The acclaimed author of The Nanny and What She Knew returns with another serpentine thriller that cleverly blends atmosphere, tarnished memories, mystery, and twisty secrets from the past into a potent, intense read that will leave you questioning everything you believe.
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Gilly Macmillan about her latest novel To Tell You The Truth, book recommendations, her next novel, and more!
Hi, Gilly! Tell us a bit about yourself!
I grew up in the UK but lived in Northern California for a time when I was in my late teens. I studied art history at University and worked in the art world in London for a few years before starting a family. Raising my kids occupied me for years until I started writing thrillers, which became a full-time job after my debut was published. In the last six years I’ve written six thrillers and I’m working on my seventh. It’s been quite the life change.
With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?
I’m focusing on taking care of my family and of myself, on doing everything I can to make sure we stay safe and respect the safety of others. Day-to-day hasn’t changed that much for me, because I’ve always worked at home, but I’ve appreciated simple pleasures more and enjoyed the closeness lockdown brought our family.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I loved writing essays at University, I was an art history nerd, but it wasn’t until my forties that I discovered that I loved writing fiction. As an avid lifelong reader, I’d always been curious to know if I could write a book and I found myself at a moment when I could steal a little bit of time to give it a go. It was a coup de cœur.
To Tell You The Truth is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Deceptive. Multilayered. Tense. Unexpected. Shocking.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect to find when they pick up To Tell You The Truth?
Readers will find themselves in mind of Lucy Harper, a brilliant, bestselling crime novelist whose books feature Detective Sergeant Eliza Grey, a character based on Lucy’s imaginary childhood friend. Lucy has many adoring fans but also a needy, jealous husband, Dan, whose own writing career never took off. In addition, she has a childhood secret: thirty years ago, her little brother Teddy disappeared after she took him to a Summer Solstice celebration. Lucy came home alone. Teddy did not and was never found. Eliza, Lucy’s imaginary friend, provided her only emotional support at the time. That night was also when Lucy began to spin fantasy after fantasy to explain what happened to Teddy. It was when she first became a storyteller, a talent she’s profited from greatly. Trouble begins for Lucy in the present day when her husband, Dan, goes missing and she’s considered a suspect. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan?
Where did the inspiration for To Tell You The Truth come from?
I’ve always wanted to write a book with an unreliable narrator at its heart and the more I thought about the type of person who might make a good unreliable narrator, the more I was drawn to the idea of them being a writer. Who else spends so much of their time in an alternate reality? Who else might be prone to blurring the boundaries between truth and fiction?
This is now your sixth published novel. What are some of the things you have learned since publishing your first novel in 2015?
I’ve learned that it doesn’t get easier to write novels, no matter how many you’ve written before, that it’s always possible to improve your craft, and that the most useful mantra you can have is to hold your nerve.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Remember that you’re writing for readers, not for yourself.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on my seventh novel. It’s about three very different women who unexpectedly find themselves on a weekend away without their husbands. After arriving in a remote, off-grid location they find a letter addressed to all three of them, which suggests something deadly might have happened to one of their spouses. It’s one of those stories that gives you chills as you write it. I hope readers will love it.
Lastly, what are you currently reading and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’ve just finished THE BIGGEST BLUFF by Maria Kornikova, a brilliant, non-fiction story about the author’s attempt to learn to play professional poker in just one year. I highly recommend it. Unexpectedly, I found lots of parallels to my journey to becoming a writer within it. If you like very dark, compelling, yet beautifully written novels, I also highly recommend GHOST WALL by Sarah Moss and THE DISCOMFORT OF EVENING by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld.
