AJ's Psychology Background

I came to writing Psychological Thrillers via a hotch-potch of mini-careers which took me from petrol-pump attendant, cellist, music teacher, arts administrator and student grants' officer before becoming a senior accredited Psychotherapist for 15 years.

For most of my adult life I've been fascinated by the mysterious inner worlds inside our heads, especially the shadow-side we hide, harbouring secrets, lies, vices and cover-ups. It was this perspective that culminated in work with ex-convicts from high-security institutions. I'm equally intrigued by the motives we have for doing what we do. It's partly what led me to work in psychotherapy, never thinking it could lead to a further career in fiction.

I love exploring unusual psychological disorders and the dissonance between the face we present to the world and the real self that’s hidden beneath the surface. I'm curious, too, about ordinary individuals who are simply trying their best and make that one drastic mistake that turns their life upside down.

I've written self-help books, run courses in 'Self-Esteem' and written extensively for Slimming World magazine. But, in 2008, I started writing fiction and haven't been able to stop...

I have book deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic and Canada. I love dark mysteries, locked doors and anything hidden under floorboards.