Nobody writes mysteries like Tana French.
The book evolves into a rich family drama, spooky on the edges and with an eye toward tragedy.
EW caught up with French about the new novel, her attraction to mysteries, and much more.
Credit: Jessica Ryan
Read our conversation below.The WitchElmpublishes Oct. 9 and isavailable for pre-order.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This is a story about one mans luck running out.
Because it wasnt within my own frame of reference, it was very easy for me to dismiss it.
What would that do to his sense of himself and reality?
The two came together.
Thats how it all came together.
This is your first standalone novel.
Why was this the time to do it?It seemed to have reached a natural point.
It felt like that had wrapped up that semi-series; I wanted to try something different.
I didnt want to fall into the trap of writing the same book over and over.
I wanted to try something completely different.
And Ive always had detectives for narrators.
Did your process change at all?
The character tends to dictate the structure an awful lot.
It spined from the character.
Without spoiling anything, the character takes this story in some surprising directions.
After this attack on him, hes desperately traumatized.
With his brain injury, the effects are not actually that severe compared to what many have.
Your books always have a great sense of place.
We moved around a lot when I was kid.
Id lived in three continents before I was 12.
For me, a relationship with a place is very fundamental.
Ive always seen places as being very deeply connected to the experience that people have in those places.
I think that probably comes through very much in my books.
Each one of them has a two-way relationship with the events.
The events seep into the place, but the place is also seeping into the events.
These really tall, beautiful rows of gray brick, large houses.
But also because he needs that respite; he needs that safe haven to belong to.
This has always been the safe haven.
To him, thats what it means a place of safety and beauty.
The strawberry beds where they used to eat wild strawberries.
Its a very idyllic place.
What is it that you love about writing and reading mysteries?I just love mysteries!
Ever since I was a little kid.
I dont care if theyre real mysteries, fictional, solved, unsolved I love them.
In a lot of ways thats one of the things that makes us human.
Most animals, if they run into something mysterious, they dont really care.
Can I eat it?
If the answer to both of those is no, theyll wander off.
But humans will stay.
We cant go away from the mystery.
Its not just the answer that fascinates us.
Thats why Ive always been fascinated by them.
I think it was probably inevitable.
If I ended up writing, it was always going to be a mystery.
