We chat with New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen about The Spy Coast, which follows a retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller.
Hi Tess, welcome to The Nerd Daily! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’ve been a writer for about 36 years, and have produced 31 novels and a few screenplays. I don’t limit myself to any genre, I just write what thrills me, and I’ve moved in several genres: crime novels, historicals, science fiction, romance, even a ghost story. I live in Maine, where just looking out the window is an inspiration.
When did you discover you wanted to be a writer? We understand you are also a retired doctor?
I was seven years old when I announced to my father that I wanted to be a writer. He was a very practical man and he told me writing was no way to make a living, so I took a detour… to medical school. I was board-certified in internal medicine and worked as a doctor for a few years. That came to an end after I became a mom and discovered how hard it is for two doctors to juggle careers plus parenthood when there’s no childcare available. So I decided to stay home with my kids for a while — which turned out to be a great excuse to focus on my writing. And that’s when I wrote my first novel.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
It was probably a Nancy Drew book, THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE. Nancy Drew was a huge inspiration for me, not just because she was a detective, but because she was independent, clever, and respected by adults. She made girls believe we could do anything.
The Spy Coast is coming out November 1 by Thomas & Mercer – what’s the quick one-sentence pitch for the book?
A retired spy living in Maine finds a dead body in her driveway and turns to her friends — also retired spies — to help her find out who wants her dead.
And then can you give us five action words to describe The Spy Coast?
Fun. Fast. Thrilling. Globe-trotting. Surprising.
What’s the inspiration behind The Spy Coast?
I live in a small Maine town where quite a few retired spies live. I wondered what ex-spies do with themselves. Do they have cocktail parties? Book clubs? Do they long to get back into action? I thought about these ordinary-appearing neighbors I see every day in the grocery store and post office, and imagined what stories they could tell. That’s how the character of Maggie Bird came to me. She seems like just a gray-haired chicken farmer, living in the quiet town of Purity. In truth, she’s a woman haunted by her past career, and by the tragic consequences of her last operation as a spy.
You are a prolific writer! How many books have you had published, and do you have a favorite book or a favorite character? How come that one is your favorite?
THE SPY COAST will be my 31st novel. It’s hard to choose a favorite book or character, because whoever I’m writing about is my favorite at the time. But I’d have to say Maggie Bird is definitely one of my favorites because she has the wry and weary voice of experience.
What’s coming up after The Spy Coast?
I’m writing the second book featuring Maggie Bird and her friends, called THE SUMMER GUESTS.
