The Woman In the Painting: A Psychological Suspense Novel (Alexandra Mallory Book 3)

Interview with the author

Q: How do you define psychological suspense?

To me, psychological suspense doesn't emphasize solving a crime, but the forces that lead to crime and a character's effort to avoid detection. It focuses on the mental state -- often paranoia as well as strong emotions of rage, jealousy, and revenge. Psychological suspense novels are the why-dunits of the mystery suspense genre, as opposed to thriller and standard mysteries that are whodunits. In many cases, this means the crime happens near the end of the story, with a growing sense of unease leading up to it.

Q: Alexandra Mallory is a different kind of character,where did the idea of her come from?

I actually set out to write a standalone psychological thriller. About two chapters into the story, I was taking a walk and the thought popped into my head -- Is she a serial killer? I went back and read what I'd written and saw that the seeds of that were there on the very first page. And when I discovered why she killed people, I realized she had a lot more than one story to tell.

Q: This series has been called bizarre, creepy, and unsettling, how do you react to that?

Call me bizarre and unsettling (I don't think I'm creepy), but I'm flattered. I love to read stories that unsettle me, that fill me with dread and unease, and it's a huge thrill to think I'm able to evoke that in others.

Q: Alexandra is a strong feminist, do you see some of yourself in her?

Yes. I've grown tired of seeing and hearing the ways women are subtly and egregiously undermined by culture, language, employers ... the list goes on. Feminists are sometimes accused of hating men. I adore men, as does Alex, and I think many men don't even realize what happens or how that feels and how it shapes your life. The frustration I feel at the sluggish pace of change and the way misogyny is engrained and not even recognized is probably illustrated more than I realize in Alex's drive to right the wrongs she encounters. I also think women are far too often undermining each other, and that theme also emerges in some of the novels.