We chat with author Fiona McPhillips about The Party in the Woods, which is a novel of murder and betrayal, pulse-pounding music, and all the lives we leave behind.
Hi, Fiona! Welcome back! What have you been up to since we last spoke for the release of When We Were Silent?
Thank you for having me back! When We Were Silent was a whirlwind and I was lucky enough to get to travel around Europe and the US to events and literary festivals. Since then I’ve been working on my second novel, The Party in the Woods.
Your latest novel, The Party in the Woods, is out November 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Murder, music, betrayal, illegal raves
What can readers expect?
Annie Fagan is a teacher and mother who finds herself drawn back into a past life of electronic music and illegal raves when the body of her missing friend is found in the Dublin mountains. Seán Salinger was only twenty-two when he disappeared from a party in the woods that Annie and her friends had organised. Now they are at the centre of a murder investigation and they are all suspects.
Annie left that life behind when Seán disappeared in 2001. But as she starts to investigate his murder in 2023, she finds herself drawn back to the scene, to her love of music and the potential it still holds to bring people together. The Party in the Woods is a love letter to that magic, to the people and the relationships that make it happen and it’s a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they are too old to follow their dreams. It’s also a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end!
Where did the inspiration for The Party in the Woods come from?
In 2001, writing a novel was still a distant and unfocused dream for me. But writing about music was my day job, and I spent the rest of my time DJing and making music. I was also part of Creation, a legendary free party collective that put on illegal raves in the woods and on the beaches around Dublin. It was a way of life that we took for granted to a certain extent, certainly the fact that young people could live and work and make art in the city centre. Never in our worst nightmares did we envision a future where venture capitalists would take over our cities, drive us all out and close down our communal arts centres, one by one.
In The Party in the Woods, I wanted to look at Dublin’s electronic music history through this lens, from the scene that offered so much potential in the 1990s and early 2000s to the artists still trying to adapt and reclaim the city’s spaces to promote gigs and parties in 2023. And I wanted to look at the rave scene, which has always been a great leveller, bringing together people from all walks of life, and ask, what happens when the music stops and the lights come on? Where do loyalties lie when betrayals come to light?
A more continuous source of inspiration is the fact that for the last twelve years I have been part of Groovefest, an annual (legal this time!) music festival that takes place at Slane Castle in County Meath. It has the same ethos as Creation – a DIY, non-profit, collective approach to celebrating music and friendship. I know how much work goes into these things but also how powerful they can be.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I have a soft spot for Moe, the intellectual force behind the parties. Moe has faced every obstacle life could throw at him and still he pushes forward with hope and optimism. He is symbolic of the whole scene and probably embodies all my own hopes for it!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Second novels are infamous for the challenges they pose. I thought, I’ve done this once, surely it will be easier this time? Turns out it doesn’t work that way. The same but different. First time around I had the support and feedback of my writing group and I had no time limits, only the ones I imposed on myself. This time I had fairly tight deadlines I was also promoting When We Were Silent so there was a lot going on. I definitely needed to be more focused and more deliberate with my time. Having said that, I had two wonderful editors to keep me on the straight and narrow so in the end everything was a lot more streamlined.
What are some of the key lessons you learned from your debut that helped with the process of this new release?
The number one lesson that most debut authors learn is that the only thing you can control is the writing. That is your job. So don’t spend too much time fixating on reviews or sales figures, just get on with writing the next thing.
What’s next for you?
Book 3 is in progress, that’s all I can say for now!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up soon? Any you’ve got your eye on that are releasing in 2027?
I’m really looking forward to Stations by Louise Kennedy and I have All Them Dogs by Djamel White and London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe lined up to read this month.
