’ll be talking poetry with @AllieEsiri. Don’t miss it!
Happy reading!