What ist your book The Wrong Sort to Die about?
The Wrong Sort To Die is set in 1910. A female pathologist based at a London hospital is asked by a stranger to reveal what killed an anonymous pauper in whose post mortem she was involved. She’s so desperate to get justice for the poor that she risks her reputation to tell him. Before long she finds herself caught up in an investigation that’s linked to something much more sinister than uncovering bad working conditions, and then realises she may have to unearth something buried in her past if she wants to stop another death. But who can she really trust?
What inspired you to create Dr. Margaret Demeray, a strong female pathologist fighting for her place in a man’s world?
Margaret originated aged fifteen, as a minor character I created for the Caster & Fleet series which I co-wrote with Liz Hedgecock. After that series ended, Margaret made it clear she wanted me to write her a series of her own, where she’s a widowed doctor of thirty-six with a past she prefers to forget. She is inspired to some extent by my elderly aunts who although a little younger than Margaret would have been, were fearless and forthright. Many people don’t realise how many strong women there were in the Edwardian period, working in professions, changing social attitudes, campaigning and fighting prejudice and opposition with calm positivity. I wanted to celebrate the achievements of those women and show Margaret as one of them, neither rich nor poor but dedicated to changing the world, pulled between social norms, her own desires and proving herself as a professional.
The story is set in the lead-up to World War I. Why did you choose this particular time period for your mystery?
It’s a fascinating era full of contradictions. Many people think of it as the Golden Age where the super rich led glamorous lives. But it was also a period of great unrest in Britain and beyond. The poor were fighting for better conditions and mass communication and better literacy made it easier for them to co-ordinate action. Women were fighting for the vote. East London was a melting pot of people including refugees, anarchists and revolutionaries. Ireland was fighting for independence from Great Britain. The government was making promises to women and the Irish and keeping none of them. Opposition to the government was becoming militant and violent. Meanwhile the great European empires and monarchies (including Britain’s) were jostling for power thinking they would last forever … (And there’s another rather frivolous reason: the fashions are lovely!)
Margaret faces danger, secrecy, and intrigue throughout the novel. What do you think makes her such a compelling protagonist?
I tried to make her a real woman full of her own contradictions. She wants to be independent and respected in her profession. She has good friends and a loving family. But she’s had her heart broken and is reluctant to let her guard down. She lets things fester rather than talk about them and has a short temper, which she struggles to control when facing men who patronise or undermine her. Despite her friends, she’s a little lonely and missing male company, and maybe a little bored. Fox’s request is a temptation when it seems as if she, and only she, is needed and there’s a chance to right a wrong. But is she only responding because she’s attracted to the man who’s asking? Can she keep her temper when she needs to? And can she reveal something she’s buried if that’s the only way to stop more men dying?
Fox is such a mysterious figure in the story. How did you develop his character and the dynamic between him and Margaret?
Although Margaret is the main character, I wanted Fox to be almost as important from the start. He’s an attractive man around Margaret’s own age who treats her as an equal not a second-class citizen. But Fox also has his own secrets. It’s not until she’s in too deep that Margaret realises she doesn’t quite know who he is, and begins to wonder who she’s given information to. Fox is torn between needing Margaret’s help, finding her attractive but also sometimes exasperating. Margaret is torn between wanting to achieve justice for a dead man but finding Fox attractive and fearing that’s making her irrational. I wanted Fox to be mysterious. Unlike Margaret with, Fox appears to have no friends or relatives. He has a few colleagues and no life outside work. Is that because he’s a loner, or is something else going on? The closer he and Margaret get, the more danger seems to come Margaret’s way. Can she trust him?
The deaths in the book hint at larger social issues. Was exploring themes like working conditions an important part of your writing process?
Very much so. As I said before, the era was one of huge contradictions. The gulf between rich and poor was immense. The luxurious, idle life of wealthy was dependent on the work of thousands of underpaid workers, many of whom lived in appalling conditions. Things were starting to improve but not quite fast enough and there were several strikes during this era. It was important to me to honour those people who are also often forgotten: the labourers, tailors and seamstresses who made the extravagance of the elite possible.
You’ve created a tense and atmospheric historical setting in 1910 London. What was your research process like for capturing that era?
One of the starting points to this novel was a series on BBC called ‘Back in Time for School’ where they showed how in the 1910s, the country was celebrating the perceived glories, infallibity and immortality of the British Empire and at the same time ensuring boys were trained in how to handle arms in school. Meanwhile, Girl Guides were being trained in how to treat the battle wounded. It was as if the government wanted the public to believe one truth while preparing for another. I looked at photographs for images of streets and districts, as well as the Booth Map of London Poverty. I read books about workhouses, hospitals and living conditions, ‘Forgotten Voices of the Edwardian Era’ and also newspaper articles of the time which capture the positive, fun and sometimes bizarre things happening at the time too. It’s not all doom and gloom.
Margaret risks both her reputation and her safety to uncover the truth. What drove you to give her such a fearless and determined personality?
The popular image of women of the era is that they were either rich and idle, middle-class and obsessed with reputation or poor and down-trodden, and in all cases unable to really do anything and unable to discuss sex, with only militant suffragettes being perceived assertive women. but this is not borne out in fact. Margaret represents many who have been forgotten or written over. There were those who used loopholes to get qualifications, led the way in social work, education, the protection of women and girls from sexual exploitation, who faced government censure for telling the truth about what the British were doing during the Second Boer War. Well before that, there were also a number of female detectives, several running their own detective agencies. I wanted a character who did more than sit about drinking tea complaining about male prejudice. I wanted one who was prepared to roll up her sleeves and do something, just like real women did.
The book weaves mystery, suspense, and historical fiction. What was the biggest challenge in balancing these elements?
Anachronism. Margaret and Fox are progressive, but I couldn’t make them behave like people from 2025. Nowadays the British and other European empires are rightly viewed very critically. But for people like Margaret criticism was only really just starting to be voiced in the mainstream, and while she can see that change is essential, she is still making up her own mind about how it needs to come about. Margaret also knows that while a man can do largely what he likes, if she appears to be immoral she will lose the job she loves, and also her income. When she puts her reputation at risk, it’s because there’s no option. Another challenge was incorporating how long it took to get information when most people didn’t have telephones, most things were shut on Sundays, and traveling could be a lot slower than now. But the restrictions Margaret is working under add to the suspense.
The danger Margaret faces escalates as the story unfolds. How did you create and maintain the tension throughout the novel?
Initially, the things that happen to Margaret seem logical if unexpected. As an expert in respiratory illness, she’s honoured, if surprised to be asked to speak at a symposium. As someone who gives talks about poor housing and working conditions, it’s reasonable if surprising that Fox wants to know about her findings after a man dies. However, after saying yes to both, these separate requests start to appear connected. Then a friend disappears. It could be coincidence, but Margaret doesn’t believe in coincidence. She has to face up to things she wanted to forget and decide what sort of person she is. She has to decide who to trust, and when she can’t, she has to take a leap of faith. Bit by bit, Margaret gets closer to the answer and at the same time closer to personal danger, until ultimately she has to decide what she, and only she can do to stop what’s happening regardless of the cost.