GAYNOR TORRANCE ON HER WRITING JOURNEY FOR 'THE MARQUESS CLUB KILLINGS'.

CATCH UP WITH AUTHOR GAYNOR TORRANCE AND LEARN ABOUT HER WRITING JOURNEY FOR THE MARQUESS CLUB KILLINGS. 

What’s your inspiration for the book?

Having watched a documentary about a specialist team of police officers, I was shocked at the burden of proof required to enable their case to proceed to prosecution. The documentary followed these officers throughout the harrowing, painstaking investigation. At the end of a court case (which viewers didn’t get to see) the jury arrived at a guilty verdict. Yet the sentence in no way reflected the seriousness of the crime, and the victims as well as the police were left feeling that justice had not been served. It made me question things that I had previously taken for granted.

Did anything surprise you during the writing process?

Absolutely! As the story races towards the big reveal, something happens to one of the officers. I don’t want to give anything away, but throughout the book this person has been acting out of character. Everyone will know that something’s up, but there’s so much going on with the case that there’s no time to dwell on it. When I planned the story, I had something very different in mind for this character. But when I started to write the scene, I knew that this would be much more shocking.  

What’s the biggest distraction in your writing day?

Without any hesitation it’s our cat, Cleo. She’s two years old, and joined our family about a year ago, having been found abandoned shortly after birth and hand-reared by a rescue charity. She’s adorable and very affectionate, but demands a lot of attention. If she thinks I’m ignoring her she positions herself on my desk, directly between the keyboard and screen.    

What’s your favourite thing about this book?

I’ve finally seen Jemima happy and settled. She’s been to hell and back, reaching rock bottom when she self-harmed so badly that her husband had to have her sedated. She always dealt with her troubles alone, as most of her close family members were oblivious of what was going on. But now she’s turned her life around. She has her children, the support of her father and sister, and has even found love in the most unexpected of places. There’s also a tender scene where we see true friendship between Jemima, Dan, and Gareth. With the terrifying uncertainty they’re facing, I love that they’re so supportive of each other.  

Tell us about the setting?

Much of the action takes place in and around the Cathays Park area of Cardiff. It’s the city’s civic centre, where the crown court, government buildings, university, and museum are located. It’s a respectable area and having worked there for almost eighteen years it’s a place I know quite well. The Marquess Club is a fictional establishment. Though it’s easy to imagine that something quite similar could exist in relative anonymity in that location. Given the premise of the story I thought it was the perfect setting. 
 
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