We chat with author Michele Campbell about her latest release The Intern, which follows a young Harvard law student who falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.
Hi, Michele! Welcome back! We last spoke in 2020… How have the past few years been for you?
Thank you for having me back! Like everyone else, for me the pandemic was a time to pause and look inward. I wrote THE INTERN, drank a lot of wine and ate a lot of chocolate. Now I’m out in the world again, meeting new readers and having new experiences. For example, THE INTERN was chosen as a September Book of the Month pick, which is a huge honor. I got to go to New York to film their Virtual Book Tour podcast (now available on Apple and Spotify), complete with a live audience and a bespoke cocktail. It was so fun, it felt like a true renaissance.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
For as long as I can remember, I loved to read. I grew up as a latchkey kid in a marginalized neighborhood, responsible for getting myself and my younger brother home from school. (Those experiences inform the character of Madison Rivera in THE INTERN.) Books were my haven on those long afternoons indoors waiting for my parents to get home. The desire to write flowed naturally from my love of books.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare was the first book that I obsessed over. I got it from the school bookfair and reread it over and over until it fell apart.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow, because I was a lawyer like he was. We actually had the same job – Assistant U.S. Attorney. The fact that he’d jumped from that position to author of a riveting legal thriller not only made me want to write. It made me believe I could.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’m a huge Outlander fan and have been for years. I love the characters, the world-building, the history, the sheer escapism.
Your latest novel, The Intern, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Fast-paced, addictive, character-driven, glamorous, legal thriller. (Technically that’s more than five words, but some are hyphenated!)
What can readers expect?
THE INTERN is a high-stakes legal thriller with two strong female leads who must either join forces or destroy each other. It features an ambitious young Harvard Law student, Madison Rivera, who lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a terrible secret that could ruin her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case. When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s desperate search for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Judge Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? The reader sees the events from the dual perspectives of the two main characters, upping the suspense until you’re on the edge of your seat. It’s a fun, wild, satisfying ride.
Where did the inspiration for The Intern come from?
THE INTERN represents something of a return to roots for me. I actually began my writing career in the aughts with a legal thriller series written as Michele Martinez (my full name is Michele Martinez Campbell), featuring federal prosecutor Melanie Vargas. After that series ended, I turned to writing psychological thrillers and domestic suspense, including my bestsellers IT’S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND and A STRANGER ON THE BEACH. But I’ve always hankered to return to the legal thriller. THE INTERN is a true blend of those genres – the stakes and pacing of the legal thriller combined with the intensity and richness of psychological suspense, but with a female-empowerment edge.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The funny thing is, once I started writing, I related just as much to Kathryn as to Madison, and probably enjoyed writing Kathryn more. It’s ironic since Madison is based so closely on me. But the mysterious (and dangerous) Judge Conroy has secrets of her own. This book has been compared to The Departed, and Kathryn is its deep-cover spy – i.e., not who she seems. She and Madison have more in common than anyone knows, which means Kathryn also is written from my own experiences. They’re both complicated, fascinating heroines, hiding huge secrets and facing impossible choices.
This is your fifth published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
THE INTERN is actually my ninth novel, when you count the four books in the legal thriller series written as Michele Martinez. And it’s the tenth novel I’ve written, when you include one standalone –never published –that I did in between the legal thriller series and my psychological thrillers. What I’ve learned is that the writer’s path can be a winding one, but that reinvention is exciting and creatively invigorating. I’ve been fortunate to publish frequently in different sub-genres of the crime/thriller genre, which means that I’ve never stopped having fun and growing creatively.
What’s next for you?
Speaking of reinvention, I’ve had a book in my head for years now that’s a real genre-bender, bridging thriller, historical and speculative fiction. I’m finally writing it, and loving every minute.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Too many to list, but here are just a few greats reads from my fall reading list. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose. The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan. A Stolen Child by Sarah Stewart Taylor. Babel by R.F. Kuang. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I could go on. There are just so many great books out there.
