Zoe Caldwell
Adrian Magson talks to a new name in crime whose debut serial killer thriller is a complete departure from what she’s written before
Abig advantage for any writer is knowing the kind of story they want to tell. And Zoe Caldwell, debut crime thriller author of Predator (Bloodhound Books), certainly did that. ‘The story,’ says Zoe, a copywriter and former journalist, ’is based around Camilla Black, a poised and glamorous fashion magazine editor by day, and by night a ruthless serial killer, who sees herself as a Me Too vigilante on a mission to wreak vengeance on rapists, abusers, paedophiles and creeps.’
The idea came to her after witnessing the Me Too movement. ‘Seeing all the anger, rage and trauma so many women were carrying over experiences with predatory men, and being a big fan of thrillers, it occurred to me that creating a Me Too serial killer character would be zeitgeisty, modern and hopefully intriguing to readers.’
The book took about a year to write. ‘I wrote the first half in a month, feeling completely inspired,’ says Zoe. ‘But then I got stuck, unable to figure out how I wanted the story to progress. I wrote three awful drafts of the second half, which I scrapped, and eventually took a break from it until the second half flowed. It was such a relief.’
The genre was quite a dramatic genre jump for Zoe, who has had four romantic comedies traditionally published.
‘I’ve always loved reading, and remember reading a novel when I was about fourteen and being so absorbed and entertained, it occurred to me how powerful books are, being able to captivate readers in that way. I decided then and there that I wanted to be an author, and to move and excite readers in the same way.’
‘As Camilla is a serial killer, and her story is told in the first person, I had to really get inside her mindset, which was more difficult than I’d anticipated. There were moments during the writing process when I felt sad and angry, and I’d have to take a break. I’d only ever written upbeat romcoms before so it’s something I’m being mindful of with my new thriller, another dark book. It’s important to take breaks, see friends and unwind so you don’t get too swept up in the dark worlds of your characters.’
Zoe is conscious of ‘striking the right balance between being passionate about what you’re writing but producing work that has commercial potential is important.’ With this in mind, she submitted the work to a dozen or so agents. ‘Several were interested and requested my full manuscript but ultimately, didn’t they feel could represent me. My writing style was complemented but they thought the issues “gratuitously violent and sexual” and that my heroine was “unlikeable”. One agent was willing to represent me if I completely rewrote the book, but having struggled so much to get the novel “right’ in my eyes, I wasn’t keen to attempt any major changes… and I didn’t have a clue how to make a serial killer likeable! Camilla is, I think, darkly funny and somewhat relatable, but not exactly likeable. After all, serial killers aren’t best friend material.
‘Bloodhound Books, however, were so enthusiastic and positive, I felt that they understood what I was trying to do. It was such a relief when they offered me a two-book deal for Predator and my second thriller, which I’m currently writing. I haven’t decided on a title yet, but it’s a whodunnit thriller about a woman who goes missing.’
‘I’m currently working on my fourth novel. At the moment, I’m not writing anything for the theatre, although I do have an idea for a film. My acting has morphed into interviews and Facebook Live events, which I actually prefer – no rehearsals, and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.’