L.C. North

L.C. North studied psychology at university before pursuing a career in Public Relations. As Lauren North she has written several psychological suspense novels including Safe At Home and All the Wicked Games. Lauren's latest book is The Ugly Truth which is published by Bantam Press on 16 March. You can find The Ugly Truth and Lauren's other books on our catalogue or you can catch the crime thriller podcast and vodcast In Suspense she co-hosts with fellow author Lesley Kara and Nikki Smith

Who were your heroes as you were growing up?

I can remember having two heroes growing up, and considering I spent most of my childhood lost in my imagination and books, it’s no surprise that both of them are fictional.

The first was Michelle Pfeiffer’s character of Cat Woman in the 1992 Batman Returns. With two older brothers and a dad who all liked action films and science fiction, I was not particularly girly, and this was probably the first time I realised that women can be heroes and villains and powerful all in one go.

My second hero was the fictional character of Nancy Drew written by Carolyn Keene. I remember loving how determined she was and how nothing stood in her way.

You studied psychology before you became a writer. Has this helped you in your writing?

This is one of those what came first the chicken or the egg questions for me. I loved writing stories from a young age and I was always fascinated by people. I was always making up quizzes about likes and dislikes for my friends and family to answer. So for me, studying psychology was a very natural step because I’ve always been fascinated with how people behave in certain situations. What makes one person run and another stop to fight?

Studying psychology has helped my writing immensely and given an insight into a wide range of behaviours and personalities. But I’m pretty sure I’d have found my way to writing psychological thrillers with or without the studies.

Suffolk readers will be familiar with your books written as Lauren North. What can we expect from The Ugly Truth?

The Ugly Truth is a very different style for me and for most thrillers. The story follows the life of Melanie Lange – her rise to fame as Britain’s most recognised celebrity and her disappearance. Through interviews, diaries and transcripts, the reader must decide if she is being held prisoner by her father or if - as he says - she is being cared for in a private medical facility. It’s a story about fame, power and the truth behind the headlines.

You have used mixed media to tell the story from different viewpoints. Was this a conscious decision made in the planning stage or did it develop as you created the story?

I love mixed media in novels, especially in the world we live in where so much of our lives is spent on our phones. In my debut – The Perfect Betrayal – there are transcripts between a doctor and a patient. In Safe At Home there are WhatsApp messages throughout the book, so for me to write an entire book only using this format was both natural and really exciting. I wanted to capture the reality of Melanie’s story and it felt like the only way to do that was to show how it unfolded through the lens of the media.

We all consume celebrity culture in our different ways. Did your research turn up anything you had not expected?

The seed of the idea for The Ugly Truth came from the BBC Panorama documentary, The Dubai Princess. I was shocked at how a woman’s voice could be ignored over that of a powerful and rich man. Melanie’s story is not that of Princess Latifa or any celebrity’s story, but I think readers will see some similarities between the fiction and reality. During my research I found an interview from Paris Hilton where she describes the treatment she suffered in a youth correction facility she was sent to by her parents, which was both shocking and saddening.

What's next for you?

The Ugly Truth has been a real passion project for me. It was a step into the unknown in both the style and story, and I’m so excited to see it in the hands of readers. So for me, 2023 is all about promoting The Ugly Truth and working on my next books.

I’d love to be able to tell you all about my next L.C. North book. It focuses on a different element of celebrity culture and the role of the media in their lives, but it’s not out until 2024 so my lips are sealed for a while I’m afraid.

One book, piece of music or work of art that everyone should experience?

This is such a difficult question because everyone has different tastes and I don’t think one opinion is better or worse than another.

What I can tell you is that the song I can’t stop listening to right now is Fire and Water by The Wandering Hearts. A book I love to recommend is The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean as it’s a great thriller. Or for something a bit different, I loved Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke. And the picture I have hanging in my office is Along The Beach by Hans Paus. But that’s just me.

What is the best advice you were ever given?

The best advice I’ve ever had was from my dad. It was while I was studying for my degree. He said: “Exams are passed by putting your bum in the chair.” He was right, and it’s a mindset I try to live by, especially in the creative world where I might not feel like writing at a particular time, but I put my bum in the chair and I write anyway because you can’t edit a blank page.

The best thing about Suffolk is..?

The countryside. I love running and I love walking my dog, Rodney. There is so much beauty in the landscapes of Suffolk and I think to myself how lucky I am every time I’m out.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

I am a very competitive board game player. I love playing board and card games with my family, although it’s usually only my thirteen year old son who shares my competitiveness and will play with me.