Jeffery Deaver is perhaps best known as the creator of The Bone Collector, which was filmed for the big screen in 1999. That was the first book in his Lincoln Rhyme series. The 15th novel in the series, The Midnight Lock, has just been published.
American crime and thriller writer Jeffery Deaver (71) knew that he was destined to be a novelist from his childhood days in the Midwest. He grew up alongside sister Julie Reece Deaver who is a successful author of fiction for young adults and had decided on his career path as he edged into double figures. “I knew I wanted to be an fiction writer from age 11 or 12,” he explains, “but also knew that there are no prodigy writers. I needed to live life for a time before I began my career as a novelist. Accordingly, I worked as a journalist and attorney until my 30s, at which time I became a full-time fiction writer.”
Storytelling in the blood
Like many people who write for a living, storytelling has always been at the heart of Jeffery’s life: “Storytelling was vital to me, as I had no talent for sports—or anything else!,” he laughs. “But I loved creating stories. I would see movies and then marshal the neighbourhood kids to recreate what I’d just seen—and change the endings so that they suited my sense of the tale. I still harken back to those early days of making up exciting stories—crime, westerns and fantasies. There was no doubt that I would become a thriller novelist some day.”
Those childhood crime stories then grew into novels which allowed the author to create multi-layered tales and plotlines. “I like crime fiction because it allows me to create emotionally intense stories on all levels—the main crime (can the terrorist or killer be stopped?), but also personal relationship plots and geopolitical plots as well.
“In The Midnight Lock I look at the dangers of blogs propagating fake news as real, and our willingness to give away our privacy.”
A crime writer through-and-through
With more than 40 thrillers under his belt, Jeffery is comfortable with his choice of genre. “I write in the genre that I feel lets me create emotional engaging stories better than any other: crime,” he says. “I’ve read Man Booker and NBA novels. I love them. But my talent is genre storytelling, though I do add resonance and depth. After all, one could say that Shakespeare was a genre entertainer too,” he adds.
“The Midnight Lock was inspired, as many of my books are, by a real-life incident: in this case, observing a talented locksmith. I thought what if there were a sociopath who learned the skills of lockpicking? He could get into any house and then… well, I can’t say anything more, as I’m a suspense writer and I have to leave you in suspense!”
Do his stories ever get under his own skin? “No, my stories have no effect on me—except to the extent that I’m delighted when I come up with an idea that I think will terrify my readers!”
Broader themes
A recent tour of Italy has given Jeffery an insight into what readers have enjoyed about this latest book. “People love the premise of a crazy man who can get into private spaces,” he explains, “But the broader themes have also garnered much interest: The dangers of what we post on the internet, and the dangers to true journalism posed by fake news bloggers and conspiracy nuts, who capture audiences with their lies.”
The prolific author counts Scotland’s own Ian Rankin and Val McDermid among his favourite authors, along with John Connolly, John le Carre and many others. “Sadly, because I write at least one book a year, I’m at my computer 10 hours a day, so I don’t have much time to read for pleasure, as I would like.
“I recently published three novels featuring my other hero, Colter Shaw, and I’m presently working on the fourth, which will be published by HarperCollins in May of 2022. And I’m outlining the next Lincoln Rhyme, which will be out in 2023. As they say, no rest for the wicked!”
The Midnight Lock, £8.99, Harper Collins is available now.
