The Couple at Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey

Kat and Mark move to an island off the Northern Irish coast for a fresh start. Far away from their frantic life in London, it’s the perfect place to bring up the family they’re longing to have.

But as soon as they arrive, cracks begin to appear in their marriage. Mark is still texting his ex-wife. Kat is lying about a new friendship. And one of them is keeping an explosive secret about the past.

The couple in Causeway Cottage are hiding something—and the truth can be deadly…

Diane Jeffrey recently spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing her latest thriller, THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE:

Which took shape first: plot, character, or setting?

The setting!

I visited Rathlin Island, a small, remote island off the Northern Irish coast, and just knew it would provide the perfect setting for a psychological thriller. It’s absolutely beautiful in the summer, but I imagine the islanders must feel very cut off in the winter when it’s stormy and the ferries to the mainland aren’t running.

Diane Jeffrey

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

I have read so many suspenseful and well-structured psychological thriller with jaw-dropping twists, and I wanted to try my hand at the genre I loved to read!

What was the biggest challenge this book presented? What about the biggest opportunity?

The pandemic. It meant I was unable to get back to Rathlin for a research trip. Fortunately, I’ve been there several times and was gifted a pretty good guidebook, so I don’t think I’ve made any mistakes! It was also hard at times to write during the pandemic as I was working from home and also trying to help my kids with their schooling.

Was there anything new you discovered, or that surprised you, as you wrote this book?

Not really. Other than the setting, I didn’t need to do much research for this one. In past novels, I have learnt about everything from the decomposition of a human body in an aquatic environment to how to recognize a fake Ming vase. But this one was relatively straightforward.

No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?

As in nearly all of my books, there’s an extra twist for fun in the epilogue!

*****

Diane Jeffrey is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in North Devon, in the United Kingdom. She now lives in Lyon, France, with her husband and their three children, Labrador and cat.

Diane has published five psychological thrillers. Her third novel, The Guilty Mother, was a USA Today bestseller and her fourth book, The Silent Friend, was a Karin Slaughter pick for ASDA supermarkets. THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE is her fifth novel.

Diane is an English teacher. When she’s not working or writing, she likes swimming, running, and reading. She loves chocolate, beer, and holidays. Above all, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

To learn more about the author and her work, please visit her website.