Q&A with Mark Gyves

What drew you to writing crime novels?

The idea for The Boy didn’t start out as a crime novel, it was more about loss and a young person trying to make their way in life in the aftermath of a devastating loss, but once I began to conceive or plot the story, I couldn’t help myself. All these terrible situations and predicaments flooded my brain and before long myself and all the characters were up to our chins in high-stakes trouble. And it didn’t stop there, I subsequently went on to write a sequel to The Boy which is scheduled for release in Sept 2027 that is even more harrowing, and I’m currently working on a third instalment of what I’m calling ‘The Cork Trilogy’, each more gritty than the last, so I’m not sure if I’ve caught some sort of crime bug, but I can’t stop putting my characters through hell and back.

Is there a book that made you love crime fiction?

There are so many books that inspired The Boy and they all share a central theme or trope and that is the idea of someone being given an opportunity that on the face of it is the most wonderful idea but once you get into the weeds of it you start to realise that it’s not as simple as you may have hoped. Treasure Island, The Pearl, No Country for Old Men are all great examples of books I read where someone pursues the money or the idea that the money is ‘the way’ only to realise too late their mistake.

Do you have a favourite film that has influenced your writing?

The Boy is heavily inspired by a film I watched as a child called Fast Talking. It’s an Australian movie about a teenage boy named Steve who is pretty much on his own in the world, and he gets himself into all kinds of crazy situations. It’s a great movie.

Is there another genre you would like to try writing in?

Once I’ve completed the Cork Trilogy, I’d like to write an adventure book that’s not strictly in the crime fiction genre. There will be an element of high-stakes drama in the face of corruption, but it will also be a distinct departure from the other three.

I would also love to write a book about Brida, a character from The Boy. There is something about her character that has stirred an interest in the people who’ve read The Boy to date, and I think her story would be worth telling.

Do you have a favourite book by another Bedford Square or No Exit Press author?

This is a hard question to answer. There are so many great authors at Bedford Square Publishers. Recently though, I really enjoyed After Darcy by Joanna Nadin. When it comes to No Exit Press it is almost impossible to choose, the calibre is so high with greats like Robert B Parker, William Boyle, Edward Bunker and the wonderful Irish writer Hugo Hamilton. That said, I recently read K.T. Nguyen’s You Know What You Did and I could not put it down.

If you had to live as one of your own characters for a year, who would you choose and why?

My characters tend to have short life spans, so I need to be very careful which character I choose. Black Dave is amazing and I would love to possess his swagger, however it must’ve been Divine being Daniel (The Boy’s dad) during his exalted Christ-like revelation, so I’ll go with Daniel of that period.

What’s your favourite snack while writing?

Tea, only tea.

Is there a particular place that inspires you to write?

No, I have written some of my most satisfying work in widely varying settings from trains to planes to my kitchen table. However, I dream of having a writing desk with a view of the ocean and when on holidays I often wake at dawn and write in those quiet hours looking out to sea with a steaming cup of tea.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing crime novels?

I’m a new writer and still very much in the honeymoon stage where everything is wonderful. Let’s hope that lasts.

What's your favourite form of productive procrastination?

Writing is the one area in my life that’s free from procrastination. All I need is my laptop and a seat. When it’s on, it’s on and I’m grateful for that.

Is there a rule of crime writing that you deliberately break in your novels?

I don’t know the rules of crime writing and I hope I never do.