Why Setting Matters in a Psychological Thriller

Setting plays a bigger role in my books than readers might realise. A psychological thriller isn’t just about plot and characters — it’s about atmosphere, and location plays a huge part in that.

My earlier books were set in Bristol, where I used to live. I left that city nearly eight years ago, though, and I don’t feel comfortable now using it as a backdrop for my novels. Cities change quickly, and if I’m writing about a place, I want it to be real and current.

These days, I only use Northumbria as a setting. The coastline, castles, and open moorland — it’s beautiful, but also remote. The kind of place where secrets could stay hidden for a long time, and that works well for a psychological thriller. The area also has some unexpected features; while working on Unlocked Lies, I found myself researching local caves — not something Northumbria is especially known for. All part of the writing process!

Some of the most memorable thrillers use location in exactly this way. Think of Rebecca — Manderley isn’t just a backdrop, it’s part of the story’s psychological grip on the reader. The house, the isolation, the atmosphere all deepen the sense of unease.

What about you — do you enjoy stories set in remote, atmospheric locations, or do you prefer the tension of a busy city?

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