Another key figure is DI Dominic Bell, and the dynamic between him and Clementine is fascinating. As a writer, how do you get inside a relationship like this?
As Clementine is quirky and unconventional, and not used to allowing anyone to get close to her, any relationship she has is going to be rather unusual. Dom has his own baggage and is also, for much of the book, the rival of Clementine and the true crime fans. To get inside their relationship I found I had to write their joint scenes from first one of their perspectives (usually whoever was point-of-view character for the scene) and then switch into the other character’s perspective and write their responses and reactions to the point-of-view character. This was how I wrote most of the book – by immersing myself in one character and writing all of their chapters in sequence, then swapping to the other character and writing their story from start to finish.
The London locations feel important to the telling of the story. Do you think the story could have worked so well in a different landscape?
For me it was always about London – there’s something about the city that is both comfortably familiar and impersonally vast. It’s a place where you can be completely surrounded by people and yet still feel entirely alone. I wanted to capture the contrasts within the city – the bright lights and the grimy underbelly – and used a variety of areas and locations I’ve spent time for inspiration when writing the key scenes.
The killer quickly becomes known as ‘The Lover’ as he leaves his victims carefully arranged and surrounded by petals. This was particularly chilling – where did the idea come from?
I’ve always found images more impactful if they’re the opposite of what’s expected. There’s no blood and gore in The Lover’s usual MO, but by taking what’s usually a romantic gesture – candlelight, rose petals, wine, soft music – and subverting it, to me it seemed both more chilling image and a physical representation of the abuse of trust that each of the victim suffered. The Lover changes his victims’ appearance to fit his own romantic ideals, robbing them of their own identity. The loss of identity is a continuing theme within the book – Clementine’s struggling to face up to her true nature and finds it easier to interact using a fake online profile than her real life identity; DI Dominic Bell has become his work persona at the expense of his personal life – the serial killer’s victims having their appearances altered mirrors this. It also highlights DI Dominic Bell’s primary drive – that every victim deserves justice – he won’t rest until he’s caught the man who stole their lives and identities from them.
Did you always know how the story would end – or did that show itself to you during the writing process?
I had the climax scene with The Lover in mind from the very beginning and wrote towards it, eager to find out what led to that scene. I wasn’t sure how things would play out in the aftermath though; that part showed itself to me during the writing of the first draft.
READING GROUP GUIDE
Topics for discussion
What is the effect of following the investigation from the true crime group and from the police perspectives? How do their detecting methods differ?
Clementine is a complex character, damaged by her past. Is she a hero or a villain? Do you like her?
Discuss the relationship between Clementine and DI Dominic Bell, and how it changes over the course of the story.
Did you suspect who was the killer was? What clues did the author leave?
Discuss the role of social media in the story.
How did the chapters from the victim and killer’s points of view affect the story?
The ending is intentionally ambiguous: what does life hold for those characters? What will happen next?
Clementine and Dl Dominic Bell join forces to catch the killer. Share your favourite films/TV programmes/books about detective duos.
With the success of Making of a Murderer and Serial, true crime has never been more popular. Why are we so interested in real life mysteries?
What did you enjoy most or least about My Little Eye?
About the Author
Stephanie Marland has worked in the university sector for over ten years and has published research on how people interact and learn together in virtual environments online. She’s an alumnus of the MA in Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and an avid reader of all things crime fiction, blogging about books at www.crimethrillergirl.com. Steph also writes the Lori Anderson action thriller series (as Steph Broadribb) for Orenda Books.
Copyright
AN ORION EBOOK
First published in Great Britain in 2017 by Orion Books.
This eBook first published in 2017 by Orion Books.
© Stephanie Marland 2017
The right of Stephanie Marland to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work respectively has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
eBook ISBN: 9781409171980
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My Little Eye Page 33