Q&A With Ava Roberts
Ava Roberts is the author of the mystery thriller novels The Vanishing Neighbor, Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, and her recent release The Summer House Murder! In the past she was a clinical psychologist! I’m honored to be doing this interview with her!
Q: Welcome to Book Notions Ava! Would you please give a brief description of your work beginning with your recent release, The Summer House Murder?
A: Thank you for hosting me! I’ve written six books and here is a brief description of each. This is in order of most recent to my first novel.
The Summer House Murder: My latest book is about three very different, estranged sisters whose tense reunion at an idyllic lake house turns deadly when a body is found, forcing them to confront their secrets, jealousy, and lies.
The Thistler Thrillers: This series, starting with The Perfect Boyfriend, follows Fiona, who finds herself unable to escape the AI boyfriend she created. The Perfect You (Book 2): Fiona must fight to reclaim her identity from a synthetic doppelgänger that has seamlessly stolen her life and fooled everyone she loves. The Perfect Replacement (Book 3): Fiona’s nightmare begins when her daughter vanishes, forcing Fiona to work with her AI ex-husband and the woman who has perfectly replaced her.
The Vanishing Neighbor: In this domestic suspense novel, a woman’s search for her glamorous missing neighbor uncovers a web of toxic suburban secrets that places her own husband and closest friends at the very center of the mystery.
Juniper Isle: An atmospheric thriller where a hurricane traps a woman at her ex’s wedding party on a secluded island; as it becomes clear someone won’t survive the night, she is forced to confront the dark secrets of her first love, his family, and her own past.
Q: You were a clinical psychologist in the past and later you became an author! What was it like being a clinical psychologist? Would you say being a clinical psychologist was what influenced your books?
A: My work as a psychologist shaped my writing in that I understand every DSM Diagnosis, personality disorders, birth order traits, and how family patterns and dynamics affect people. In my practice, I helped people find healthy ways through grief, jealousy and family problems. In my novels, I do the opposite: I take those same emotions and let my characters make the worst possible choices. I like exploring the darker side of the human psyche, and the drama that happens when people don’t cope in healthy ways.
Q: Ava when did you realize that you needed a new career change from being a clinical psychologist to an author & was the transition going from one career to another a difficult one?
A: I started writing, The Vanishing Neighbor when I was pregnant with my second child. I sent the manuscript to Writers House, and Albert Zuckerman called me and said, “I think you can make a living writing.” He didn’t end up representing me– he retired shortly after that conversation — but it gave me the confidence to pursue writing, and I’ve always been grateful that he took the time to talk with me. My husband has been very supportive of whatever I want to do. I wanted to focus on being a mom, and writing was a natural evolution that allowed me the flexibility to be there for my kids. Plus, my kids think it’s pretty cool their mom is an author!
Q: If any of your books were to warrant a sequel, which ones would you write a sequel to and what would the characters be doing right now?
A: I would love to write a sequel for The Summer House Murder. It’s not planned that way and it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger – but I think there is room to explore the characters next chapter in life and I already have an idea for the plot. These characters are so much fun.
Q: Who would be your dream cast for the characters you created within your novels? What lessons do you hope readers will learn and remember and what emotions do you hope readers will feel?
A: I love this question. For The Summer House Murder, I would say Elizabeth Olsen as Esme, Kirsten Dunst as Piper, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Regina. I think the neat thing about lessons learned from books is that it’s individual to each reader. I’ve heard wildly different emotions/reactions to The Summer House Murder and all of them are so valid. I hope readers feel the tension of these relationships and maybe recognize a sliver of themselves in the characters’ flaws. If a reader finishes a book feeling like they’ve just lived through a family’s most private, darkest moments, I’ve done my job.
Q: Is it too early to reveal details about the new book you are writing now or can you reveal any details?
A: I’m writing about a woman who visits her extended family at Martha’s Vineyard under chilling circumstances. I can’t say more about it because I don’t want to give away the details, but I’m super excited about this one… stay tuned.
Thank you so much!
Best, Ava
