What thrills a thriller writer? Amy Stuart shares 3 novels that inspire her
The Toronto writer talks about her favourite crime fiction writers on The Next Chapter
As a mystery writer herself, Amy Stuart is always looking for thrilling stories that transport you to another time and place. While working on her upcoming thriller, Stuart is constantly looking to her fellow contemporaries to learn about the inventive new ways to surprise readers through fiction.
"I have found in the past ten years since my own professional life took off as a writer that I find it instructive too … I find the hardest thing for me is how to reveal … I love finding new writers to explore and figure out and just study what they do and how they reveal information, whether it's the slow burn or the big dump or the plot twist, the surprise," said Stuart.
Stuart is a thriller writer, hockey mom and coach and teacher at Sheridan College in Toronto. Her thriller novels include Still Here, Still Mine, Still Water and A Death at the Party and she co-authored Mats Sundin's memoir, Home and Away. She spends her time between Toronto and P.E.I.
She joined The Next Chapter's Antonio Michael Downing to share three mystery novels that inspire her.
The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan
"It is the absolute cozy mystery … Tom manages to keep you engaged and on your toes and reading, but he's also funny and the mystery feels dark and intense, but never overwhelming," said Stuart.
The Treasure Hunters Club is a mystery novel that follows three strangers visiting the coastal town of Maple Bay, where tourists believe a pirate treasure is hidden and locals know something more sinister lurks. Peter, Dandy and Cass are all drawn to Maple Bay for different reasons. Peter receives a suspicious letter inviting him to his estranged family's mansion, Dandy is trying to solve the mystery her grandfather dedicated his life to, and Cass is an author searching for inspiration.
As the three band together to unravel the secrets of Maple Bay, what they discover will shock them and bring tragedy to the town.
Tom Ryan is the author of several books for young readers, including I Hope You're Listening, a YA novel that won the 2021 Lambda Award for best LGBTQ mystery. His novel Keep This to Yourself is being turned into a TV show at Peacock. He spends his time living between Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
"Attica Locke is an African American writer and this book at its core is about race relations in Texas, but it's also diving into many other things," said Stuart.
The first book in the Highway 59 series, Bluebird, Bluebird is a mystery novel about a Black Texas Ranger. Darren Matthews is called back to East Texas as two murders leave the locals with many unanswered questions and rising racial tensions as the victims were a Black lawyer from out of town and a white woman from town.
As Matthews grapples with his own complicated relationship with the law and identity, he pieces together the clues of the crime up and down Highway 59.
Attica Locke is an American author, screenwriter and producer from Texas. She is known for producing and writing for the show Empire, When They See Us and Little Fires Everywhere. She is also the author of six books including, Pleasantville, Black Water Rising and the Highway 59 trilogy.
The Hunter by Tana French
"What I'd read about Tana French is that she's really great at the slow burn. People show up on the page, they saunter into the scene and you know there's something kind of sinister and they're having a conversation and she's just got that Irish way of chatting really down," said Stuart.
The Hunter is a crime mystery novel set in the small and scenic villages of West Ireland. Cal Hooper has just retired from the Chicago PD and plans to settle down in a rural town when he meets Lena and her teenage daughter Trey. After some time, Trey's father makes a mysterious reappearance, millionaire friend in tow and Trey is set on her revenge.
As a plan to unearth the town's gold comes to the surface, the quiet calm life of Cal and his neighbours is threatened.
Tana French is an Irish crime fiction writer based in Dublin. Her novels include In the Woods, the 2012 Irish Crime Fiction Award for Broken Harbour and Faithful Place, which was nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award in 2012.
Amy Stuart's comments have been edited for length and clarity.
