Page Turners: ‘Where They Lie’ author Claire Coughlan

Claire Coughlan worked as a journalist in Ireland for many years, and has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD. Where They Lie is her debut novel is a work of historical fiction that burrows into the underworld of the illegal abortion industry in 1960s Dublin.

In 1943, actress Julia Bridges disappeared. The last sighting of her is entering the house of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who is later put on trial for the murder of another woman whose abortion she facilitated. But it’s never proved that Gloria had a hand in Julia’s death – and Julia’s body has never been found. Gloria, however, is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, until her apparent suicide a few years later, and the truth of what happened to Julia Bridges dies with her.

That is until 1968 when ambitious junior reporter Nicoletta Sarto is drawn into investigating the 25-year-old mystery of Julia’s disappearance and her link to the notorious Gloria Fitzpatrick. The story takes Nicoletta into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past.

As much a murder mystery story as a look at a young woman’s struggle to succeed in a man’s world, Where They Lie is a beautifully atmospheric debut that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Read on for our interview with Claire…

Did you always want to be a writer? Tell us about your journey to becoming a published author.

Yes, I always wanted to be a writer, specifically a novelist, once I found out it was something that existed as a profession. I pursued journalism in my 20s and 30s but was always writing scraps of fiction in my spare time. For me, that was the ultimate goal. I met both my agent, Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown, and my publisher, Katherine Armstrong at Simon & Schuster UK, while I was working as a book trade journalist and had already written a draft of what became my debut novel, Where They Lie.

What inspired you to start writing?

That’s the million euro question! It’s such a strange impulse, when you think about it, to want to sit in a room on your own and fill a page or a screen with words. My grandmother wrote short stories and submitted them to magazines when I was a child. I thought that was a wonderful thing to do and it must have planted the seed in my mind. I honestly can’t imagine my life without it, so it’s hard to pinpoint the exact origin story.

Tell us about your new book. Where did the idea come from?

Where They Lie is set in 1968 Nicoletta Sarto, a young journalist, follows a story involving the body of actress Julia Bridges, who went missing twenty five years earlier. Julia’s remains have turned up at a seaside garden in Dublin on Christmas Eve. The investigation leads Nicoletta into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past. The idea came from lots of different facets of Ireland’s not-so-distant past. I’ve always loved reading crime fiction, with buckets of atmosphere, a mystery to solve, and a colourful cast of characters. I tried to write exactly the kind of book I like to read.

What do you hope this book instils in the reader?

I think every writer probably hopes their work is thought provoking and well written, and that the reader won’t throw the book down and then completely forget to pick it back up again. Above all, I really hope my readers are entertained and transported to another time and place.

What did you learn when writing this book?

I learned a lot about the nuts and bolts, and mechanics, of novel writing: namely characterisation, as well as plotting and pacing, what to reveal, how much and when. I also learned that writing a novel is a marathon, not a sprint—much like life—and that I am much more productive doing a bit every day, instead of trying to write a big chunk in a short space of time.

Tell us about your writing process.

I write in the hours when my daughter is at school. I start by handwriting three pages of journaling, as recommended by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way. This clears your head of all the day-to-day stuff like what to make for dinner, and who said what to whom, so that when you do sit down to write your novel, you’ve got the headspace to dive straight in. I’m a big fan of planning stories in advance and I work out quite a detailed chapter plan before I start. I’m quite a slow writer and I want something to be as complete as possible before I show it to anyone.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Old newspaper stories from the period I’m writing about are a big source of inspiration to me, for picking up telling details that might add colour and authenticity to a character or setting. I also listen to music a lot when writing, preferably anything without lyrics, and movie soundtracks are always good.

What are your top three favourite books of all time, and why?

Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier because it’s the original psychological thriller with brilliant characters and a twist you won’t see coming. The Poison Tree, the debut novel by bestselling novelist Erin Kelly, is also a master class in misdirection. And I can’t leave out The Green Mile by Stephen King, a sad, supernatural masterpiece. The movie adaptation was great too.

Who are some of your favourite authors, Irish or otherwise?

John Banville, Tana French, Robert Galbraith, Barbara Vine (the late Ruth Rendell’s pseudonym for her psychological thrillers).

What are some upcoming book releases we should have on our radar?

Someone in the Attic has been out a while but it’s another hit from the Irish queen of suspense, Andrea Mara.

One of her previous novels, All Her Fault, is being adapted for TV, so be sure to read it before it appears on screens. The Killing Sense by another fabulous Irish author, Sam Blake, is out in January and is set in Paris, for anyone who fancies post-Christmas armchair travel.

What book made you want to become a writer?

The Magic Faraway Tree, by Enid Blyton. I loved the sheer imaginative scope of it: what a great story.

What’s one book you would add to the school curriculum?

The Country Girls, by Edna O’Brien.

What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?

On Chapel Sands, by Laura Cumming. It’s a memoir about the author’s mother’s five-day disappearance from a beach in the UK as a three-year-old, and the mystery and secrecy surrounding it.

What’s some advice you’ve got for other aspiring writers?

Tell the story you want to tell, and just keep going.

Lastly, what do the acts of reading and writing mean to you?

They’ve always been an important part of my life – in keeping me entertained and engaged with the world, and as a form of escape from the stresses of the day.

Where They Lie by Claire Coughlan is published by Simon & Schuster UK.

Claire is featured in the An Post Irish Book Awards ‘New Voices 20 Best New Irish Writers’ list. Focused on showcasing a new generation of incredible Irish writers who are reshaping the literary landscape with their fresh perspectives and captivating storytelling, the list was curated through nominations from publishers, booksellers and librarians nationwide.

Photography by Nick Bradshaw.