DIVA spoke to the crime writer about her latest novel Her Sister’s Killer
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE PROVIDED
A cold case resurfaces after years without leads. A confusing new mystery emerges. There’s only one thing for certain: you need to get ready for Mari Hannah’s new thriller Her Sister’s Killer. As the sixth book in the beloved Stone & Oliver series, this new tale promises to take readers even further into Mari’s world of twists and turns.
As a former Probation Officer whose partner is an ex-Northumbria murder detective, Mari Hannah has been bringing a fresh voice to the crime genre for her last 16 books. Known for her groundbreaking series – including the sapphic favourite DCI Kate Daniels books – Mari has become known for her fiery protagonists and intricate plots.
Her new novel, Her Sister’s Killer, is naturally no different. Following Inspector Frankie Oliver and DCI David Stone once again, new challenges emerge when details about Frankie’s sister’s death arise. Having found acclaim – even winning the prestigious Polari First Book Prize in 2013 – throughout her career, I ask Mari if she’s ever nervous about releasing a book.
“There’s always a worry!” she laughs. “You think to yourself: how am I going to keep that up? You have to keep it up. You’re only as good as your last book.”
While sixteen books may sound like a lot, Mari assures me that she never gets bored of returning to her characters. “It’s like bumping into a mate on the street and you haven’t seen them in ages. It doesn’t feel like it’s been three years since you last saw them. That’s how I feel about going into another book. I’ve never been bored.”
Set in Northumberland, Mari cites the gorgeous scenery around her as being one of her many inspirations for her latest book. “The beauty of having this area around me is that I get in my car and go to find a crime scene,” she jokes. “I’m sure the Northumberland tourist board is not too happy that I’m putting bodies all over the place but it is fiction. I’d love to think that some people actually come to my area because of my books.”
Ever since she released the first Kate Daniels book, showcasing a rare piece of lesbian representation in the crime genre, Mari’s books have collected a cult following from the sapphic community. Her Sister’s Killer continues to embed queerness into the Stone & Oliver series. Mari explains that it had been hard at first to get her books published with lesbian characters, but has enjoyed seeing the sapphic renaissance take over film and TV over the last decade.
Her first lesbian character – the strong willed Kate Daniels – was actually inspired by her partner who was a murder investigator. “Kate Daniels was basically her but only younger and taller,” she says. “The books were based on her and the trials and tribulations she faced when she joined the police. At the time she joined the police, it was frowned on. You wouldn’t say that you were gay if you wanted to keep your job and climb up the ladder.”
Sixteen books down the line, Mari has shown that queerness belongs in every genre of writing – especially crime. I ask what advice she would give to other writers. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,” she admits. “It was just trial and error basically. I feel as if I’m still learning. Application is part of it, and finding the time to do it. To sit down, put your bum on a seat and just knock out some words. Even if that’s just 30 minutes a day. Whenever I finish a book, I think: I don’t think I can do this again. But I do.”
You can order your copy of Her Sister’s Killer now.
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