Home Author Interviews Murder at Macbeth by Samantha Goodwin

Murder at Macbeth by Samantha Goodwin

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Murder mysteries are intriguing, isn’t it? We had a great time conversing with Samantha Goodwin, the author of the book Murder at Macbeth, a gripping British Crime mystery that will definitely keep you hooked. Below is the excerpt from the interview –

Tell us something about Samantha as a person. What is a normal day in your life like?

Well at the moment I’m on maternity leave, so my days are largely dictated by my very energetic 11-month-old boy. I grab writing time when he naps. I’m ecstatic now he can sleep in the cot, before then I did a lot of one-handed typing holding a sleeping baby!

When I’m at work, my day job is Marketing and Communications Manager for a national charity so my tasks are very varied, although unsurprisingly my favorite is being the editor of their magazine. I tend to write for 30 minutes before work and during my lunch break and am always amazed at how quickly things can progress with such little time.

Take us through your book- Murder at Macbeth. Why did you choose to write a mystery thriller?

Murder at Macbeth is a crime mystery novel centered around a talented, young actress who unwittingly stabs herself live on stage after a prop knife is tampered with. Suspicion immediately falls on her eclectic band of castmates and the detectives have to figure out who had the motive to kill the show’s leading lady. Bitter rivalries, secret trysts, and troubled pasts are just the beginning of the story…

I’ve always been fascinated by the superstitions surrounding Macbeth about it being cursed and the fact the play itself is about corruption and deception provided an interesting parallel to the murder mystery. Plus, I found the concept of interviewing suspects who are also actors really interesting; they could so easily be playing a part to hide the truth.

Crime is the perfect genre for me as I love all things crime-related, from books and TV shows to murder mystery games! I think everyone enjoys an intriguing whodunnit. There is such a sense of satisfaction in trying to identify the culprit, especially when there are lots of twists and turns as new clues turn up. I’ve always found the best mystery books hook you so well that you end up thinking about solving the crime even when you’re not reading it.

Get your copy of Murder at Macbeth here – Amazon

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Was there a defining moment in your life which prompted you to take up writing?

I’ve always wanted to write a book and it was my husband, Chris, who finally convinced me that I could do it. Also, it ended up being the last proper conversation I had with my Dad before he died suddenly of encephalitis two years ago so I felt very driven to finish it as a tribute to him. I found the whole process of writing very cathartic during grieving, it was helpful to be able to pour my energy into something positive.

There are so many! Some of the most influential have been The Girl on the Train and Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. I love how those stories unfold through different narrators’ perspectives and the mystery is gradually revealed. That writing approach is definitely something that influenced my own novel.

What other genres do you wish to explore and write?

I’m a big fan of dystopia, so it would be great to write in that genre. The idea of creating an entirely new world is very appealing to me as there would be so much scope for creativity. My only limit would be my own imagination.

How was the publishing journey and what challenges did you face?

My main challenge was simply having enough time to work on my novel as I finished writing it just before my first baby was born. So as you can imagine the editing process took a lot longer than I had originally intended! Luckily my editor and proofreader were very patient and worked with me really close to help refine the story. It will have taken me two years in total, which I think is pretty good all things considered! I am incredibly excited for it to finally be released.

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What are your favorite books and who are your favorite authors?

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling will always be a classic one for me. For the first 5 books, I was exactly the same age as Harry Potter was when they were first released, so I really felt like I was growing up with the books and could relate to the characters on so many levels.

I find J.K. Rowling incredibly inspiring, not just because she created the incredible Harry Potter universe, but more so because she wrote the first books while she was a single parent looking after a young baby. I can definitely relate to how challenging that balancing act can be.

Do you believe in any writing rituals?

My writing ritual is quite old-school as I insist on hand-writing all my first drafts because I find my ideas flow better! It’s great because it means I can write anywhere but is definitely more time-consuming.

I then type everything up as I go along and when it comes to editing I print off the pages and edit by hand. I find reading on paper much more natural, which explains why I still have so many paperback books and I haven’t invested in a Kindle just yet!

Are you now writing anything new or just enjoying the success of your book?

Currently, I’ve been mainly focusing on my book launch for Murder at Macbeth, so have been working on numerous guest posts and author interviews to help spread the word. I do have a few other future projects in mind, but you’ll have to stay tuned to find out more.

Few words to your readers.

Expect the unexpected as the plot unfolds in this classic whodunnit. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you know someone just because of how they first present themselves to the detectives. All is not as it seems…

As a debut author, I really value hearing what readers think of my writing. You can get in touch with me on Instagram; @samanthagoodwinauthor to let me know your thoughts. And never underestimate how important it is to leave a book review on Amazon if you can – it really does make a huge difference to new authors.

Also Read: The Billionaire’s Funeral

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