Award-winning novelist Jo Spain on new crime thriller The Perfect Lie

SHE IS one of Ireland’s most prolific crime writers and in the first 10 pages of her latest novel The perfect lie, Jo Spain makes readers’ hearts beat faster as they follow the life of Irish emigrant Erin Kennedy.

After moving to New York City five years ago following a family tragedy, Erin’s fortunes changed when she met her husband, Police Detective Danny.

The couple live happily in the idyllic seaside town of Newport, Long Island. But when Erin opens the door for Danny’s fellow police officers one morning, she is amazed to turn around and see her husband jump to death out of their fourth-floor apartment window.

Fast forward 18 months and Erin is now in court, on trial for the murder of her husband, as she discovers that the life she believed to be perfect was based entirely on the perfect lie.

So how can you be accused of killing someone who committed suicide?

“There were times I thought I would never understand,” reveals the 40-year-old Dubliner.

“I always start my books with a crochet idea. I let this amazing opening reflect in my mind for a while before collecting all the secrets of her seemingly ‘perfect’ husband.

“When I write, it’s like putting together a crossword, putting all the clues there so that when the reader reads it all comes together perfectly at the end. It’s very satisfying.”

Spain has carefully studied the subject of suicide, insisting that it wants to “treat it as much more than a conspiracy”.

“I wanted to deal with it in the most compassionate way. Unfortunately, while ending their own lives solves a problem, it creates a problem for everyone and I wanted to capture the grief Erin was feeling.”

she dedicated The perfect lie to “the Irish diaspora, which was far from home when Covid entered our lives”.

“I thought how difficult it must be for an expat when the proverbial hits the fan, you are far from family and friends and at the mercy of an unknown justice system.

“The American system is very confrontational where they tell you ‘we know you are guilty and now we are going to prove it’.”

Spain admits that the other reason she put the book down in New York is to “allow her brain to travel”.

“I love reading books and watching TV shows set elsewhere – we just need a little escape, especially after Covid. I’ve been to New York a few times and watched a lot of it. ‘shows taking place on Long Island and I thought’ that sounds nice ‘. And if I could conquer the American market, that would be a bonus, “she laughs.

Spain’s arrival in the publishing world is the result of a selection from thousands of participants in the Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller competition.

With our blessing, a police case starring Detective Inspector Tom Reynolds, was purchased by Quercus in 2015. Ten bestselling novels followed.

She previously worked as a journalist with A Phoblacht and as Sinn Féin’s political advisor in Dáil Éireann – two experiences that have helped her as an author.

“There are different ways of doing politics,” explains Spain, who has explored Irish mother and baby homes, the post-Celtic Tiger crash and sex trafficking in her writings. She even featured the secret tunnels of Leinster House as a backdrop in her second novel, Beneath the surface.

“The analytical thinking skills helped with the plot and the psychology of the characters. And although I have explored Irish history, social and religious issues, it is politics with a little ‘p’ and people can probably absorb it better in a detective story. “

What she loves most about writing the crime thriller genre is her ability to hold her fictional villains accountable for their crimes.

“You can put it right and do justice in a way that doesn’t happen in real life,” she smiles.

Spain also has a booming career as a screenwriter. She made her screenwriting debut with the 2018 crime drama RTÉ Dublin Took of, which she co-wrote with Love-hateby Stuart Carolan.

“RTÉ had read my series Tom Reynolds, and although they didn’t want to adapt them, they asked me if I wanted to write for television.

“It opened up the world to me. It’s almost like Freemasons; once you put on a show, your name is out there. I am now in the position of fighting against work.”

When it came to making the transition to writing for television, Spain was fearless.

“With detective fiction, you already know that plot and pacing are really important and that’s what matters on screen.”

She is currently filming in Dublin for the filming of her new eight-part thriller, Wild harry, with Jane Seymour. The Grammy-winning, Golden Globe-winning actress plays a recently retired English teacher who can’t help but take an active interest in the criminal cases entrusted to her police detective son.

“To meet Jane Seymour in the flesh was absolutely amazing. She is so beautiful, humble and full of life. Her character is going to be truly loved. She is 70 years old and is a retired teacher who drinks alcohol, swears, drives fast and is just fantastic. “

Seymour is also an executive producer on Wild harry and Spain receives precious advice from her.

“It’s fascinating to know more about this aspect of the business. It will help me write in the future because you can write anything, but if you don’t have enough budget to film it , you have problems.”

Spain juggles a number of other screen projects, including the novel’s adaptation Source by Sarah Sultoon, a Scandinavian drama she describes as “a mix between Fargo and Kill Eve“and a show about the 1980s music scene in Sheffield.

She is also working on her novel 2022: Drowning speaks of “an Englishman who goes to Lapland where his sister died in rather horrific circumstances”.

“It’s a perfect setting for a detective mystery. I want people to feel the cold when they read this book so that it makes the tension unbearable.”

And will she return in her Inspector Tom series?

“I hope so. He’s on sabbatical but I think he still has life in him for two or three pounds more,” adds Spain, who also manages to juggle his career with raising four children. , aged six to 15.

“The lockdown was tough. I’m used to working from home, but I’m not used to working from home with four kids here all the time and home schooling. This has put my patience to the test. ordeal, ”she laughs.

The perfect lie by Jo Spain is published by Quercus