Lesley Kara

I love speaking to audiences almost as much as I love writing novels. I was an English teacher in a college of further education for many years and although I have always been a writer, it wasn't until my forties that I embarked on the Faber Academy 'Writing a Novel' course and started to take my writing ambitions seriously. My first book, The Rumour, was published when I was in my early fifties, so I know all about the importance of perseverance and being a late starter. I have many amusing (and embarrassing) stories to tell about my journey to publication!

Since being published, I have appeared as a guest on many local radio stations, including BBC Radio Essex, BBC Radio Suffolk, and BBC Radio Newcastle, as well as radio stations in the US and South Africa.

I have also been interviewed on various podcasts, including Writer's Routine Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson, The Blood Brothers Crime Writing Podcast and Crime Time FM.

I also co-host my own crime fiction podcast, called In Suspense. 

I have  appeared at many literary festivals as a panel member, solo guest or moderator, eg. Henley Literary Festival, Bloody Scotland, Capital Crime, Slaughter in Southwold, Skullduggery in Stowmarket, Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival, Stockport Noir and at author events at many different branches of Waterstones and independent bookshops nationally. I’ve interviewed Ann Cleeves, Mick Herron, Paula Hawkins, S.J. Watson and Fiona Barton at the Frinton Literary Festival; moderated a panel with Nicci French, Stuart Neville and Eva Bjorg Ægisdóttir at the Capital Crime Festival, and hosted ‘In Conversation’ evenings with authors such as Erin Kelly and Olivia Kiernan at Goldsboro Books in London, and Tess Gerritsen at Waterstones, Liverpool One. 

I have written five psychological thrillers: The Rumour (which was the highest selling print crime fiction debut of 2019, was a Sunday Times Top Ten and Kindle No. 1 bestseller, has been sold in over 18 countries and is soon to be a major TV series on Channel 5), Who Did You Tell? (also a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller), The Dare, The Apartment Upstairs, and my most recent book, The Other Tenant. My books are published by Transworld (Penguin Random House UK). My books have been reviewed in the National Press, including The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, and The Financial Times.