Sunday 17 July 2022

In The St Hilda's Spotlight:- Nadine Matheson

Name:- Nadine Matheson

Job:- Criminal Solicitor and author

Website:- https://www.nadinematheson.com/

Twitter:- @nadinematheson 

Introduction:-

Nadine Matheson is the author of the best selling D I Henley and the Serial Crimes Unit series. In 2016, she won the City University Crime Writing Competition and in 2019 The Jigsaw Man was won by HQ (HarperCollins) in a six-publisher auction. Her second novel The Binding Room was published in July 2022.

Current book? (This can either be the current book that you are reading or writing)

Reading: The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Writing: Henley Book 3

Favourite book

American Tabloid by James Ellroy 

Which two characters would you invite to dinner and why? 

Aaaron Stampler from Primal Fear. He was accused of murder and his defence was that it wasn’t but him but his other personality. I would like to sitting in front of him to see the moment when he would switch personalities. Stampler is both fascinating and terrifying. A great character.

Bruce Wayne/Batman. I’m the biggest comic book fan and I couldn’t think of a better guest. It would be interesting as to who would turn up to dinner. Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy or the world’s greatest detective, the dark knight himself, Batman.

How do you relax?

I love going out to dinner and also lying in my sun lounger in the garden with a good book and a cocktail.

Which book do you wish you had written and why? 

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le CarrĂ©. I just think that its perfect. Perfect characterisation, world building and plot. 

What would you say to your younger self if you were just starting out as a writer.

Don’t ever give up. Tell your stories and let your imagination fly. 

How would you describe your series characters? 

Authentic but extremely complex who are all trying to create the equilibrium with their careers and personal lives. There’s not one character who hasn’t been affected emotionally by the cases they’ve worked on. 

With Town and Country: Green Lanes to Mean Streets being the theme at St Hilda's this year, Where is your favourite town and where is your favourite country? Why have you chosen these?

London is actually my favourite city because its home but also richly diverse and I love how the past intertwines with the present in its streets and buildings.

Grenada is my favourite country as its where my family are from and its home away from home and the beaches are spectacular. 

What are you looking forward to at St Hilda's?

Spending the weekend with writers that I have admired for years and also passionate crime readers. 

The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson (HarperCollins) Out Now

In this room, no one can hear you scream...The Serial Crimes Unit are called in to investigate when a local pastor is found stabbed to death. As DI Henley assesses the crime scene, she discovers a hidden door that conceals a room set up for torture - and bound to the bed in the middle of the room is the body of a man. When another body is found, also tied down, Henley realises there's someone out there torturing innocent people and leaving them for dead. But why? There's nothing that connects the victims. They didn't know each other. Their paths never crossed. But someone has targeted them, and it's up to Henley and the SCU to stop them before they find another binding room...

Information about 2022 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend and how to book tickets can be found here.



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