Behind The Book with Lisa Unger 

Almost 4 years ago, I did one of my very first Q&As with New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Unger! This year Lisa is back for a Behind the Book Q&A discussing her new release Served Him Right which is available today wherever you get your books! 

Q: Welcome back to Book Notions Lisa! Would you please give a brief description of Served Him Right? 

A: Served Him Right is the story of Ana Blacksmith and her sister Vera. Ana has gathered her closest friends and Vera together for a girls’ brunch to celebrate her recent breakup from her boyfriend Paul. But the shocking news of Paul’s murder arrives, all eyes are on Ana, the angry ex with a bad reputation. Suspicions only intensify when Ana’s best friend falls gravely ill after the brunch.

But Ana is not the only one who had a score to settle with Paul, a business mogul with a whispered history. And the list of people who will not shed a tear over his fate is long. As the investigation unfolds, rumors of a secret network that uses ancient methods to obtain justice begin to emerge. Vengeance is sweet, but it can also be deadly. Ana and Vera are determined to find the truth before Ana takes the fall and their own long-buried history comes to light.

Q: Which scenes in Served Him Right, did you enjoy creating? I did enjoy the reveal of the murderer at the end! 

A: I love the writing process, and with Served Him Right, it was the scenes with Ana that were the most fun. I love her dark sense of humor, her complicated relationships, and her wild unpredictability.

 A great deal of research goes into each of my novels, even if what I learn never winds up directly on the page. It was no different for Served Him Right, and in my reading, I learned so many interesting things about plants, especially their potential medicinal value and also how they can harm. Learning about those things and then seeing how they wound up on the page was especially fascinating. 

Q: In The Acknowledgements Section, you wrote about how a case inspired the story for Served Him Right. Are there any messages and lessons you hope the readers takeaway after they finish reading Served Him Right?

A: I hope that readers will be inspired to further explore our connection with the natural world. Most modern medicine derives from the plant knowledge of indigenous cultures. Some plants walk the razor’s edge of healing and harming; the only difference in some cases between medicine and poison is the dose. The deadliest plant on earth is tobacco, killing more than 500,000 people a year. I could go on!

Q: If Served Him Right were to get a sequel, what would Vera & Ava be doing right now? 

A: Because I write without an outline and have no idea who is going to show up day-to-day or what they are going to do, this is an impossible question for me to answer specifically! But I’m definitely still thinking about Ana and Timothy and what could be next for them. But my book that will be released in 2027 is complete, and I’m already at work on my 2028 novel. I’m not ready to talk about those yet. But I will say this: They are both psychological suspense. And bad things will certainly happen.

Q: I thought I saw this on Instagram, but did Hollywood get the rights to Served Him Right? If they have, are you going to be involved in the writing for the show version of your book and the casting?

A: If you did, Instagram was mistaken! The film rights for Served Him Right have not yet been sold. But stay tuned!