I am a fellow commoner at Lucy Cavendish College. My husband used to be a lecturer at Leeds University, and we lived in Yorkshire for 11 years. When he gave up his job, we realised we could live wherever we liked. Sophie Hannah cavendishcollegecommon share on social
In a crime novel, if you are going to have a big revelation in chapter 30, you have to plant the information in chapters three and 11. Sophie Hannah bigchaptercrime Change image and share on social
I always notice the dysfunctional dynamic of human relationships because most places where you encounter it, people are trying to pretend it isn't happening. Sophie Hannah dynamicdysfunctionalencounter Change image and share on social
I want my books to explore motives which make people think, 'Wow! Imagine the psychological state you'd have to be in for that to be your motive!' Whereas things like blackmail, jealousy - they're rational reasons for committing murder. Sophie Hannah blackmailbookcommit share on social
Reading is the only area of my life in which I prefer to be non-autonomous. Sophie Hannah areaautonomouslife Change image and share on social
What surprised me most while writing 'The Monogram Murders' was that everything I needed seemed to arrive in my head exactly when I needed it. Sophie Hannah arriveheadmonogram Change image and share on social
I am trying to write novels for properly clever people, but I also want them to be proper novels that also stick in a person's mind and have an atmosphere about them. Sophie Hannah atmosphereclevermind Change image and share on social
I am actually incredibly contented and jolly. But, and I have no idea why this is, I have a really strong empathy with all kinds of warped and destructive modes of thinking. I don't know why, but those things co-exist. Sophie Hannah contentdestructiveempathy share on social
Just because someone has stylistic limitations doesn't necessarily make them a worse writer. Sophie Hannah badlylimitationmake Change image and share on social
I'm snobby about books that aren't crime fiction: if I start reading a literary novel and there's no mystery emerging in the first few pages, I'm like, 'Gah, this obviously isn't a proper book. Why would I want to carry on reading it?' Sophie Hannah bookcarrycrime share on social