Crafting Tension and Suspense
The Author
For now, I’m choosing to remain anonymous. Tell Me Who Dies is my first novel, and instead of waiting until 2026 to unveil a finished draft, I’m inviting select readers into the process while it’s still in motion.
I want to hear from seasoned psychological thriller readers—what resonates, what falls flat, and what lingers after the last page. I’ll stay true to my vision for the story, but I know my work will sharpen and grow through honest criticism.
Focus
I am writing a psychological thriller that lives at the intersection of crime, character, and control. Every scene is built to keep readers questioning what they know—and who they trust.
Style
Spare, tense prose with literary restraint. I lean into atmosphere, silence, and subtext, letting dread build in the spaces between words.
Themes
Justice versus performance, truth versus narrative, the masks we wear and the lies we live. My story turns on the unsettling idea that control of the story is control of reality.
Vision
To craft a thriller that both grips and lingers—to entertain first, but also leave readers wrestling with questions about justice, power, and human psychology long after the last page.
My Journey
Past Creative Work: In my youth, I explored poetry, one-act plays, and short stories. I was fortunate to win a couple of university awards. But I had to put my creative writing aside. Now, after forty years writing for others in the business world, I’m returning to my first passion—writing stories of my own.
Blogging: Insights into the world of thrillers and my writing journey. I've already learned about myself as I have been grappling with my book's theme and coming up with hard truths.
Schedule: I began my novel in December 2024 and intend to finish my first draft in early 2026. I have a daytime job which occupies a significant amount of time. Please be patient.
Upcoming Novel: Anticipate the release of Tell Me Who Dies.