We chat with author Richard Hooton about The Margaret Code, which is a bittersweet, hilarious, and suspenseful crime debut where a grandmother with a failing memory teams up with her grandson to solve the mysterious murder of her friend and neighbor.
Hi, Richard! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a former journalist who now works in communications and as a writer. I’ve won multiple prizes for my short fiction and have just had my first novel published. I live in Greater Manchester in the UK.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve loved reading and writing since I was very young. English was my favourite subject at school. I’d borrow as many books as possible from the school library and also spend hours creating my own stories. The first story that I can remember writing was about teams of animals playing football!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The very, very first books I remember reading were the “Village with Three Corners”, otherwise known as the “One, Two, Three and Away!”, series by Sheila K. McCullagh, which were a staple in the UK for teaching children how to read when I was growing up. The characters were named after their different coloured headwear. I still wonder what became of Roger Red-hat!
- The one that made you want to become an author: I can’t say there’s a single book that made me want to become an author, but, following the childhood theme, I read a lot of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton when I was young, including every one of her ‘Famous Five’ series with their mysteries, adventures and lashings of ginger beer – so I think they influenced me.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’m still thinking about Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn many years after it was published so that must have left an impression.
Your debut novel, The Margaret Code, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Murder, mystery, memory, elderly, grandson.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a compelling whodunnit with lots of twists, humour and emotion. It’s narrated by 89-year-old Margaret, whose failing memory holds the key to the murder investigation taking place on her street. Margaret is convinced that the victim, her best friend Barbara, entrusted her with a secret before she died, a secret now buried in Margaret’s ailing memory. With the help of her grandson, Margaret sets out to recover her memory and investigate the crime. But soon strange things begin happening in her home. Her family are convinced Margaret’s illness is getting worse, but Margaret is sure somebody wants her out of the way.
Where did the inspiration for The Margaret Code come from?
It was inspired by my relationship with my grandmother, who died with Alzheimer’s when I was a teenager. I was thinking about her struggle with Alzheimer’s in the last years of her life, about writing, about detective novels; a jumble of thoughts that merged to create a protagonist with a problem that formed the hook. What if the person that held the key to solving a murder was struggling with a failing memory? What if they had the skills and knowledge to crack the case but the clues were slipping from their grasp? What if the more they uncovered, the less they were believed?
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Margaret’s 15-year-old grandson James was enjoyable to write as he’s going through his rebellious, difficult teenage years, so is reckless, cheeky and sometimes rude, while still looking up to and trusting the grandmother who dotes on him. It was fun exploring the bond that forms between them as they support each other and secretly investigate the murder together to become a pair of unlikely amateur sleuths.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The main challenge was the voice: how could I write convincingly from the perspective of an elderly woman and tell her tale? I think everyone is unique, whatever their age or gender. It was about inhabiting a character, portraying their feelings. I built up Margaret’s background, adding to her interests, vocabulary and mannerisms until I had the voice how I wanted it. I’ve spent so much time with her that she seems a real person to me now! I’ll think ‘well, Margaret wouldn’t like that!’ or ‘that’s the kind of thing Margaret would do!’
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was a long time between starting The Margaret Code and publication. I wrote the first draft around 12 years ago but it needed work. To hone my writing and experiment with different voices, perspectives and genres, I took to writing short stories and flash fiction, which I entered into competitions to gain feedback, validation and some prizes along the way. After several years of focusing on short fiction, I went back to the novel and had the tools and confidence to rewrite it and submit it to agents. I managed to secure an agent and then a publisher fairly quickly with the improved draft.
What’s next for you?
I’ve lots of ideas for novels, I just need to get them written! I’m working on another crime novel that is also based around familial relationships and has lots of twists.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
On my TBR pile are The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani, Cloudless by Rupert Dastur and The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley.
