• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Claire Ladds

Crime and suspense author

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Reader FAQs
  • Books
  • News
  • For Readers
    • For Readers
    • Blog
    • For Bookclubs
  • Read for Free
  • CONTACT
  • Join my Readers’ Club
  • Hearts and Crimes
    • The Reason for Everything: and other short stories
    • The Secrets That Haunt Us
  • Darker Minds
    • Show Me Dead
    • That Killer Image
    • No Deadlier Time

dark women's fiction

Backstory: plotting and planning vengeance

30th August 2021 by claireladds Leave a Comment

Somewhere, hiding among the pages of every book, there is a backstory, a story that happened to the characters before the book you read actually begins on the page. It’s the characters’ personal histories, if you like: things that happened to them, memories they have, people they’ve met, events that shaped them into the person you see on the page.

I want to share with you a small piece of the backstory for The Secrets That Haunt Us. It occurs right at the beginning of the book, and takes the shape of five letters, sent to two different members of the same family – mother, Emmeline, and daughter, Julia. These letters, sent months before the book ‘proper’ begins, gives the reader an inkling that all is not only not well at home as the book gets started, but that clearly there have been events in the past which have led to the letter-writing of Alex, a man who is a most unpleasant man indeed. Vengeance has been plotted with malice and a great deal of forethought, and he intends to execute his plans for betrayals and secrets long since past.

But is he the only villain of the piece? The Secrets That Haunt Us blurs the lines between what we would automatically consider ‘good’ and ‘bad, or ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. When I wrote it, I often wondered what courses of action I would have taken, had I been in the various characters’ shoes. And the question will probably haunt me for a very long time.

I hope these five letters intrigue you into wanting to know what could have prompted Alex to plot and plan his own very particular type of vengeance – and what happens once his plans have been set in motion!

[Read more…] about Backstory: plotting and planning vengeance

Filed Under: Free Reads, My books Tagged With: backstory, characterisation, Claire Ladds, dark women's fiction, free reads, historical crime fiction, read an extract, suspense fiction, The Secrets That Haunt Us

The Secrets That Haunt Us: a lovely 5-star review

9th July 2021 by claireladds Leave a Comment

I was absolutely thrilled to see this 5-star review pop up on Amazon from a reader who clearly loved The Secrets That Haunt Us. I have no idea which lovely reader wrote the review, but it’s extremely kind and means a great deal.

I find it very humbling when I know someone has read and enjoyed my books. In my heart of hearts, all I really want to do is write stories that people find fascinating, thought-provoking, terrifying at times, occasionally heart-wrenching, and satisfying. And crime-filled, of course!

The Secrets That Haunt Us will probably always be the book I have the softest spot for. It means many things to me.

If you would like to take a look at the book (including that first 5-star review since I re-released the novel with its new title), then you can find it on Amazon here:

Buy The Secrets That Haunt Us on Amazon

If you read on another device and buy your books from Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble and others, you can find the novel here:

Buy The Secrets That Haunt Us on your favourite ebook store

If you do read, or have, read it, or any of my work, I’d love to know what you think. Hearing from readers is always lovely. 😊 Please do consider leaving a review – or my books or on any author’s books that you enjoy. It really helps other people who might also enjoy them to find them more easily.

Happy reading!

Back to Home

Filed Under: News Tagged With: 5 star review, crime fiction, dark women's fiction, Hearts and Crimes, historical crime fiction, suspense fiction

Footer

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Follow me on Amazon

© Claire Ladds. All rights reserved.

This site uses cookies to enhance your experience on this website. By continuing to use this website you confirm that you are OK with that. Cookie Policy

Declaration of affiliate partnerships

I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other geographical Amazon sites such as Amazon.co.uk (as the UK is where I live). Please also expect to find other affiliate links, too. I only ever use affiliate links on products or services I have used myself and wholeheartedly recommend.

Join my Readers' Club

Sign up to my Readers' Club and get exclusive gifts and goodies, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks and other members-only perks. You'll also be able to download your FREE copy of Beneath the Flesh as a welcome gift.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Copyright © 2022 · Author Pro on Genesis Framework · · Log in

 

Loading Comments...