A Major Milestone for 'Unlocked Lies'

I’ve finished the revised draft of my next psychological thriller, Unlocked Lies. Such a relief! The messy drafting stage is behind me. I’ve done the structural changes. The new scenes are in place. Now comes the part of the writing process I enjoy most: editing and revision.

This is where the real shaping happens. I try to notice where tension dips. If a scene lingers too long. When a character’s motivation needs sharpening. Psychological thrillers live or die on precision. Suspense isn’t only about shocking twists or dramatic reveals — it’s about emotional pressure, secrets festering beneath everyday life, the slow tightening of tension until people snap. Editing like this is less about fixing mistakes and more about deepening impact. It’s about making sure every chapter earns its place. Each scene serves the story. Every revelation lands exactly when it should.

For the initial edit, I’m going old-school. A printed version of the manuscript, along with a pen or pencil, a comfy seat, my phone on silent. I’ll scribble notes all over the text. ‘Axe this scene.’ ‘Tighten tension here.’ ‘More sensory details needed.’ Once I’ve completed my read-through, I’ll decide how best to put all this into place. What needs to be done first, which parts require most input, etc. Then I’ll create a plan and a timeline to get it all done, ready for another read-through. I’m lucky in that I read very fast, because I do many, many read-throughs during the editing process, always refining and tweaking as I go.

Unlocked Lies explores a mystery rooted in abandonment, obsession and the dark shadow of an unhappy past. I find something exciting about knowing the book exists in full — that the mystery is there, waiting — and my job is to make it as gripping and unsettling as possible before it reaches you.

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