Episode 88 - Neil Richards and Matt Costello: Part 2

Part two of This Writing Life's chat with ace writing team Neil Richards and Matt Costello opens with a discussion of their first novel, Dead in the Water. Set in their bucolic, fictional Cotswolds village of Cherringham, it stars Jack, a retired New York City cop, and Sarah, a single-mother of two. Having teamed up as crime fighters in previous episodes, the dynamic duo eventually reunites to solve the mysterious death of a local teacher. Matt explains how the story - involving drugs, the resurgence of raves and hot-dog vans - began. From here we moved to:

• the joys and challenges of collaboration
• how walks, museums and taking a break helps creativity
• how do novels differ from shorter works
• humour, seriousness and cosy mysteries
• how do you keep a crime series fresh for readers new and old?
• will Jack and Sarah ever fall in love?
• motherhood and crime?
• does writing help Matt and Neil?
• how did Matt and Neil meet?
• misery in company: the pros and cons of collaboration?

Part 3 of 3 to follow.