Million selling Mullingar author takes five with her latest book

Tell Nobody is the latest in the Lottie Parker crime series. It will be published on October 3 and is currently on pre-order on Amazon.

It is the fifth in the series from Mullingar author Patricia Gibney, so the Westmeath Examiner decided to ‘take five’ with Patricia to catch up on all that’s been happening since the release of her best-selling novel, The Missing Ones.

Tell Nobody is your fifth book, where do you take your inspiration from?

“I find it hard to believe that it is only 17 months since my debut novel, The Missing Ones, which was released as an ebook.

And in May I was told by my publisher, Bookouture, that my books have clocked up one million sales/downloads.

“So much has happened in such a short period of time that I find it hard to keep up with myself!

“I now have four books published, and The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls have been published in trade paperback this year in Ireland, which is so exciting.”

The Missing Ones has also been published in paperback in the UK.

“What is really exciting is the fact that the Lottie Parker series has also been sold to 11 territories, the most recent being Taiwan and China.

“As with all my books, Tell Nobody has a sub-plot that twists in and out around the main plot like ivy.

“My editor, Lydia Vassar-Smith is really excited about this book and I can’t wait for people to read it.

“This summer has been particularly hectic. There have been many highlights. Most recently, being on The Word stage at Electric Picnic with Marty Mulligan and Danny Dunne.

“Earlier in the summer, at the Harrogate Crime festival, I was invited to host a table at Lee Child’s Murder Mystery dinner. That was such fun, even though I was a nervous wreck beforehand.

“And Lottie Parker was up for a Dead Good Reader Award at the festival. The category was for the ‘character who has been through the wringer’.

“Lee Child’s Jack Reacher won on the night but I am really happy that Lottie was short-listed, particularly as she is only a new character on the crime world scene.

“I have spoken to a lot of book clubs, both local and in Dublin throughout the year.

“I also travelled to Graignamanagh to take part in The Town of Books Festival, where I spoke about the setting and locations used in the series.

“And earlier in the summer I was invited to the Ryan Tubridy radio show to talk about books.

“Ryan read The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls and said he loved them. I just can’t believe it.

“Oh, and I did an early morning interview on TV AM with Mark Cagney. It has just been an amazing year.

“And did I say I also have a new granddaughter? Caitlyn Patricia.”

What’s next?

“Later this year, on October 13, as part of the Red Line Book Festival I am participating on a ‘Killer Instincts’ panel in The Civic Theatre in Tallaght. Also on the panel are Irish crime authors Louise Phillips and Cormac O’Keeffe along with the fantastic Sophie Hannah.

“I am truly excited to be able to get to meet Sophie Hannah. (Tickets available at redlinebookfestival.ie.)

“Then from November 2 to 4, there is a new Irish Crime festival, Murder One, taking place at Smock Alley in Dublin. Michael Connelly will be appearing in a pre-festival event on October 28 and I’m on the ‘Bloody Women’ panel on the Sunday afternoon with Jo Spain (The Confession) and “Claire Allen (Her Name was Rose). (Tickets available at murderone.ie.)

“And I have to write book six before the end of November!

“I love writing. Otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it. In a way it has saved me. Writing has given me something to focus on when everything in my life was crashing around my ears.

“I am creating a fictional world in which I can lose myself for hours on end.

“And so far my readers are finding it an enjoyable experience also.”