Ep. 268 - Andrea Mara on The "What If" Method: Building Domestic Noir

Watch as a full video interview on YouTubeAndrea Mara is a Number One Sunday Times, Irish Times, and Kindle bestselling author whose books have sold over one million copies across all formats. She has been shortlisted for six An Post Book Awards and won Irish Crime Novel of the Year for It Should Have Been You in 2025. Her 2021 novel, All Her Fault, was adapted into a critically acclaimed TV series starring Sarah Snook, which premiered on Peacock and Sky in late 2025. Andrea’s work—including hits like No One Saw A Thing and Someone In The Attic—has consistently topped bestseller lists across the UK and Ireland. Her latest gripping thriller, Such a Nice Girl, is out now.We had a great time chatting with Andrea, hearing about her transition from a 17-year career in financial services to becoming a domestic noir sensation. We also talk about her unique "plot-first" writing process and the importance of detailed outlines, and we get some interesting anecdotes about what it was like to eat cake on a Melbourne film set with Michael Peña! Links:Buy Such a Nice Girl nowFollow Andrea on InstagramVisit Andrea's websiteVote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Old Peculier Harrogate Crime Novel of the Year AwardVote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Capital Crime Overall Crime Book of the Year AwardSupport us on Patreon and get the podcast early and ad-free, along with other great benefits, including a bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageonePage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on FacebookFollow us on InstagramFollow us on BlueskyFollow us on ThreadsPage One - The Writer's Podcast is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.