Amy Engle on writing I Did It For You

Before I became a full-time writer, I spent a decade working as a criminal defence attorney. It was rewarding, exhausting, heart-breaking work. I’m glad not to be practicing any longer, but I also feel lucky to have had the experiences I did during those years. They shaped me into a better, more empathetic person, one who is able to look past a stark black-and-white perspective and see all the subtle grey space in between the extremes. Given my background, writing a legal thriller might seem like the obvious choice, but so far setting a book inside a courtroom hasn’t appealed to me. But keeping the courtroom out of my novels doesn’t mean that each of my books isn’t informed by my time as a defence attorney, and I Did It For You is no exception. Every experience I had during those years as a defence attorney bleeds into my writing. The men and women I defended, most of whom weren’t horrible people, but simply people who had made a horrible choice. The system that is so blatantly stacked against defendants. The understanding that even people who have committed crimes often still have something worth contributing to the world.

When I sat down to write I Did It For You , there were two particular lessons I’d learned from my time as a defence attorney that I wanted to bring to the story. The first is the knowledge that most people who commit crimes are not simply evil, with no other facets to their personalities. Of course there are exceptions, true sociopaths whose humanity is almost impossible to find. But the vast majority of criminal defendants don’t fit the stereotype, so often portrayed in the media, of a monster with no redeeming qualities. During my years as a defence attorney, I never represented a single person whom I thought was beyond hope. They all had someone who loved them; they all loved someone in return; they cried, and laughed, and told stories. And many of them expressed remorse for the crimes they’d committed. I think there is a tendency to write off anyone convicted of a crime, especially a crime of violence. To assume such a person is disposable. But in doing so, we risk losing a bit of our own humanity in the process. It’s a hard thing to extend mercy, to do the work of recognizing someone’s humanity after they’ve done something terrible. But mercy is a gift we can offer that benefits both the giver and the receiver. It doesn’t take the place of punishment, which has a vital role in civilized society. But mercy can live alongside consequence. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive. That idea, that someone can be both deserving of punishment and worthy of mercy, was something I wanted to explore in I Did It For You

The second issue I wanted to highlight with this book is the way we treat the families of criminals. During my years as a lawyer I worked on a variety of cases—embezzlement, health care fraud, drug trafficking, federal hate crimes, and one death penalty murder. When I began writing I Did It For You, I knew I wanted to include a death penalty strand within the story, because of all the cases I ever worked on, the death penalty trial sticks with me the most. It wasn’t just the grueling, relentless hours of work or the frustration with the way death penalty trials are conducted in this country. It wasn’t even knowing that a few exhausted, over-worked lawyers were all that stood between a man and death. I still vividly remember the moment the jury announced a sentence of life in prison rather than the death penalty. I watched my generally poker-faced colleagues burst into tears, all of us sobbing as we hugged one another and our client. But what I remember most clearly are the faces of our client’s family, the sheer relief that his life had been spared tempered with the knowledge that they would never again see him outside of prison walls.

In the years since that trial, it is those family members my thoughts have turned to again and again. They had done nothing wrong. Their only crime was raising and loving a man who would one day be involved in a criminal conspiracy that would end in murder. They weren’t guilty of any crime, but they were treated as an extension of the perpetrator, painted with the same broad brush. The family of the victim was treated with empathy and kindness, as they should have been. But the family of our client was looked at with scorn, their pain ignored by almost everyone in that courtroom. As if being related to someone on trial automatically meant their heartbreak wasn’t real or valid. When thinking about violent crime, we tend to only consider the victim and their family. But the family of the accused is, at best, forgotten and, at worst, branded as guilty along with the defendant. I think it is easier for us that way. Viewing people in black and white, good and evil, right and wrong, is so much simpler than diving into the nuances, of forcing ourselves to confront all the murky grayness of real life. And that is one of the ideas I wanted to explore in I Did It For You —the ways in which violent crime and the death penalty impact not only the family of the victim, but also the family of the perpetrator, who are so often overlooked or vilified.

Every time I write a book, my primary goal is to tell a good story. I want readers to be immersed in both the plot and the characters. But if, in the course of entertaining readers, I can also cause them to take a second look at an issue they may have avoided or never even given much thought to, then that’s a bonus. And I hope that’s what I’ve accomplished with I Did It For You

I Did It For You by Amy Engel is out in paperback now (HQ), £9.99.

Everything changed the night Eliza Dunning died. The residents of Ludlow turned on their neighbours, the Dunning family fractured, and Eliza’s sister Greer moved away, grieving and unconvinced by the police’s version of events. Now, fourteen years later, there has been another murder. It’s time for Greer to go home. But will she finally find the answers she has been searching for? Is it a copycat killer, or one that never went away?

More information about Amy Engle can be found on her website. Amy Engle can also be found on X @aenglewrites and on Instagram @amyengleauthor

Forthcoming Books from HQ Fiction

January 2025

Murder on the Marlow Belle is by Robert Thorogood. Verity Beresford is worried about her husband. Oliver didn’t come home last night so of course Verity goes straight to Judith Potts, Marlow’s resident amateur sleuth, for help. Oliver, founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, had hired The Marlow Belle, a private pleasure cruiser, for an exclusive party with the MADS committee but no one remembers seeing him disembark. And then Oliver’s body washes up on the Thames with two bullet holes in him – it’s time for the Marlow Murder Club to leap into action. Oliver was, by all accounts, a rather complicated chap with a reputation for bullying children during nativity play rehearsals, and he wasn’t short of enemies. Judith, Suzie, and Becks are convinced they’ll find his killer in no time. But things are not as they seem in the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, and this case is not so clear-cut after all. The gang will need to keep their wits about them to solve this case, otherwise a killer will walk free …

1994: When Gardaí Julia Harte and Adrian Clancy are called out to a sleepy housing estate in Cork to investigate a noise complaint, they are entirely unprepared for what they find. What happens next will haunt Julia for the rest of her days, leaving her plagued with nightmares and terrified of the dark. There is a serial killer at work in Cork, one as clever as he is deadly. Julia may not be a detective yet, but after the harrowing events of that night, she is determined to be the one to catch him… 2024: Julia Harte has chosen just the right place to disappear. Now a retired detective with an illustrious career behind her, she has moved to a tiny cottage in a remote part of Ireland where she hopes to find peace. But then she receives a phone call from her old Superintendent – two women have been murdered, their bodies marked and staged, just like in ’94. It’s happening again. Only this time, the stakes are even higher. Julia must return to Cork to face down a vicious killer and the memories that haunt her still. Yet Julia is no longer a naïve junior officer but a seasoned, tough professional who proves more than a match for any murderer… The Dark Hours is by Amy Jordan. 

I Bet You Look Good in a Coffin is by Katy Brent. Our favourite anti-heroine, Kitty Collins, is back! Expect more wit, sass, and, of course, murder… My name is Kitty Collins and I’m a serial killer. I don’t want to kill. It’s just so hard to resist. Some men really, really deserve it. Men like Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online. He’s making it very hard for me to control my murderous urges. Meanwhile I’m in the South of France to watch my mother marry a man I’ve never met. I should be drinking cocktails and focusing on my tan, not plotting a murder. But a woman’s work is never done. Surely one more teensy little kill wouldn’t hurt, would it?

One of these guests has a date with death… Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift arrives at Dashwood House, a glamorously modern hotel in the up-and-coming resort of Galton-next-the-Sea, but all plans for a relaxing stay are scuppered when one of the guests is found dead. The body is found in the writing room, the victim part of a set visiting the seaside town for an engagement party, which happens to include Arbie’s old friend, Val. Familiar with Val and Arbie’s previous experience in solving puzzling crimes, the bride asks the pair to investigate. They quickly discover that the victim had no shortage of enemies, and many of the guests are up to no good. But who is simply hiding a secret, and who is hiding murder? The Last Word is Death is by Faith Martin.

February 2025

The Forgotten Cottage is by Helen Philfer. Things finally seem to be looking up for police officer Annie Graham. After a tumultuous couple of years, she is settling into a normal, happy life. Her wedding is fast approaching, and her fiancé Will has found a forgotten but beautiful little cottage for them to make their own. But as Annie begins to have increasingly vivid nightmares, she realises their new home may not be as unoccupied as it first seemed. Her arrival has stirred up the ghosts of a tragic past, and she needs to put them to rest once and for all. But while Annie’s distracted, another threat is emerging from the shadows. And if she doesn’t act fast, her days may be numbered…

March 2025

The Crime Writer is by Diane Jeffrey. 2019. Leona Walsh, a 34-year-old wife and mother vanishes on a bitterly cold afternoon while out jogging on the edge of Exmoor. It’s a mystery which captures public interest and ignites wild speculation. The police have a prime suspect: Leona’s husband, Matthew, a renowned crime writer. He can plot the perfect crime. But is he capable of committing the perfect murder? Despite extensive searches, the police find no trace of Leona and her disappearance remains shrouded in mystery. As public interest dwindles, Matthew returns to raising their two daughters, aware the cloud of suspicion is never far away. 2024. Some human bones are discovered in a garden. Could they be Leona’s remains? And if so, is there enough evidence to find out what really happened five years ago? Journalist Gabriela Conti covered the news story back in 2019. The police may have stopped watching Matthew, but Gabriela hasn’t forgotten him. And she is determined this case will define her career… even if that means getting close to a murderer.

When Shadows Fall is by Neil Lancaster. A tragic death. When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. A rising body count. Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose. A killer on the shadows. The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

April 2025

Abigail uprooted her life to move to Soap Lake, Washington. A once-popular tourist destination, the town is now home to a dwindling population and the menacing shadow of an urban legend. With her husband away on a work trip, Abigail is alone when a young boy emerges from the desert scrub, catatonic and covered in blood. His mother, Esme, lies stabbed to death in a nearby car. When Abigail discovers Esme was a local woman who moved away after a series of tragedies, she is compelled to find answers. Esme’s is not the only mysterious death this town has witnessed. But her search attracts unwanted and dangerous attention. Drawn into a complex web of conspiracies and violence, Abigail will learn that the smallest towns can hide the biggest secrets. Midnight in Soap Lake is by Matthew Sullivan.

A missing maid. A murder most foul. A highly impudent adventure. Only her fine eyes can discover the truth. Two years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Miss Caroline Bingley is staying at her brother's country estate within an easy ride of Mr and Mrs Darcy's home, Pemberley, and wondering if there's more to life than playing cribbage and paying calls on country neighbours. So when Georgiana Darcy's maid, Jayani, vanishes – and worse, Georgiana disappears in search of her – Caroline races to London to find them both, and quickly discovers a shocking, cold-blooded murder. Soon Caroline and Georgiana are careering through the gritty, grimy underbelly of London assisted by Caroline's trusty manservant, Gordon, and demanding answers of shady characters, police magistrates and mysterious East India Company-men to discover the killer. Along the way they uncover the cost of Empire on India and its people … and Miss Bingley's incomparable powers of investigation. As Caroline puts her superior new talents to work, she finds out exactly what an accomplished, independent woman with a sharp mind and a large fortune can achieve – even when pitted against secrets, scandal, and a murderer with no mercy. Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective is by Kelly Gardiner and Sharmini Kaur.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is by Jesse Sutanto. Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective? Vera Wong is perfectly content as a teashop owner. She is definitely not seeking opportunities for amateur sleuthing. But what else is she to do when a distressed woman called Millie asks for her help? Okay, perhaps Vera wheedled the story out of her. And maybe the case file for Millie’s missing friend Thomas didn’t exactly fall into her lap. Everyone knows a locked briefcase is just asking to be opened by someone handy with a hairpin. Not even the aroma of chrysanthemum tea can stop Vera from catching the scent of this mystery. However dangerous it is, Vera intends to uncover the truth in the only way that this Chinese mother knows how: by spilling the tea.

The Abbotts’ new lodger Luke hasn’t told them much about himself, but they can’t expect to know everything about a stranger who’s just moved in. But Luke keeps asking about their family photos and looking through their things. Why does he want to know everything about them? And why does daughter Jen think someone is watching her? Then, suddenly, Mum Mel texts the family to say she needs a break. But Mel has never gone away alone before. And now it’s been days, and no one has heard from her. The Abbotts’ house is full of secrets. They say people never tell the whole truth. The Liar is by Louise Jensen.

Murder on Bluebell Hill is by Jane Bettany. In a quaint village in the Peak District, murder is brewing… Violet Brewster is settling into the quiet life in Merrywell. The last thing she needs is to get mixed up in a police investigation… When a snazzy tearoom opens at the local garden centre on Bluebell Hill, residents flock to visit the establishment. But not everyone is happy about the new business venture… Matters escalate when the owner of the tearoom is found dead on the premises. As Violet unwittingly finds herself at the centre of another murder mystery, can she shift suspicion away from those closest to her and find the true culprit?

A serial killer on the loose. A mystery that must be solved before time runs out. Elderly Martha Beckett is a prisoner in her own home, and has been ever since her older brother disappeared at just nine years old. Six months on from her last brush with the paranormal, police officer Annie Graham, now Annie Ashworth, dreams of settling down and starting a family. But now that serial killer Henry Smith has escaped, she knows that trouble is coming. She thwarted him once, and he’s out for revenge. When a local man vanishes in mysterious circumstances, Annie realises there may be darker forces at work. And when she takes a glimpse of a monster with a thirst for blood, her worst fears are confirmed. With a serial killer on the loose and an unknown horror stalking the sewers, Annie is in a race against time to stop them before they kill again. But will she be able to save herself from their clutches? The Lake House is by Helen Phifer.

No Mercy is by Max Connor. The old unit will reunite to complete one last mission in honour of their fallen comrade. But all she wants is revenge …  When their old comrade, retired veteran and decorated Royal Marine Frankie Chapman, dies during a home invasion, the 11/06 club come back together to recover his stolen military medals. After they find out the medals have fallen into the hands of a wealthy billionaire who dabbles in human trafficking, they form a plan to steal the medals back – and Frankie’s daughter, Josie, wants in on the action. But Josie wants more than just her father’s medals returned. She wants retribution, and she’s out for blood …

May 2025

The Chemist is by AA Dhand. Local pharmacist and pillar of the community, Idris Khan, spends his days doling out methadone to the hundreds of addicts in his care. They trust Idris with their secrets, and so he knows more than his mild manner suggests. So when his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca, doesn't turn up for her daily methadone dose, Idris is worried. Worried enough to go looking for her in the most deprived area of Leeds, alone. The mess Idris finds catapults him into the middle of a turf war between the two most powerful drug cartels in Yorkshire. Now, he must use every bit of intelligence and cunning he has to keep those he loves safe. Because a war is on the way. And when Idris goes after his enemies, they won't see him coming.

What’s the one thing you need to do to stay married? A propulsive domestic thriller with an urgent message for fans of Lisa Jewell and Jessica Knoll that asks, What’s the one thing you need to do to stay married? and blows apart the uncomfortable answers. Elle never dreamed she’d end up with a man like Dom. He’s handsome, successful, the perfect father to their baby girl. But Elle doesn’t feel the joy she knows she should. She's struggling with being a mum, failing at work, even her post-baby body doesn’t feel like her own. Not that Dom cares. He worships Elle and craves intimacy as deeply as troubled Elle wants to shy away from it. Elle starts relying on red wine and the attention of new colleague Gabriel to get through her day. But the morning after a team away day, a bewildered and hungover Elle wakes up with a lifeless body in her bed. She knows devoted Dom is the only person who’ll give her any chance of getting out of there a free woman. Elle would never have ended up in such danger if she’d followed the Marriage Rule, the one thing she’s been told a wife needs to do, even if it breaks her… The Marriage Rule is by Helen Monks Takhar.

No Turning Back is by Steve Frech. Lucas and Julia are about to become parents, but there’s something Lucas hasn’t told his wife. Two months ago, he lost his job and has been secretly working as a rideshare driver in a desperate attempt to make ends meet. But that’s about the be the least of his problems. One evening he picks up a passenger in the Hollywood Hills. The man, Damon, puts a gun to Lucas’s head, and tells him to drive. Because Damon has a list of men he intends to kill, and he needs Lucas’s help. If Lucas complies, his family will be safe, but others will suffer. If he fights back, Damon will target his wife and daughter. It’s an impossible choice, but what’s clear is that Lucas’s life is about to change forever. If he survives the night.

June 2025

Don’t go into the woods. Because you’re in for a big surprise… Annie Ashworth is currently off duty. With her baby bump growing fast, she is under strict instructions to stay away from police work and look after herself, especially as she has a history of leading danger right to her door. So when her police officer husband, Will, is called to the discovery of a skeleton buried out in the local woods, Annie tries to keep out of the investigation. But as another body is discovered and her own niece suddenly goes missing, staying away just isn’t an option. As Annie is soon to discover, a picture really does tell a thousand stories. But which one leads to a killer? The Girls in the Wood is by Helen Phifer.

What Happens in the Dark is by Kia Abdullah. Lily and Safa were best friends growing up. Now, Lily is the nation’s favourite breakfast TV presenter and Safa, once a renowned journalist, is reeling from a recent fall from grace. When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Safa attempts to rekindle their old friendship. But Lily claims the bruises are nothing to worry about. And then one night the police are called to Lily’s home. Lily is strangely calm – and a body lies dead at her feet. Lily pleads not guilty, and then says nothing more. Driven by her desire to give a voice to all victims, Safa begins her own investigation into what happened that night. But Safa is not prepared for what her quest for justice will uncover …

Someone in the Water is by Sarah Clarke. For the same two weeks every year, Frankie leaves her daughter Lola to go on a yoga retreat. But the truth is, there is no retreat. Just a remote cottage and enough pills to deceive her natural body clock into staying awake whenever it’s dark outside. As long as she stays awake, the nightmare won’t come. But it always does. A nightmare that began decades earlier when she spent the summer working in Corsica, and was witness to something terrible. Frankie has no idea that Lola has plans of her own this summer. She’s going to Corsica, and the truth from all those years ago is about to come out.

Rayna Dumont is getting a fresh start in Amsterdam. Following a nasty divorce, she takes a jet-setting new job and embraces the single life. All seems to be going well until she wakes up in the bed of Xander van der Vos, her one-night stand from the night before, only to find him brutally murdered in the room next door. To make matters worse, millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds are missing from his safe. Quickly, Rayna becomes the prime suspect and is thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse with forces beyond her wildest imagination. From her lavish home in the heart of the city, Willow Prins is enraptured by the case. The wife of Thomas Prins, CEO of the House of Prins and Xander’s former boss, Willow is too familiar with what it’s like to be the outsider in the elite world of luxury goods. But as the House comes under scrutiny, tensions rise in her already strained marriage and Willow starts to wonder if Rayna might be the solution she’s been looking for. As both women dive into the dark underbelly of the diamond industry, their hope for survival hinges on navigating a web of power and revenge. And as Rayna fights to clear her name, will she unravel the truth or find herself another victim? The Expat Affair is by Kimberley Belle.

Scottish Crime Writing Prize for Unagented Writers

HQ Fiction and Bloody Scotland announce new Scottish Crime Writing Prize in Association with The Times and The Sunday Times in Sctland and 42 Managment 

HQ Fiction are thrilled to be launching a competition in partnership with The Times and The Sunday Times in Scotland, Bloody Scotland, and 42 Management and Production to find an unagented Scottish writer writing Scotland-set crime novels. For the purposes of the prize, a crime novel is eligible if the author was born, raised, is a permanent resident in, or has a strong and enduring connection to Scotland.

The judging panel comprises of author and Bloody Scotland board member Abir Mukherjee, Eugenie Furniss and Emily MacDonald from 42, David McCann, Deputy Editor for The Times and The Sunday Times Scotland, and HQ Fiction Publisher for crime and thrillers, Manpreet Grewal.

Entrants can enter the competition by submitting a 500-word synopsis along with the first 5,000-10,000 words of the manuscript and a 200-word author biography to HQPrize@harpercollins.co.uk. Submissions are open from July 1st 2023 until 30th November 2023. The six-strong shortlist will be announced in January 2024, with the winner due to be announced in March 2024. The winner will have their book published by HQ. They will also receive a £10,000 advance, plus agent representation from 42.

For terms and conditions click here.