Q&A With Avril Herng 

Today’s interview is with author Avril Herng. Avril is an amazing girl who writes mysteries & she published her first book at age 11! Avril’s first novel is Laura Taylors: The Case of The Phantom’s Emerald & the sequel is Laura Taylors and The Shadow of Three which came out last year! Avril is the recipient of the Malaysia Outstanding Young Novelist Award and the SEA Extraordinary Young Novelist Award. 

Q: Welcome to Book Notions Avril! Would you like to give brief descriptions of both of your books Laura Taylors: The Case of the Phantom’s Emerald & the sequel is Laura Taylors and The Shadow of Three? 

A: Hello, and thank you so much for having me! 

Both novels are mystery adventures set in Victorian London and follow a young detective named Laura Taylors. These novels combine mystery, adventure, friendship, and plenty of plot twists. 

Laura Taylors: The Case of The Phantom’s Emerald begins when Laura and her best friend Camillia become apprentices at Her Majesty’s Theatre. There, Laura is assigned to assist the famous actress Aurélie Montmorency, who has lost a supposedly worthless jewel known as the Phantom’s Emerald. When Aurélie’s fiancé, the prince, claims the emerald is actually a priceless cursed heirloom that once belonged to his family, Laura is drawn into a mystery of strange accidents, family secrets, and unexplained clues, soon realising that nothing is quite as it seems behind the theatre curtains. 

Laura Taylors and The Shadow of Three follows Laura as she investigates three seemingly impossible thefts that occur at exactly the same time across London: a diamond crown taken from a grand mansion, a rare painting stolen from a prestigious gallery, and a briefcase of government secrets vanished from a train station. Witnesses claim they saw the same shadowy figure at each scene, raising the question of how one thief could strike three places at once. When Camillia’s father is accused of the crimes, Laura refuses to stay away and sets out to uncover the truth. As she follows a faint and dangerous trail of clues, she finds herself drawn into a case far more complex than she ever expected.

Q: I love reading mysteries and you obviously love writing them! What do you enjoy most about reading mysteries and writing them? Where did the ideas for your books come from? 

A: I’ve always loved mysteries because they invite readers to become detectives themselves. There is something magical about following a trail of clues, making predictions, and then discovering that the truth was hidden in plain sight all along. My favourite mysteries are the ones that seem impossible at first, where the solution completely surprises me, yet feels inevitable once everything is revealed. 

The idea for Laura Taylors: The Case of The Phantom’s Emerald grew from a family trip to London. I had already begun developing the story, but everything changed when I watched The Phantom of The Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre. The music, the atmosphere, and the sense of mystery surrounding the stage left a lasting impression on me. Afterwards, I found myself imagining the countless secrets that might exist behind the curtains, and those thoughts helped shape the world of the novel. 

What I enjoy most about writing mysteries is creating puzzles. Every character must have a history, a motive, and a purpose. Some are inspired by people I’ve met, while others emerge entirely from imagination. I enjoy planting clues, disguising truths, and weaving together threads that seem unrelated until they suddenly form a complete picture. To me, writing a mystery is like assembling a grand clockwork mechanism, every piece must fit perfectly before the final reveal. 

Q: What do you hope readers learn and feel once they finish reading your books? 

A: I hope readers finish the book feeling genuinely astonished by the solution. My favourite mysteries are the ones that make me close the book and think, “How did I not see that coming?” I hope my stories create that same sense of wonder and surprise. 

More than anything, I want readers to experience the joy of curiosity. Throughout the novel, Laura follows clues, questions assumptions, and refuses to stop searching for the truth. In many ways, mystery stories remind us that things are rarely as simple as they first appear. As Arthur Conan Doyle wrote

through Sherlock Holmes, “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” I hope readers come away with a sharper eye for details and a deeper appreciation for the unexpected. 

Most of all, I hope they have fun. Books have the power to transport us beyond our everyday lives, and if readers finish my novels feeling entertained, surprised, and eager for the next adventure, then I have achieved exactly what I hoped to do. 

Q: It’s amazing that you wrote books at 11 and 12 years old! What advice would you give to anyone whether they are a kid or an adult, who wants to write stories but doesn’t know where to start? 

A: My biggest piece of advice is to read as much as you can and, most importantly, to enjoy reading. Every book is an invitation into another person’s imagination. Through reading, we learn how stories create suspense, develop characters, and leave lasting impressions. The more you read, the more tools you gather for your own storytelling. 

I would also say not to wait for the perfect moment. If you have a story in your heart, begin writing it today. Many people dream of writing a book someday but someday can easily become never. Start with a paragraph, a scene, or even a single sentence. Every finished novel begins with a blank page and the courage to write the first word. 

Writing is not about perfection; it is about persistence. Stories grow through countless revisions, but they can only grow if they are written first. Believe in your ideas, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to let your imagination lead the way. 

Q: Are you currently writing another sequel to Laura Taylors: The Case of the Phantom’s Emerald? 

A: Yes! I am currently working on the third and final book in the Laura Taylors trilogy, which continues Laura’s story after the events of Laura Taylors and The Shadow of Three. 

This final installment will introduce new mysteries, unexpected alliances, and some of the biggest twists in the series so far, while also bringing back familiar characters readers have come to know throughout Laura’s journey. One of my

favourite things about writing a series is watching characters grow and seeing how events from earlier books continue to shape their choices and destinies. 

The third novel will bring together many of the threads woven throughout the series and lead Laura toward her most challenging case yet. As the saying goes, “Every ending is a new beginning,” and while this book marks the conclusion of Laura’s adventures, I hope it leaves readers with the same sense of wonder, curiosity, and excitement that inspired the series from the very beginning. 

Q: Would you please post your social media links? The readers of the blog and I would love to follow you and your work! 

A: Yes, you can find me here: 

Website: https://www.avrilherng.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Avril-Herng-61565750411157/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avrilherng?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Blog: https://avrilherng.blogspot.com/