Contemporary Authors

• The Damselfly Black & White Publishing (Edinburgh, Scotland), 2017

• Black Wood (Banktoun Trilogy) - March 19, 2015 Black & White Publishing,
• The Deaths of December - November 14, 2017 Mulholland Books,
• Willow Walk (Banktoun Trilogy) - June 10, 2017 Black & White Publishing,

• Susi Holliday - http://www.susiholliday.com/

  QUOTE:
  I am the eldest of four children, and grew up in a small town near Edinburgh where I worked in the family businesses (newsagent and pub) from a young age. I studied Microbiology & Statistics and for the last 17 years I’ve worked as a pharmaceutical statistician, analysing data from clinical trials. I started writing my first novel on the Trans-Siberian Express, and after lots of travelling around the world and living in lots of different places, I’ve now settled in west London (for now?!) with my husband and a teetering pile of books.

  Q&A/Contact
  Susi Holliday Author Pic - zoom1edit bw
  What do I read?

  I love crime, mystery, suspense and psychological horror fiction, but I’ll read pretty much anything (including cereal packets and the junk mail inside magazines.) I love to discover new authors, but some of my favourites are Mo Hayder, Belinda Bauer, Stephen King, Mark Billingham, Harlan Coben, Craig Robertson, Sarah Hilary and Eva Dolan. Here are a few that I’ve been recommending to everyone…

  Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb
  The Evidence of Ghosts by A.K. Benedict
  Untouchable by Ava Marsh
  Dark Flowers by Steve Mosby
  Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes
  In Her Wake by Amanda Jennings
  What do I write?

  My debut psychological crime novel BLACK WOOD was published by Black & White in March 2015 (and has recently been released in Czech). My second, WILLOW WALK, was released in May 2016, and THE DAMSELFLY followed in February 2017. Although they’re often described as a trilogy, each book is a standalone story so you don’t have to read them in order – the main thing that links them is the setting – the fictional town of Banktoun in south-east Scotland, and recurring character, Davie Gray.

  My latest book isn’t set in Banktoun… it’s called THE DEATHS OF DECEMBER, and it’s a festive serial killer thriller set in Surrey, England (out now from Mulholland Books.)

  You can find links to some of my short stories here.

  Have I won any awards?

  Kind of… In January 2010, I won the Global Short Stories competition, in 2013 I was runner up in the M.R. Hall Crime Writing competition, and in 2014 I was longlisted for the Crimefest Flashbang competition and shortlisted for the CWA Margery Allingham competition.

  What else do I do?

  I’m one of The Slice Girls – a bunch of very cool crime writers who also sing and perform at crime festivals. The occasionally changing line-up also includes Alexandra Sokoloff, Steph Broadribb, Louise Voss, A.K. Benedict & Harley Jane Kozak.

  img_3627
  The Slice Girls – The Curly Coo, Stirling (Bloody Scotland, 2016) – photo credit: Eoin Carey) – L to R: Alex Sokoloff, Louise Voss, Steph Broadribb, A.K. Benedict and me

  I’m part of the writing collective known as Murderers’ Row at ITW The Thrill Begins. I love flash fiction (although I rarely have the time to write it anymore), and I’m on the editing team at the FlashFlood journal. I have written reviews and interviews for Shots Magazine. I have taught creative writing workshops in a Category B male prison.

  Anything else?

  I’m a fictional character… In 2012, I won a competition at the Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, to be a featured in the Peter James novel Dead Man’s Time… hence PC Susi Holliday was born (and she’s been in two more books since).

  What does ‘S.J.I.’ stand for?

  Susan Jennifer Inglis… My ‘real’ name, my middle name and my maiden name. You can call me Susi 🙂

  What about in ‘real life’?

  I am the eldest of four children, and grew up in a small town near Edinburgh where I worked in the family businesses (newsagent and pub) from a young age. I studied Microbiology & Statistics and for the last 17 years I’ve worked as a pharmaceutical statistician, analysing data from clinical trials. I started writing my first novel on the Trans-Siberian Express, and after lots of travelling around the world and living in lots of different places, I’ve now settled in west London (for now?!) with my husband and a teetering pile of books. I like walking and exploring, 80s/90s pop, grunge and rock music, and pretty much anything made of cheese. I got married in a former asylum. I’ve slept in a cave in New Mexico. I used to sing in a choir. My favourite song is Black by Pearl Jam, I once chatted to Dermot O’Leary at a beer festival, I love Galaxy Ripples and I’m partial to Kevin Bacon. I am a massive fan of Ray Donovan.

  And finally… who took those fab photos of you, and can I use them?

  Most of these were taken by the fantastic Melanie Moss – you can check out her other work here, and a couple by the equally excellent Ian Patrick. Please feel free to use these images for blogs & other publicity if you like! Click on the gallery and you will get larger versions.

  * * *

  For all rights enquiries, please contact my agent: Phil Patterson at Marjacq.

  * * *

  Contact Me

  You can contact me via the form below and you can find me on Twitter and Facebook too. I’d love to hear from you!

• Richard Goodwin - http://www.richardgodwin.net/author-interviews-promotional-specific/quick-fire-at-the-slaughterhouse-interview-with-s-j-i-holliday

  QUOTE:
  eature families with some very dark secrets.
  HOMEBIOBOOKSE-BOOKSMAGAZINESMEDIABLOGCONTACT
  Quick Fire At The Slaughterhouse: Interview With S.J.I. Holliday
  Posted on September 18, 2016 by richardgodwin
  QuickFire02 photo QuickFire02.png

  Susi Holliday is a crime novelist. She has worked as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry. Her first novel, Black Wood was published in 2015 and her second, Willow Walk, is out now. Susi met me at The Slaughterhouse where we talked about her new release and her literary influences.

  Tell us about your latest novel.

  photo HOLLIDAY-350x227_9781785300363.jpgMy latest novel is called Willow Walk. It’s set in Banktoun – the same fictional small Scottish town as in my first book, Black Wood. It has some recurring characters, but it’s not a series as such. I’d describe it as psychological suspense, with a bit of police procedural thrown in. The main character in this one is Marie Bloomfield. All’s going swimmingly for her, until she gets a pile of letters from someone from a long time ago, someone who shouldn’t be able to contact her since she moved away and changed her identity. It’s a creepy tale of obsession and the bonds that you just can’t break. It contains some disturbing stuff – a freaky fairground, dodgy (no-longer-legal) highs and a party to end all parties. It’s very dark, but it was fun to write.

  Who are your literary influences?

  A bit of an eclectic mix… from Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, to everything by Stephen King and many things in between. Oh, and a bit of Jackie Collins thrown in. Nowadays I seem to be reading a lot of new writers, and I’m not reading as much horror any more – but horror is still something I like to pull into my writing as much as I can. If I’m scared writing it, then hopefully the reader will be scared reading it.

  How important is the family in your fictions?

  Very! All three of my books set in the small Scottish town of Banktoun feature families with some very dark secrets. In Black Wood, the main character, Jo, has been mostly brought up by her grandmother and she still owns the family home – a creepy cottage in the woods where bad things have happened, and keep happening. In Willow Walk, the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist is key, as they are twins (female/male) and they have a very complex situation to deal with. In the third book, The Damselfly, a teenage girl is found dead in her bed, and the relationship between her and her mother and her siblings is a critical part of this book. I think all my families are pretty dysfunctional, but I also think that reflects real life. No one has the perfect family, but family bonds can be very strong.

  What else is on the cards for you this year?

  Finishing book 3, maybe writing a short story or two. Catching up on some reading, and then planning and writing book 4 – which is a standalone and very different from the Banktoun-set books. I’m very excited to be starting something fresh. I’ll be talking about my books at Bouchercon in New Orleans next month too. Can’t wait!

  Thank you Susi for a great interview.

• Linda's Book Bag - https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/02/15/an-interview-with-sji-holliday-author-of-the-damsel-fly/

  QUOTE:
  I deliberately set out to write each book in a different way, but still keeping the overall voice that comes out of me without me having any control over it. I experimented with past and present tense, first and third person narrators, flashbacks, things such as letters and blogs inserted in there to add to the tension. Ultimately I am still a new writer, with only three books under my belt, and I don’t think I will ever stop learning and experimenting with what I do. People say this is my best book. I hope I can keep improving, but I’m worried that it’s not achievable. Authors are notoriously wracked with self-doubt
  An Interview with SJI Holliday, Author of The Damsel Fly
  FEBRUARY 15, 2017LINDASBOOKBAG
  Cover Spread Damselfly.indd

  I loved Willow Walk by SJI Holliday, reviewed here, so I’m thrilled to be part of the launch celebrations for book three in the Banktoun series, The Damsel Fly. I’ll be sharing my review of The Damsel Fly very soon, but today I have a wonderful interview with SJI Holliday.

  The Damsel Fly was published by Black and White on 2nd February 2017 and is available for purchase in e-book and paperback here.

  The Damsel Fly
  Cover Spread Damselfly.indd

  Katie Taylor is the perfect student. She’s bright and funny, she has a boyfriend who adores her and there are only a few months left of school before she can swap Banktoun for the bright lights of London. Life gets even better when she has an unexpected win on a scratch card. But then Katie’s luck runs out.

  Her tragic death instead becomes the latest in a series of dark mysteries blighting the small town. The new school counsellor Polly McAllister, who has recently returned to Banktoun to make amends in her own personal life, is thrown in at the deep end as the pupils and staff come to terms with Katie’s death. And it’s not long before she uncovers a multitude of murky secrets. Did Katie have enemies? Is her boyfriend really so squeaky clean? And who is her brother’s mysterious friend?

  With Banktoun’s insular community inflamed by gossip and a baying mob stirring itself into a frenzy on social media, DS Davie Gray and DC Louise Jennings must work out who really murdered Katie before someone takes matters into their own hands…

  An Interview with SJI Holliday
  Hi Susi. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing and your latest release The Damselfly. Firstly, please could you tell me a little about yourself?

  Hi Linda. Thanks for having me! A little bit about me… well, I am Scottish, have travelled the world and now live in London. I grew up in a small town near Edinburgh where my parents had a newsagents and then a pub… so you can see where the influence came from for the settings in my books! I’ve got a brother who lives in New Zealand, a sister in Chile and another sister who still lives in Scotland. I try to visit as often as I can.

  And tell us a bit about The Damselfly without spoiling the plot of course!

  It’s a tragic tale about a teenage girl who is found dead at home. It’s a classic whodunit with lots of potential suspects, mixed with the psychological exploration of a community in mourning.

  How far is Banktoun, the setting for your novels, based in a real place and how far an imaginary place?

  Basically Banktoun is my home town, with some parts removed or renamed. When I was writing Black Wood, I printed out a map of the area, scored out the bits I was cutting out, adding in my replacement street names, and spotted an actual place called Black Wood just outside the real town. It was meant to be!

  The Damselfly is your third book set in Banktoun. How have the plots emerged?

  I always had the idea for The Damselfly bubbling at the back of my mind after a real-life tragedy that stuck with me. Willow Walk came from nowhere, in that I had no real idea I was going to write it, but it did emerge from Black Wood in that Marie was mentioned very briefly in the first book as a potential love interest for Davie and it didn’t pan out – so I decided to give her a story. I did something similar with Quinn from Willow Walk, who is given his own part to play in the third book. So although these are standalone mysteries, reading them in order does provide the reader with a few nuggets.

  How do you think your writing has changed or consolidated over the three books of Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly?

  I deliberately set out to write each book in a different way, but still keeping the overall voice that comes out of me without me having any control over it. I experimented with past and present tense, first and third person narrators, flashbacks, things such as letters and blogs inserted in there to add to the tension. Ultimately I am still a new writer, with only three books under my belt, and I don’t think I will ever stop learning and experimenting with what I do. People say this is my best book. I hope I can keep improving, but I’m worried that it’s not achievable. Authors are notoriously wracked with self-doubt.

  The Damselfly considers the impact of social media. What is your view of today’s use of social media?

  It has its pros and cons. I do hark back to the days before it existed and have fond memories of a life without the internet, but it exists now and it isn’t going away. Social media is an excellent way for people to keep in touch from all over the world, in real time. People make friends that they might never have made otherwise, and then meet them in real life. People who love books are spoilt for choice with recommendations, clubs, blogs about books. But there is a dark side, of course. The keyboard warriors who set out to deliberately hurt, forgetting that there is a real person behind the screen somewhere. Nasty people will always be nasty. It’s a shame to give them a platform, but removing it won’t make them go away.

  Why do you think female writers are so good at psychological thrillers?

  Ha – good question – probably because we overthink things too much! Some things I tell my husband, and I can tell he is trying hard not to roll his eyes at me when I am analysing something I’ve read or heard about in the most minute detail. I think men are more into doing things, women are more into talking them to death first – sweeping generalisations, of course. Mark Edwards and Peter Swanson are excellent psychological thriller writers.

  You also work in the pharmaceutical industry. To what extent does this give you an understanding of procedures that you can employ in your writing?

  I’m not sure it helps at all! Unless you can count the slightly anal use of spreadsheets and managing time effectively – I work best when I am busy and have a deadline.

  All your books have received critical acclaim from fellow writers. How does that make you feel?

  It’s an amazing feeling when a writer you have admired for years tells you that they loved your book. I find it hard to believe them. It is utterly terrifying asking your peers to read and comment on your book – this one especially so, as I was convinced it was total rubbish.

  When I read your books I’m always so impressed by the way the variety of sentence length affects the tension and plot. Do you have to edit hard to achieve this effect or is it part of your natural writing style?

  It’s my natural style. I spent a long time writing short stories before I finished a novel and I think this time was where I really developed my ‘voice’ without realising that was what I was doing. I spend a lot of time thinking about the book before writing a word. I write lots of notes, and then I finally get stuck in. When I edit, there are huge passages that I don’t even touch – but of course there are certain parts which will get re-written several times until they sound just right.

  Your books increase my heart rate as I read. Does your writing have the same effect on you as you write?

  Yes! And some bits make me scared, or sad and some bits make me cry. Quite a lot of The Damselfly made me cry. When I am in the flow of it, I do feel like I am actually in Banktoun and that I actually know these people.

  You often take part in events with other writers. How important is it for you to do this?

  It’s very important for several reasons. Firstly, there are thousands of authors out there and thousands of books published every year – we have to be seen so that readers know we exist. It makes my heart sink when I tell someone I am a writer and they say ‘Oh, would I have heard of anything you’ve written?’ and I say ‘No, of course not!’ How many authors would the average person recognise on the street? Very few, I think. Secondly, we write to be read – so meeting readers is wonderful – especially if they have read your book and make a point of coming to tell you so. Being at a good book event can also introduce your books to new readers, and that is ultimately the aim. Thirdly, I have made some very good friends in this business – crime authors are a lovely bunch and it is always great fun to hang out with your mates, talking about stuff you love.

  So, if you hadn’t become an author, what would you have done instead as a creative outlet?

  I love drawing, but I am not very good at it anymore (I was quite good when I was younger.) I keep hoping I will have more time to teach myself. I will, eventually! My dream would be to write and illustrate a children’s book. One day!

  And finally, when you’re not writing, what do you like to read?

  I love creepy psychological thrillers and the everyday horror type things. One to watch out for this year is The Binding Song by Elodie Harper. My perfect kind of book.

  Thanks so much Susi for your time in answering my questions.

  About SJI Holliday
  susi-holliday

  S.J.I. (Susi) Holliday grew up in East Lothian. A life-long fan of crime and horror, her short stories have been published in various places, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural CWA Margery Allingham prize. She has written three crime novels, a mix of police procedural and psychological thriller, set in the fictional Scottish town of Banktoun. They are: Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly – all featuring the much loved character, Davie Gray. Susi also works as a pharmaceutical statistician. She is married and lives in London.

  You can find out more about SJI Holliday via her website, by following her on Twitter or finding her on Facebook.

  There’s more with these other bloggers too:

QUOTE:
scary if banal," adding: "Maybe there's a limit to how high you can ratchet up terror."
Print Marked Items
Willow Walk
Publishers Weekly.
264.16 (Apr. 17, 2017): p49.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
Willow Walk
S.J.I. Holliday. Black & White (IPG, dist.), $12.95 trade paper (256p) ISBN 978-1-78530021-9
In British author Holliday's scary if banal second Banktoun novel (after 2015's Black Wood), Graeme, a
disturbed young man, escapes from the mental institution where he has been confined for decades. Graeme
writes letters to Marie, with whom he once had a close relationship. Marie is terrified as well as a bit
conflicted, because part of her still loves Graeme despite what he has done to her in the past. Among other
things, she pushes away Sgt. Davie Gray, the sympathetic policeman she has been dating in the town of
Banktoun. Unfortunately, Graeme is not a particularly interesting psychological case. The only question is
how many bodies it will take until he is caught and/or killed. So when yet another letter from Graeme
appears, even though it's both gross and creepy, it's also just more of the same. Maybe there's a limit to how
high you can ratchet up terror. A subplot about a 16-year-old girl who works in the same cafe as Marie and
her burgeoning sexuality doesn't add much. (June)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Willow Walk." Publishers Weekly, 17 Apr. 2017, p. 49. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A490820789/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f063d872.
Accessed 8 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A490820789

• Crime Pieces
  https://crimepieces.com/2015/03/24/review-sji-holliday-black-wood/
  Word count: 387

  QUOTE:
  Holliday is a very good writer and I particularly enjoyed the long descriptive passages. Not all debut writers have the courage to write these and books can be dialogue heavy. Not so here. SJI Holliday is a writer to look out for.
  Review: SJI Holliday – Black Wood
  March 24, 2015 / Sarah
  Childhood trauma is powerful theme in crime novels. Children are, of course, the victims of violence and the impact of crimes committed against them can last well into adulthood. It’s a theme explored in my own novel In Bitter Chill and I was interested to see how Black Wood by Susi Holliday would approach what looked like a similar premise. However, what writers put down on paper is influenced by their upbringing and own experiences. Holliday has produced a book set in a small Scottish town that is uniquely hers.
  Claire and Jo were involved in an act of violence in Black Wood that left Claire paralysed and Jo with a ambivalent attitude towards the world. When a man walks into a bookshop where Jo works she recognises him as one of the people involved in the childhood event. People are reluctant to believe her memories and even Claire urges her to move on. But a balaclava-clad man is attacking women on a nearby railway track which Jo is convinced is connected to the man’s reappearance.
  Holliday is excellent at characterisation. Jo’s personality extends beyond the cliché ‘feisty’. She’s obnoxious in parts and hangs on to friendships with a dismaying neediness. But friends are also attracted to her energy and remain loyal to a certain extent. There are multiple points of view but these are well demarked and the narrative easy to follow.
  I grew up in a small town and can always identify with the claustrophobia of relationships in a closed circle of friends. Holliday is a very good writer and I particularly enjoyed the long descriptive passages. Not all debut writers have the courage to write these and books can be dialogue heavy. Not so here.
  SJI Holliday is a writer to look out for. Black Wood is a standalone so it will be interesting what direction her writing takes her. Thanks to Black and White publishing for my review copy.

• Kettlemag
  https://www.kettlemag.co.uk/article/black-wood-sji-holliday-review
  Word count: 542

  QUOTE:
  dark and disturbing story told mostly from the perspective of Jo, a troubled young woman who has never overcome the death of her parents and a mysterious incident in the woods that left her childhood best friend, Claire, disabled. I hated it and couldn't stop reading it in equal measure
  Black Wood by SJI Holliday: Review

  By Alexandra Goode - May 16, 2015
  Holliday quotes Nietzsche at the beginning of her novel. She references the darkness that exists inside every individual, but also the promise that someone out there will understand that darkness and make it beautiful. In other words, people do bad things but, often, those bad things are understandable and justifiable to some.
  Black Wood is a dark and disturbing story told mostly from the perspective of Jo, a troubled young woman who has never overcome the death of her parents and a mysterious incident in the woods that left her childhood best friend, Claire, disabled. It's a twisted story with many surprises that slowly reveal themselves. I hated it and couldn't stop reading it in equal measure.
  Black Wood: The plot
  The story is told in bits and pieces, the most interesting and comprehensive bits through Jo's eyes, but also with third person narratives from other characters in the novel, and segments from the past about 'the boys' and the way they 'hunt' the younger girls through the woods. It's clear from the beginning that Jo and Claire experienced something terrible in the woods when they were children, and that the attack left Claire in a wheelchair. Jo's conviction early on that the returned Gareth Maloney is one of the boys from the wood leads her determination to discover the truth, pulling charming police sergeant Davie Gray into the mix.
  The small town setting is nice, as always with crime and murder mystery novels. The many secrets that surface in a small town are scandalous in their own way and make for juicy reading. Holliday's many characters intertwine well and don't get confusing. Each has their own problems that become part of Jo's bigger, darker, more devastating search. The clues are good and gradual and the ending dramatic enough to be satisfying.
  Readable but not polished
  As novels go, Black Wood is enjoyable but probably not for anyone with a particular reading taste. It's Holliday's debut novel and that shows in the quality of the writing and, sadly, even the editing. There are numerous grammar and spelling errors in the text that will frustrate anyone who is a writer themselves or just likes to think they're a good authority on books.
  Similarly, her descriptions are vivid and she writes humour well, but her dialogue often feels false and overworked. I doubt you would see 'Nooooo!' printed in most award-winning books. It isn't enough to stop you reading - the plot and mystery are enticing enough to make you want to reach the end - but it certainly stands out. This is very much a novel to pick up and read on holiday or to quickly pass the time. If you're post-degree or looking for something complex, the inconsistencies will likely only ruin your reading experience.

• Crime Thriller Girl
  https://crimethrillergirl.com/2016/05/09/ctg-reviews-willow-walk-by-sji-holliday/
  Word count: 472

  QUOTE:
  A twisty, turning police procedural with a strong psychological twist, the tension ramps up page by page from the outset. Tackling some controversial issues, this is a gritty tale of obsession, revenge and escape. Chillingly nuanced, pulse-poundingly suspenseful, it’s a great second book in the Banktoun Trilogy and totally unputdownable."CTG Reviews: WILLOW WALK by SJI Holliday
  May 9, 2016
  What the blurb says: “When the past catches up, do you run and hide or stand and fight? When a woman is brutally attacked by an escaped inmate from a nearby psychiatric hospital, Sergeant Davie Gray must track him down before he strikes again. But Gray is already facing a series of deaths connected to legal highs and a local fairground, as well as dealing with his girlfriend Marie’s increasingly bizarre behaviour. As Gray investigates the crimes, he comes to realize that there has to be a link between Marie and the man on the run. It’s the only thing that makes any sense. But he also knows that if he confronts her with the truth, he risks losing everything. As a terrified Marie is pulled back into a violent past she thought she’d escaped, she makes a life-changing decision. And when events come to a head at a house party on Willow Walk, can Gray piece together the puzzle in time to stop the sleepy town of Banktoun being rocked by tragedy once again?”
  Having really enjoyed SJI Holliday’s debut novel – BLACK WOOD – I was delighted to get an early read of the second book in the Banktoun trilogy. Set in a small town community in Scotland where everyone knows each other’s business and secrets are deeply held, Sergeant David Gray is investigating a series of deaths linked to legal highs, while also trying to work out what is going wrong in his relationship with girlfriend, Marie.
  Sergeant Gray is a fantastic character. In WILLOW WALK we find out more about his personal life, and about his relationship with Marie. When she becomes increasingly distant and her behaviour erratic, he struggles with what to do to makes things better. As he joins the search for the missing psychiatric patient, Sergeant Gray starts to see connections between the different areas he’s grabbling with – professionally and personally. As he follows the evidence, and begins to piece together the truth, he realizes that this case might be a lot closer to home than any other before.
  A twisty, turning police procedural with a strong psychological twist, the tension ramps up page by page from the outset. Tackling some controversial issues, this is a gritty tale of obsession, revenge and escape.
  Chillingly nuanced, pulse-poundingly suspenseful, it’s a great second book in the Banktoun Trilogy and totally unputdownable.
  ---

• Big Thrill
  http://www.thebigthrill.org/2017/02/the-damselfly-by-s-j-i-holliday/
  Word count: 919

  QUOTE:
  I wanted to explore the effects on the family when a child is murdered and where everyone is automatically a suspect. I’d like readers to think about the complexities of a situation where something can snowball from seemingly nothing in a very short time; where secrets from the past can come back to the present, with devastating consequences."
  The Damselfly by S. J. I. Holliday
  February 28, 2017 by ITW 5 0
  Katie Taylor is the perfect student. She’s bright and funny, she has a boyfriend who adores her and there are only a few months left of school before she can swap Banktoun for the bright lights of London. Life gets even better when she has an unexpected win on a scratch card. But then Katie’s luck runs out.
  Her tragic death instead becomes the latest in a series of dark mysteries blighting the small town. The new school counsellor Polly McAllister, who has recently returned to Banktoun to make amends in her own personal life, is thrown in at the deep end as the pupils and staff come to terms with Katie’s death. And it’s not long before she uncovers a multitude of murky secrets. Did Katie have enemies? Is her boyfriend really so squeaky clean? And who is her brother’s mysterious friend?
  With Banktoun’s insular community inflamed by gossip and a baying mob stirring itself into a frenzy on social media, DS Davie Gray and DC Louise Jennings must work out who really murdered Katie before someone takes matters into their own hands…
  The Big Thrill recently discussed THE DAMSELFLY with author S. J. I. Holliday:

  What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
  I wanted to explore the effects on the family when a child is murdered and where everyone is automatically a suspect. I’d like readers to think about the complexities of a situation where something can snowball from seemingly nothing in a very short time; where secrets from the past can come back to the present, with devastating consequences.
  How does this book make a contribution to the genre?
  This is a classic whodunit style mystery, mixed with the elements of a psychological thriller. It covers contemporary issues, including teenage angst, social media, and small town claustrophobia.
  Was there anything new you discovered, or surprised you, as you wrote this book?
  What surprised me was just how difficult it is to plot a whodunit! This is the first book I’ve written in this style, where a body is found at the beginning and the purpose of the story is to lead to the identity of the killer. I really enjoyed throwing in the red herrings, and I was surprised that the identity of the killer actually changed three times while I was writing.
  No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?
  It’s kind of based on a true story. But I’ve tried hard not to exploit the facts of that story, as it was a devastating thing to happen in a small town that I know very well. I wanted to explore the effects of what might have happened, had the killer not been caught straight away.
  What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why?
  The three books that I’ve written so far are kind of a loosely-linked trilogy, set in the fictional town of Banktoun. I was influenced by Belinda Bauer’s trilogy, set in the fictional town of Shipcott (Blacklands, Dark Side, Finders Keepers). I’m also very influenced by Stephen King, especially his early stuff, and the whole vibe of the community of Castle Rock.
  *****
  “Multi-layered, fiendishly plotted and peopled by a cast of characters drawn with rare delicacy and skill,THE DAMSELFLY is a suitably gripping and original end to SJ Holliday’s critically acclaimed Banktoun Trilogy.” ~Eva Dolan, author of Watch Her Disappear
  “THE DAMSELFLY is accomplished in every way; deftly plotted and ingenious, it explores the devastating effects of the brutal murder of a promising teenager on her friends and the community around her. Sensitively handled, with beautifully drawn characters that you can genuinely care about, it’s a compulsive read until the final breathtaking page.’ ~Elizabeth Haynes, author of Never Alone
  *****
  S.J.I. (Susi) Holliday grew up in Haddington, East Lothian. She spent many years working in her family’s newsagent and pub before escaping to St Andrews, Dundee and Edinburgh to study microbiology and statistics. She has worked as a statistician in the pharmaceutical industry for over sixteen years, but it was on a six-month round-the-world-trip that she took with her husband in 2006 that she rediscovered her passion for writing. After abandoning her first attempt at a paranormal thriller, she wrote hundreds of crime and horror short stories before finally sitting down to write the book she was always meant to write. Based on a true-life creepy event, Black Wood is the first of a loosely-linked series set in the fictional town of Banktoun. She lives in London, except when the magnetic pull of Scotland attracts her back, and she can usually be found in cafes, pubs, hanging around at book festivals, and on Facebook and Twitter (@SJIHolliday).
  To learn more, please visit her website.

• Joy Kluver Blog
  https://joykluver.wordpress.com/2017/11/16/first-monday-crime-review-the-deaths-of-december-by-susi-holliday/
  Word count: 663

  QUOTE:
  "[T]his is a cracking read and would make an excellent Christmas gift. In fact, it could even be part of a new Advent Book Calendar. Now there’s an idea
  First Monday Crime Review – The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday
  NOVEMBER 16, 2017 ~ JOYKLUVER
  I absolutely love SJI Holliday’s Banktoun series (I say series rather than trilogy in the hope that she might write one more – you can’t leave it like that, Susi!). I adore her police officer, Davie Gray, so it was with some trepidation that I started reading The Deaths of December (written under Susi Holliday). Would I love her new characters as much? You’ll have to wait and see. Here’s the blurb first.

  The Blurb

  The Deaths of December

  It looks like a regular advent calendar.

  Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors… and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one.

  The police hope it’s a prank. Because if it isn’t, a murderer has just surfaced – someone who’s be killing for twenty years.

  But why now? And why has he sent it to this station?

  As the country relaxes into festive cheer, Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must race against time to catch the killer. Because there are four doors left, and four murders will fill them…

  My review

  I mused the other day that the new trend for gift advent calendars was perhaps getting a bit out of hand. I can understand chocolates (definitely) or even the beauty products or the whiskey bottles. But I draw the line at cereal and sausages (not in the same one, although it might work better if it did). When I was a child, I had a picture one that I used again and again. The Photographer in The Deaths of December clearly appreciates the old style advent calendar, except he uses negatives instead of pictures. Unfortunately, he’s focused a little too much on the Massacre of the Innocents, as each negative depicts a crime scene of a murder. All of the murders are unsolved and spread around the country. Nothing seems to connect the victims apart from one thing – they all occurred in December over a 20 year period.

  This is such a great idea. Susi has used her usual style of multiple viewpoints but has also changed tenses for her characters, creating distance for The Photographer but immediacy for the police officers. And there’s that favourite little statement that gets used every Christmas – how many sleeps are left until the big day. As the sleeps tick down, so the tension increases. Will Becky and Eddie find the murderer in time?

  So, having declared my love for Davie Gray, how did Becky and Eddie measure up? Actually, very well. I really enjoyed both characters and liked seeing the investigation from both their points of view. This is a partnership that could run and run (after another Dave Gray book of course). Although Susi Holliday freely admits that she doesn’t stay too close to correct procedures, she certainly creates authentic officers juggling the stresses of work with home life.

  It’s hard to tell you about this book as I don’t want to give too much away. There’s a twist that I hadn’t spotted and it’s so clever. But I’m not going to give any spoilers! Suffice to say, this is a cracking read and would make an excellent Christmas gift. In fact, it could even be part of a new Advent Book Calendar. Now there’s an idea.

  The Deaths of December is published today and you can buy it here.

  Thank you to Susi for sending me a copy of the book. I choose to review it for First Monday Crime.

• Crime Thriller Girl
  https://crimethrillergirl.com/2017/11/14/ctg-reviews-the-deaths-of-december-by-susi-holliday/
  Word count: 490

  QUOTE:
  Peppered with sharply observed Christmas holiday and habit references, this is a sparkly and blood-splattered read. It’s the perfect antidote to too much turkey and Christmas pudding – creepy, tense and twisty-turny as hell. I loved it

  CTG REVIEWS: THE DEATHS OF DECEMBER BY SUSI HOLLIDAY
  November 14, 2017
  IMG_6083

  Here’s the blurb: “It looks like a regular advent calendar. Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors… and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one. The police hope it’s a prank. Because if it isn’t, a murderer has just surfaced – someone who’s been killing for twenty years. But why now? And why has he sent it to this police station? As the country relaxes into festive cheer, Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must race against time to catch the killer. Because there are four doors left, and four murders will fill them…”

  I’ve never read a serial killer book set at Christmas time before, but there’s something creepily macabre and don’t-you-dare-look-away compelling about the combination of Christmas tunes, tinsel and blood splatter.

  In The Deaths of December, Susi Holliday introduces a great new police pairing – DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine. Becky is fresh into the job and as enthusiastic as she is tenacious. Eddie has more experience, and is more measured, thorough – or at least he believes he always has been. They make for a great duo, not always seeing eye-to-eye, but getting on and recognizing each other’s strengths nonetheless. And that’s important, because the case they’ve been assigned is a tricky one.

  How do you catch a serial killer who’s been killing for twenty years undetected? He doesn’t have a specific victim ‘type’ and he kills in different ways, in different towns, on different days. The only thing that seems to connect the crimes is the gruesome advent calendar he sent to the police – but why send it?

  As Becky and Eddie investigate the case it takes them away from their loved ones just as the festive period is beginning in earnest. They’re focused on the case, on catching the killer before he strikes this Christmas. They assume that there’ll be able to spend time with their families afterwards. But will they? Because the closer they get to the killer, the closer he gets to the ones they love…

  Peppered with sharply observed Christmas holiday and habit references, this is a sparkly and blood-splattered read. It’s the perfect antidote to too much turkey and Christmas pudding – creepy, tense and twisty-turny as hell. I loved it!

  Fans of police procedurals are going to want to make sure they’ve got a copy of The Deaths of December in their Christmas socking.

  THE DEATHS OF DECEMBER is out on 16th November.

• Whispering Stories
  https://whisperingstories.com/deaths-december-susi-holliday-review/
  Word count: 782

  QUOTE:
  The book is filled with gripping and quite often tense moments. The plot is original and very realistic. ... If you are looking for a thriller that is going to excite you, something to get your teeth into and keep you hooked, I would definitely recommend reading The Deaths of December
  The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday – Book Review
  BY WHISPERINGSTORIES · PUBLISHED 29TH NOVEMBER 2017 · UPDATED 29TH NOVEMBER 2017

  1Save
  The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday – Book Review

  The Death of December by Susi Holliday

  The Deaths of December

  Author – Susi Holliday
  Publisher – Mulholland Books
  Pages – 384
  Released – 16th November 2017
  ISBN-13 – 978-1473659360
  Format – ebook, paperback, audio
  Reviewer – Stacey
  I received a free copy of this book

  It looks like a regular advent calendar.

  Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors…and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one.

  The police hope it’s a prank. Because if it isn’t, a murderer has just surfaced – someone who’s been killing for twenty years.

  But why now? And why has he sent it to this police station?

  As the country relaxes into festive cheer, Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must race against time to catch the killer. Because there are four doors left, and four murders will fill them…

  It’s shaping up to be a deadly little Christmas.

  Review 2017

  Detective Constable Becky Green arrives for her shift at the police station nine days before Christmas. On arrival, she is handed her mail, including an envelope addressed to ‘To a detective who knows what to do’. Inside the envelope is a home made advent calendar.

  Opening door number one Becky discovers a small photograph of a murder scene, in fact, it is her colleague, Detective Sergeant Eddie Carmine’s most recent and unsolved murder.

  Behind most of the doors is a different murder scene, but there are a few left blank, presumably for the killers next victims. The race is on to find the person who is responsible and bring them to justice, but how, when all they have is a tiny photograph as evidence?

  The Deaths of December complete and utterly perked my attention with its synopsis. I love a good Christmas book, and I also love thrillers, so the combination of the two was not to be missed.

  The book is split into days, counting down from nine more sleeps before Christmas, until one day to go. It is also told from various points of view, including Detective Greene, Detective Carmine, The Photographer and a young woman called Carly.

  From the start you know who, though not by name, and the basis of why the killer is killing. From what we are initially told I did think it strange as to why someone would become a serial killer for that reason, but as the plot progressed I understood more and more. Then the epilogue confirmed everything for me.

  Both Becky and Eddie are very likeable and authentic. Having worked at a police station, including the CID department, at times it was like being back in the open office. Ms. Holliday certainly did her research into the life of a detective thoroughly.

  The book is filled with gripping and quite often tense moments. The plot is original and very realistic. If I have one little gripe it is with the ending, I’m not saying it’s not good, it was just not in the direction I was expecting Ms. Holliday to take us. I can’t really tell you anything about it as I would spoil the book for you, but I do wonder whether this is the end, or is there going to be a sequel.

  If you are looking for a thriller that is going to excite you, something to get your teeth into and keep you hooked, I would definitely recommend reading ‘The Deaths of December’.

  Reviewed by Stacey
  Pink four stars

  Amazon.co.uk – Amazon.com – Amazon.ca – iTunes
  About the Author
  Susi Holliday

  Susi Holliday grew up in East Lothian. A life-long fan of crime and horror, her short stories have been published in various places, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural CWA Margery Allingham competition.

  She is the author of three novels in the Banktoun trilogy, Black Wood, Willow Walk and The Damselfly. She is married and lives in London.

• Portobello Book Blog
  https://portobellobookblog.com/2017/02/06/the-damselfly-by-sjiholliday-review-and-qa-bwpublishing/
  Word count: 1823

  QUOTE:
  This is the last in the Banktoun trilogy and I think the author has truly saved the best for last! ... The author keeps up the tension throughout, with so many layers to the story all skilfully drawn together by the end. The characters are all so well depicted with all their strengths and weaknesses and the pace of the book is just perfect. I was completely gripped throughout wondering what had happened to poor Katie and trying to guess what everyone’s secrets were and how they linked – or not – to the crime
  The Damselfly by @SJIHolliday #review and #Q&A @bwpublishing
  06/02/2017Joanne
  The Damselfly: A gripping and unnerving crime thriller by [Holliday, SJI]

  A busy blog post for you today with my review of The Damselfly, some photos from the Edinburgh launch last week and a Q&A with author Susi Holliday.

  First of all my review. The Damselfly is the last in the Banktoun trilogy and I think the author has truly saved the best for last! DS Davie Gray and DC Louise Jennings are called to investigate the death of bright school pupil Katie Taylor in the small East Lothian town of Banktoun. For a relatively quiet town, there have been a few serious incidents recently, explored in the books Black Wood and Willow Walk. Polly McAllister has been thrown in at the deep end on her first day as a guidance teacher when Katie’s death is discovered and announced to the pupils. As well as supporting the traumatised school community she is shocked when a member of staff comes to her with a surprising revelation. Rumours and allegations quickly fly round the community, with some of them ready to take matters into their own hands.

  The Damselfly is a book full of suspense and secrets right from the start. Everyone seems to have something to hide, from Katie’s boyfriend, to one of her teachers, her brother and even Polly the school counsellor. Often in a fictional small town setting everyone knows every else’s business but here it seems almost everyone has been adept at keeping major secrets well hidden. I was hooked as the author carefully left clues, hints and red herrings with my suspicions falling on many of the residents of Banktoun.

  Adding to the intrigue were the mysterious blogpost entries on the ThreeWiseMonkeys blog. Who was writing these posts and who was ‘SpeakNoEvil’ so angry with? And then there is the secret Facebook group rapidly gaining new members, stirring up anger against the person they believe responsible and organising a vigilante mob to take matters into their own hands. The blog, the Facebook group post and the story being told through multiple viewpoints, including those of the police and Katie’s boyfriend, gives the reader a great insight into what’s going on throughout Banktoun over these few fraught days.

  As I said at the start, I think that The Damselfly is the best of the trilogy and given that I really enjoyed the other two, that’s high praise. The author keeps up the tension throughout, with so many layers to the story all skilfully drawn together by the end. The characters are all so well depicted with all their strengths and weaknesses and the pace of the book is just perfect. I was completely gripped throughout wondering what had happened to poor Katie and trying to guess what everyone’s secrets were and how they linked – or not – to the crime. The Damselfly is a book that will have you compulsively turning the pages right up to the final jaw-dropping ending!

  Below are a few photos from the book launch at Waterstones, West End, Edinburgh last Thursday. Susi had a chat with author Ian Patrick then there was time for questions from the audience. There was plenty wine, nibbles and of course Damselfly themed chocolates. There was a raffle to win one of the Damselfly bags and my half of the front row all won one -including me! You know how in the lottery you’d never expect 1, 2 and 3 to come out but that, being completely random of course, they can? Well that’s what happened – we’ll maybe just gloss over the fact that my friend managed to pick out her own ticket! Honestly it wasn’t a fix. Sadly the lottery scratchcard in the bag, which has a relevance to the story, wasn’t a winner but it was exciting revealing the numbers to find out.

  Susi was kind enough to answer my author spotlight questions so now it’s over to her. First of all Susi , would you tell me a little about yourself?

  I was born in Edinburgh and grew up in Haddington. I lived there until 1992 when I went to various universities, returning in the holidays to work in my dad’s pub. I finally left in 1999 and went to Dublin for work (as well as writing, I am also a statistician, analysing the results of clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies), and via many other places, I have settled in London. For now, anyway. I love travelling. In a previous life, I was definitely a nomad.

  What inspired you to start writing?

  I was always a massive book worm, so for me it was a natural progression. I wrote stories as a child, but then abandoned that potential career path to delve into science. I started writing again in 2006, while travelling on the Trans-Siberian Express, and when I came back from that six-month trip, followed by a few months of working in Switzerland, I went to a creative writing evening class and started writing short stories. Writing a novel was inevitable (but it wasn’t easy!)

  Tell me about your journey to publication

  I wrote hundreds of short stories, then I started and abandoned several novels. Finally, I settled on the story that I wanted to tell. Black Wood was inspired by a real thing that happened in my childhood. Once I realised this was what I was meant to be writing all along, it came out fast. I’d been attending various crime writing festivals since I’d started taking my writing seriously, and it was there that I met my agent-to-be. I signed with him in 2013, after he’d read my, at that point, incomplete novel. Having an agent spurred me on. I finished it quickly, we worked on edits, and it went out on submission in September of that year. I didn’t get a publisher so easily. I went through a lot of rejections and maybes and a couple of rewrites before it was picked up by Black and White in 2014, and the rest, as they say, is history.

  In a nutshell, what is your latest book about?

  It’s a tragic story about a promising teenage girl who is cut down in her prime, and the combined grief and rage of a community torn apart.

  How did you come up with the title for your book?

  I’m a big fan of The Silence of the Lambs, and I love the whole creepy moth motif. I wanted an insect on my cover! My husband and I researched various insects and we found The Damselfly – which sounds creepy all by itself. It’s a significant part of the story, but it won’t have any meaning until you read the book.

  How do you plan to celebrate publication day?

  This is my third book, and for every book so far I’ve had a launch event in Waterstones in Edinburgh one week, and in London the following week (or vice versa). I’m doing the same this year. It’s great to catch up with people, sign some books, give out some of my now famous book cover tote bags and chocolates, and have a few glasses of wine.

  Do you have a work in progress just now?

  Yes, but I never talk about my work in progress for fear of jinxing it!

  What’s your favourite book you’ve read in the past few months? Or favourite three if you really can’t choose!

  It’s not out yet, but The Binding Song by Elodie Harper is my absolute perfect kind of book. It terrified me. In a good way! I also loved the beautifully written and deeply disturbing The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel, and the rollercoaster ride that is Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb.

  The Roanoke Girls by [Engel, Amy] Deep Down Dead (Lori Anderson) by [Broadribb, Steph]

  What are you reading just now?

  I’ve just finished the brilliant Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land. I’ve had to put down all current reads (there are several!) as I am in a writing phase.

  Good Me Bad Me by [Land, Ali]

  If you were on Desert Island Discs, what one book would you take with you?

  I’d take The Children’s Illustrated Bible that I had when I was young. Not because I am religious, but because it is really thick and stuffed full of brilliantly twisted stories that would keep me in writing ideas for the rest of my life (assuming I am allowed a pen and paper on the island…)

  Is there a book you’d like to see made into a film? Who would be in your dream cast?

  Into The Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes would make a brilliant movie. I’d cast Tom Hardy as Lee, Ruth Wilson as Catherine and Tom Hiddleston as Stuart.

  [Great cast – I’d definitely want to see that film!]

  Into the Darkest Corner by [Haynes, Elizabeth]

  How can people follow you or connect with you on social media?

  I’m on twitter @SJIHolliday and Facebook.com/SJIHolliday. My website is www.sjiholliday.com.

  And finally, if you could be a character in any book you have read, who would it be and why?

  Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. I’d just love to be an FBI agent, even for one day! I even looked it up as a career choice, but sadly I’d never be eligible as I’m not a US citizen.

  My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book. The Damselfly was published on 2nd February by Black and White in paperback and as an e-book. At the time of writing the ebook is available for only £2.84 and you can order it here: The Damselfly