Exclusive interview with Amanda Robson, discussing her psychological thriller set in Bristol
By Gabrielle Pantera
“I have always loved psychological thrillers, especially the historical dual timeline novels by Kate Mosse: Labyrinthe, Sepulchre and Citadel, as well as by Barbara Robson: Lady of Hay, Sands of Time and River of Destiny,” says Guilt author Amanda Robson. “The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris has also greatly inspired me. Psychological thrillers have an intensity that I find totally absorbing. Their mind game play. I love people-watching, anticipating reaction and consequence.”
In Robon’s new book Guilt, fraternal twins Zara and Miranda are very close but very different. Zara is sensitive, social and artistic. Miranda is the practical one. Zara is going to art school and moves in with Miranda, an accountant living in Bristol. Zara meets Sebastian, a master manipulator. She is easily manipulated by Sebastian, and Miranda isn’t safe either. Dark and disturbing, this psychological thriller shatters the close family bonds of the two sisters. The story is told from three different points of view.
“I dreamed of writing a novel from the age of twelve,” says Robson. “But, I had a scientific career and the enjoyment of being a stay-at-home mum for many years before I finally made time to follow my dream. My advice to aspiring writers is keep persevering. Second, treasure your imagination. Believe in yourself. A lot of people can write in grammatically correct sentences, but only some people can do that and tell a good story as well.”
During Robson’s research, she spoke with experts in the medical profession and the police.
“Since a murder trial is pivotal to the novel, I visited a criminal barrister in Bristol, and subsequently watched the murder trial he was defending,” says Robson. “A contact of his, a female ex-prisoner, also very kindly invited me to her home and described her experiences at the local prison with me in detail, therefore the prison scenes are as accurate as possible.”
“My main protagonists Zara and Miranda were brought up in the dormitory town outside Liverpool, where I lived as a child,” says Robson. “Forty years on, I took the opportunity to revisit my childhood home town. I found it a rather unnerving experience, as physically everything was so familiar and yet I no longer belonged.”
Robson’s story of women manipulated springs from her own experiences with sexual harassment as a young woman in the workplace in the 1980s. For months her manager would speak to and touch her inappropriately. Her complaints to Personnel did nothing. The manager tried to sabotage her transfer to another department in the company. Robson says she vividly recalls a toxic combination of shame, discomfort, fear, frustration and anger. Emotions she channeled into her novel.
This is the Robson’s second published novel. Her novel Obsession was released in the UK and the U.S. last year. She is also a co-author of a medical book on cyanide poisoning. Obsession hit the Kindle top 100, staying there for weeks, and reached #1 on the iBooks bestseller list. Guilt has yet to be optioned for film or TV.
Robson has a physiology degree from London University with and a Masters from City University, She worked in medical research at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and at the Poisons Unit at Guy’s Hospital.
Robson takes six months to write a novel.
“Working very long hours, I have tight deadlines for my novels,” says Robson. “My PR team does a good job getting me opportunities in the press and media. I have lots of exciting extra projects, like writing blogs, magazine articles or short stories. But this means I work long hours, including weekends and from time to time when I am supposed to be on a family holiday. I am not complaining though. I wouldn’t swap this job for the world.”
Robson is currently writing her third novel, Envy, due out in 2019. She was born in Lancashire but now makes her home in London. Her website is www.amandarobson.co.uk. She’s active on Twitter and Facebook.
Guilt by Amanda Robson. Paperback: 416 pages. Publisher: Avon. April 19, 2018. Language: English ISBN-13: 978-0008212247 $12.99
