From the New York Times bestselling author of The Other Girl and Justice for Sara comes a thrilling psychological drama about a woman who believes she escaped a brutal murder years ago—but does anyone else believe her?
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Erica Spindler about her latest novel, The Look-Alike, which publishes on January 28th and adds to her over 35 published novels.
Erica loves to interact with her readers so you can find her on Instagram and Facebook! You can also become EPIC (Erica’s Partners in Crime). Being EPIC comes with the opportunity to receive advanced reader copies and exclusive content and contests, along with joining her Facebook group.
Hi Erica! With the new year, what are three things you are looking forward to or hoping to achieve?
Hi Elise! Happy New Year to you! This is going to be an exciting and busy year, with THE LOOK-ALIKE hitting the stands in January and my son getting married in December. In between those highlights, I’m looking forward to finishing my current book-in-process and brainstorming a whole new story—a process I find exhilarating. Lastly, my 2020 personal intentions are to be both more organized and in the moment.
Your new novel, The Look-Alike, releases on January 28th. If you could only describe your book in five words, what would they be?
Twisty. Layered. Thought-provoking. Emotional. Edge-of-your-seat.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
A woman who grew up in the dark shadow of her mother’s paranoid delusions, returns home to confront her past and the unsolved murder that altered the course of her life.
THE LOOK-ALIKE is both a thriller and family drama, and I had a blast unraveling the relationships between the members of this troubled family and exploring the question at heart of the story: If you can’t trust your own thoughts, feelings and memories, what—or who—can you trust?
What inspired you to write The Look-Alike?
An image of blood in the snow. No, really. This was the initial spark—a young woman trudging across campus in a snowstorm, trips over a murdered classmate. Her gloved hands literally landing in the blood-soaked snow. I couldn’t shake it and although I knew it was the beginning of a story, I had no clue what that story was.
Eventually, a question attached itself to the image: What if the young woman becomes convinced, seemingly without reason, that it was she who had been the killer’s intended target? THE LOOK-ALIKE was born.
Were there any challenges you faced while writing The Look-Alike?
The biggest challenge I faced was making certain I got the character’s diagnosis—Persecutory Delusion Disorder—right. The mother’s mental illness and how it affected every aspect of the story was paramount. It had to be accurate, not just because the story demanded it, but because I wanted to be respectful to both those afflicted with mental illness and the families that love them.
Was there a favourite character, scene, or chapter that you really enjoyed writing?
There’s a scene in the book where my main character, Sienna, comes home to find her mother in a full-blown delusional episode. It’s incredibly dramatic and allowed me the opportunity to explore both the depths of the disorder and the tightrope those dealing with the afflicted must walk. It’s an incredible tension builder—for both the reader and the plot. Fun stuff.
Why do you enjoy writing suspense novels?
That tightrope I just mentioned, I walk it with the characters. The drama, the uncertainty of outcome, the range of powerful emotions, including fear for life, I experience them the way the reader does. Racing heart, quickened breath, the whole bit. Also the gut level satisfaction of the resolution—-bad guy getting his/her comeuppance and the good guy conquering evil—and their own demons. Simply, I think I enjoy writing them for the same reasons readers enjoy reading them.
You have published 35 novels over the years. What is the biggest thing you have learned as a writer?
As you can imagine, I’ve learned a bunch over those years, and some lessons were easier than others. But I think the biggest, most important one is this: Even though everything about the book industry can and will change, readers will always want good, gripping stories, so my job is to write the best book I can, this year and every year.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us? Any 2020 releases you’re looking forward to?
I always anticipate new books from authors I adore; among them, Lisa Gardner, Allison Brennan, JT Ellison and Alex Kava. I also anticipate finding that new story from an author I don’t already know, one that’s a delicious, can’t-put-down surprise. Is there anything better than finding a new-favorite-author?
