THE TOP TEN IRISH BESTSELLER. Shortlisted for the 2015 Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition. Discover more DI Tom Reynolds with the next book in the series, Beneath the Surface.
It’s true what they say . . . revenge is sweet. 1975. A baby, minutes old, is forcibly taken from its devastated mother. 2010. The body of an elderly woman is found in a Dublin public park in the depths of winter.
Detective Inspector Tom Reynolds is working the case. He’s convinced the murder is linked to historical events that took place in the notorious Magdalene Laundries. Reynolds and his team follow the trail to an isolated convent in the Irish countryside. But once inside, it becomes disturbingly clear that the killer is amongst them . . . and is determined to exact further vengeance for the sins of the past.
My Q&A with Jo Spain
Jo’s first book, crime novel With Our Blessing, introduced DI Tom Reynolds and was published in 2015 by Quercus Books London, after she was chosen as one of seven shortlisted in the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition that year.
Jo is a former parliamentary assistant in Ireland’s Leinster House and has been the vice-chair of the InterTrade Ireland business body for the last five years.
With Our Blessing was a top ten bestseller and chosen as an Irish Times crime book of 2015, Declan Burke’s debut of the year on RTÉ and received critical acclaim.
A graduate of Trinity College, Jo lives in Dublin with her husband and four small children.
Describe yourself using three words?
Mammy. Reader. Runner.
What inspired you to write your first novel?
Reading everybody else’s. I wanted to be a story-teller, too.
What time of day do you like to write?
Anytime (when the kids let me).
What is your favourite book and why?
And then there were none. It’s a master class in crime writing.
How did you pick the title of your book?
It just came to me. There’s a line in the book where somebody says evil things were done ‘with our blessing’. And I thought, yep, perfect.
Are the characters in your book based on real people?
No, though the lead detective shares a few traits with my hubby.
What’s your favourite word?
Can I pick two? The end.
If you were a colour what would it be?
Yellow. Nice and bright.
Do you plan your story beforehand or go with the flow?
I plan it almost to the last detail. It helps me write the first draft quickly. Then I finesse in the edit.
Who is your favourite Author?
Jane Austen, for being a genius.
If you could give any literary villain a happy ending who would you chose?
The poor, mad wife in Jane Eyre. Locked in a tower while her husband cavorts with the governess! If ever anybody needed a break.
Are you working on a new project?
Always. I’m in the middle of book 5 at the mo.
Do you have any upcoming events our members can attend?
No, but Beneath the Surface will be released in June in Britain
Thank you so much, Jo Spain and @QuercusBooks for being on my blog today.
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I keep saying I won’t start following any more detective series but this sounds too good ro pass up! Agree also about the poor mad wife in Jane Eyre. Now there’s a story waiting to be told!
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This sounds so good with the link to the Magdalene Laundries.
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Great to discover an Irish writer I hadn’t heard of. Go Jo!!
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