HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: We love domestic suspense around here! Such a sinister thing, isn't it? To know that someone in your orbit, someone you trust, has it out for you. I remember when Kaira Rouda’s book BEST DAY EVER came out. And it was a wow, all the buzz. And since then, she’s continued to make her massive mark on the suspense world, coming up with newer and twistier and more gasp-worthy stories every year.
And even luckier for us, Kaira is here today to tell us her secrets. Grab your pencils, writers. And readers, see if you agree.
And yay, a giveaway! A copy of THE NEXT WIFE to one lucky commenter!
(US only, please...the postage rates to countries outside the US are astronomical.)
The Secrets to Domestic Suspense
In my career I’ve published seven novels, two romance series, and a nonfiction book for women entrepreneurs, but my favorite type of fiction to write, hands down, is domestic suspense. I love it and if you’re considering writing a novel in this genre, or you’re already deep into your manuscript, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned along the way.
1. Be Original
Today’s market is bursting with domestic suspense novels, which is wonderful for us readers, but it makes it tough for writers. You must come up with an original story, with believable twists, that hasn’t been done before. That’s the true challenge these days, in my opinion. Dream up a story no one has read before, and you’ll have yourself a winner. You can do it: you’re the only one who sees the world the way you do. It’s your super power.
2. Chapter Endings Sizzle
This may seem obvious, but for some reason, I have to remind myself of this tip when polishing each manuscript. The last sentence of every chapter must keep your reader turning the pages. The best reviews I receive are when people tell me they couldn’t put the book down. Keep them reading, keep them up past their bedtimes, and you’ll have a great domestic suspense.
3. Remember, today’s readers are uber savvy
Don’t try to trick your reader and don’t underestimate them, either. Twists for twists sake aren’t entertaining, they’re annoying. Make sure you read widely, like your readers do. An avid reader makes for a great writer.
4. Consider condensing your timeline
I love a short time line for my domestic suspense stories. BEST DAY EVER was twenty-four hours, while THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER takes place over a weekend. THE NEXT WIFE is a week. My upcoming novel in 2022 is a weekend again. This sort of timeline, I find, keeps the momentum going.
5. Keep it close to home
I call my novels suburban suspense. I’m a product of the suburbs and that’s the setting that comes to life in my imagination. Perhaps you are a fan of small towns, or the big city, and that setting speaks to you. That’s great. Any setting works for domestic suspense, but you must remember to keep the focus on the interactions between a group of characters, and not on broader issues your setting or the headlines may inspire.
It’s realism in setting but not too serious or political in tone. I’m always tempted to add in angles that take the reader out of a fast read, and to a darker social issue. My agents and editors are quick to pull me back to the suburbs. Of course people die in domestic suspense and bad things happen, but the bad guy is someone your character knows--not a looming threat from beyond.
What do you think makes a good domestic suspense novel? What pulls you out of the book? What are some of your faves?
HANK: Oh, great question! I think—it’s annoying when someone is SO obviously bad but the main character, male or female, seems unaware of that, or rationalizes away their weird actions. SO the reader is screaming: SHE IS LYING!-- but the character can’t seem to hear that.
How about you, reds and readers? And a copy of THE NEXT WIFE to one VERY lucky commenter.
Kaira Rouda is the author of four novels of domestic suspense including BEST DAY EVER and THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER. Her latest, THE NEXT WIFE, came out May 1, 2021. Her next novel, SOMEBODY’S HOME, is out in 2022.
Follow her on social media @KairaRouda and visit her website for more!
