Author catch up - Mary-Jane Riley

I've had Mary-Jane Riley's two books - The Bad Things and After She Fell - on my Kindle for a very long time (an embarrassingly long time). But I finally managed to read them a few months ago. And I'm so glad I did.

Both books feature journalist Alex Devlin, who is investigating crimes and cases that are personal to her. As a journalist, I do have a soft spot for crime fiction featuring journalists although only when they're portrayed realistically, as Mary-Jane Riley has done here.

In The Bad Things, Alex is looking into the abduction and murder (15 years earlier) of her sister Sasha's two small children - Harry's body was discovered soon afterwards, but Millie's remains have never been found. When the woman who was jailed as an accessory to murder is released, Alex is determined to discover what really happened all those years ago. She wants her troubled sister to find closure as Sasha still struggles to cope with the aftermath of the past.

In After She Fell, Alex is investigating the death of the teenage daughter of an old friend. Seventeen-year-old Elena was found at the bottom of the cliff near her boarding school. In this book, we hear Elena's voice in the form of her diaries, providing a snapshot of her life - the teenager is portrayed realistically.

I loved both of these books. Alex is a very believable character. She's warm and sensitive when she needs to be, but also determined and not one to take no for an answer. These books are as much about the characters as the investigations.

Both books are filled with family dynamics, secrets and lies. They are well plotted and gripping, with enough tension and pace to keep me intrigued all the way through. Mary-Jane Riley certainly kept me on my toes, with her twists, turns and red herrings. The endings were unexpected, but also neat, leaving no loose threads.

You could read After She Fell as a standalone, but it does reveal information about The Bad Things, which could act as a spoiler. It's probably best to read this books in the right order.

I look forward to seeing what's next from Mary-Jane Riley.

About the books

The Bad Things
Published by Killer Reads (August 2015)

Publisher's description

Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when her sister Sasha's two small children were snatched in broad daylight. Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.

Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court. Convinced Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.

But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years. Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

After She Fell
Published by Killer Reads (April 2016)

Publisher's description

There are so many ways to fall…

Catriona needs help. Her seventeen-year-old daughter Elena was found dead at the bottom of a cliff near her boarding school. The death has been ruled a suicide, but Catriona isn’t convinced.

When her old friend, journalist Alex Devlin, arrives in Hallow’s Edge to investigate, she quickly finds that life at private boarding school The Drift isn’t as idyllic as the bucolic setting might suggest.

Amidst a culture of drug-taking, bullying and tension between school and village, no one is quite who they seem to be, and there are several people who might have wanted Elena to fall…

Terrible Twos - an author guest post by Mary-Jane Riley

I'm delighted to welcome Mary-Jane Riley to my blog today, to talk about Terrible Twos - that dreaded second book syndrome. Mary-Jane's latest book After She Fell was published by Killer Reads on 26 April 2016.

Terrible Twos

By Mary-Jane Riley

It’s true what they say – writing a book is like having a baby. There you are, writing it over several months, nourishing it, worrying about it, then pushing it out into the world, fearful things will go horribly wrong. So it was with my first book, The Bad Things. When it appeared on my kindle last August on publication day I expected to feel euphoric. I’d done it! But the overwhelming emotion was worry. Would people like it? After all, that was the main reason for this whole rocky journey (not to be too X Factor about it) – to have people enjoy reading the book. My best friend rang me in the evening. I burst into tears. Overwhelmed. Then I drank champagne (my agent told me to celebrate every stage with champagne. I took her at her word. Still do). As the days and weeks went on, people did read it and enjoyed it. Friends and colleagues were so proud of me and for me – they knew I had wanted this for some time. The reviews were great. I was determined not to obsess about the slightest critical word in a review (there is one reviewer who is a swear word in our house). It did really well in various the kindle charts in the UK and the US. I was a proper author. Then I held the paperback in my hand. Photographed it a lot. Tweeted and Face-booked until my head was spinning.

And I wasn’t going to have second book dread. Absolutely not. No way. What do you take me for? Worry about doing it all over again? Come on! Okay, so I’d had months, years of preparing for my first book. I could sit and dream and think about accepting awards, of being on panels of being able to do what I had always wanted to do. Now I could begin to think about the next one –

‘You are writing the second one?’ (My agent.)

‘Er…yes.’ (Me, looking at the doodles in my notebook.)

‘Because you can’t hang around, you know. This is what you do.’   (My agent – not known as The Fearsome One for nothing)

So I tried not to hang around. I chatted to the dog (she always listens, though occasionally appears bored). I sat my bottom in front of my computer (only way and if you’re not careful it can get quite large) and began to shape the doodles into words. Sentences. Paragraphs. Chapters. A book. After She Fell. The main character the same as in The Bad Things as I felt there was more of her story to tell – though I did move her out of her home town of Sole Bay to avoid it becoming like Midsomer with bodies everywhere.

But.

Are the characters just standing around drinking coffee?

Do they spend most of their time in the pub?

Does anything actually happen?

What if I’ve lost the ability to write?

What if nobody likes it?

What if it doesn’t sell as well?

Is it as good as The Bad Things?

Do I have enough gin in the house?

My agent loved it. My editor wanted it. After some more shaping and honing and polishing, it was pushed out into the world too.

I had a fabulous publication day. Went out to lunch with my husband. Drank champagne in the evening. Didn’t cry this time, I knew what to expect. And yet. And yet.

It was like having a second baby. First baby gets showered with teddy bears and rattles and cute clothes. Second baby gets a pair of bootees. Knitted by a maiden aunt. Friends and colleagues made appreciative noises and have, I hope, bought it. My family are still extremely proud of me though I do accept it’s not as exciting for them this time round. The good reviews are beginning to appear, though I have weaned myself off refreshing the Amazon/Kobo/iBooks/Goodreads page every few minutes (it’s a wonder I write anything). But still the doubts, the worry. See? Like having babies. But that’s life. And I am privileged to be able to do this, so damn lucky to have the opportunity a great many people dream of.

The phone rings. It’s my friend – the one who I cried down the phone to last August.

‘Well done,’ she says. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

‘But I don’t know whether it’s going to be as good… do as well…’

‘I am very proud of you,’ she says firmly. ‘You have written and published two books. Two. Books.’

She’s right (she always is).

Now for Book Three.

About Mary-Jane Riley

Mary-Jane Riley is an ex BBC journey and crime writer.  Mary-Jane loves wine. And dogs.

Readers can find out more about Mary-Jane Riley on her Facebook page. Follow Mary-Jane Riley on Twitter - @mrsmjriley 

After She Fell
By Mary-Jane Riley
Published by Killer Reads (26 April 2016)

Publisher's description

There are so many ways to fall…

Catriona needs help. Her seventeen-year-old daughter Elena was found dead at the bottom of a cliff near her boarding school. The death has been ruled a suicide, but Catriona isn’t convinced.

When her old friend, journalist Alex Devlin, arrives in Hallow’s Edge to investigate, she quickly finds that life at private boarding school The Drift isn’t as idyllic as the bucolic setting might suggest.

Amidst a culture of drug-taking, bullying and tension between school and village, no one is quite who they seem to be, and there are several people who might have wanted Elena to fall…