Author Interview: Catch Us the Foxes by Nicola West

Catch Us the Foxes by Nicola West

Released: 7 July 2021

Published by: Simon and Schuster Australia

Genre: Crime thriller

Pages: 384

Booktopia | QBD | Goodreads

The hotly contested novel about a small town's killer cult secret by a debut author destined to become Australia's next thriller-writing superstar. Ambitious young journalist Marlowe ‘Lo’ Robertson would do anything to escape the suffocating confines of her small home town. While begrudgingly covering the annual show for the local paper, Lo is horrified to discover the mutilated corpse of Lily Williams, the reigning showgirl and Lo’s best friend. Seven strange symbols have been carved into Lily’s back. But when Lo reports her grisly find to the town’s police chief, he makes her promise not to tell anyone about the symbols. Lo obliges, though it’s not like she has much of a choice – after all, he is also her father. When Lily’s murder makes headlines around the country, Lo seizes the opportunity to track down the killer and make a name for herself by breaking the biggest story of her life. What Lo uncovers is that her sleepy home town has been harbouring a deadly secret, one so shocking that it will captivate the entire nation. Lo’s story will change the course of her life forever, but in a way she could never have dreamed of.

An Aussie-small-town-thriller with grit and shocking twists, Nicola West has made her debut with an electrifying plot. 

Author Interview with Nicola West

Firstly, congratulations on publishing your first book! What were the best and most challenging aspects of writing Catch Us The Foxes?

Thank you! The most challenging part for me was actually the six months prior to starting Catch Us the Foxes when I was struggling to write a memoir about my experience of having to fight for my right to receive a medically necessary hysterectomy as a teenager.

The second I allowed myself to work on what I was actually passionate about (a twisty psychological thriller set in my hometown), the writing process completely transformed and went from something akin to pulling teeth to something that felt effortless. Every single sentence of Catch Us the Foxes was an absolute joy to write.

Was there a particular 'this is what I'm going to write about moment!' that came to you before penning your debut?

Stuck back in the tiny coastal town I grew up in after my Sydney apartment flooded, one of my only forms of escape was the phenomenal third season of my favourite TV show – Twin Peaks. Revisiting both the fictional town and my own former hometown made me realise what a perfect setting the latter would make for a crime novel. I immediately began Twin Peaks-ifying Kiama and went searching for my own Laura Palmer. As an Australian, she couldn’t be a prom queen, but she could definitely be a showgirl. That single character (and her death) became the catalyst for the entire book.

The 'small town' setting definitely makes this book all the more suspenseful as secrets become uncovered, what were some of your influences in making the action take place this way?

Twin Peaks was definitely the biggest influence on the setting (along with my own small-town upbringing). However, I also wanted to incorporate a cult element into the book as they are something I’ve always been fascinated with (ever since my mum told me I would join one as a child). The original Wicker Man undeniably does ‘small-town cult’ best, but I also really loved the way the first season of True Detective created such strong iconography for its own cult. Combining the two left me with mysterious symbols carved in flesh, people in animal masks, flower crowns, and ritual sacrifice.

Without giving too much away, is there a particular moment in the story or character that was especially meaningful to you as you wrote this book?

Exploring Marlowe’s detachment (particularly when it comes to relationships) was something that was significant to me as it not only reflected my own experiences growing up but is also something that is seldom portrayed in fiction. It was interesting to be able to capture Marlowe from the perspective of the male gaze while simultaneously granting her the agency to be open about her feelings (or lack thereof). To this day, reading the scenes with Owen makes my skin crawl.

If there's one piece of advice you'd give to other aspiring authors out there, what would it be?

It sounds incredibly cheesy, but you really have to find what makes your heart sing. I took a non-fiction writing course when I was writing my memoir and a guest author said that the writing process had to feel like a compulsion – like something you couldn’t live without. I remember being frustrated by that comment because it was so contrary to my own experience. But when I finally ditched the memoir and switched to the novel, I suddenly understood what she meant. Don’t be afraid to change things up and experiment with genres/styles until you find the one that resonates with you most.

After an impressive first novel, could you give us a hint at what you may want to work on next?

I’m severely immunocompromised and have only left my apartment complex twice in the past sixteen months (to get both vaccine shots). So, until Australia gets its act together and a larger proportion of the country is fully vaccinated, I foresee a lot more time spent in these same four walls.

 

Thankfully, I was able to take advantage of my newfound free time and completed two new novels during the pandemic – the sequel to Catch Us the Foxes and a new standalone thriller. I’m also looking forward to a bevy of Zoom events over the coming months. So please come and say ‘hi’ – I really need the human interaction!

About the author

Nicola West is the daughter of a third-generation police officer and grew up in a bucolic coastal town in New South Wales. After moving to Sydney to pursue a career in journalism, she vowed to be as far removed from both her hometown and her father’s profession as possible—that is until she found herself writing a novel about both topics.

Nicola was initially writing a memoir about her decades-long medical journey that saw her undergo 40 surgeries, 71 lumbar punctures and experimental neurosurgery. But, inspired by her love of all things crime, cult, and the local urban legends of her hometown, she pivoted to thriller writing and found it far more therapeutic. Catch Us the Foxes is her first novel.

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