Newsletter Archive

Inside the newsletters

Each issue has brought together news on new novels, interviews with fellow crime and thriller writers, reading recommendations, and reader challenges. The February 7th, 2019 issue introduced The Shape Of Lies, alongside a monthly round-up of recent reads.

A Writer Reads

Monthly shout-outs for books enjoyed that month, including titles like The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson.

Browse reads

Dying to Write

Reader competitions such as "The Perfect Postcard" and opening-line challenges, inviting creative entries.

See competitions

A Writer Writes

Updates on the author's own progress at the desk, including editing notes shared with subscribers.

Writers' Corner

For writers who love psychological thrillers, a newsletter can feel like a quiet study group arriving in your inbox. Rachel Abbott's archive gathers years of monthly issues into a single, browsable timeline, letting readers travel back through her publishing journey without missing a chapter. Each entry preserves the texture of the moment it was written, from early announcements through to mature reflections on the craft of suspense. Reading the collection from start to finish offers a portrait of an author in conversation with her readers, and with herself, across many seasons of writing and responding to the world of crime fiction.

Many of the issues open with news of a forthcoming novel, often accompanied by a first glimpse of cover art or a brief prologue shared exclusively with subscribers. These early reveals give loyal readers the sense of being trusted companions rather than distant customers. Updates typically describe the long road from blank page to finished manuscript, including the slow accumulation of chapters, the search for the perfect title, and the moments when a story finally begins to cohere. The newsletter therefore becomes a working diary, recording the patient labour behind each thriller.

Beyond her own books, the archive is rich with conversations. Rachel regularly interviews fellow crime and thriller writers, exploring their methods, their daily discipline, and the strange alchemy that turns an ordinary idea into a page-turning novel. Readers are invited into discussions about plotting, character, and the psychology of fear, as well as broader reflections on the publishing landscape. Each interview offers a generous window onto another writer's desk, and the cumulative effect is a sense of community, a shared craft conversation among people who care deeply about storytelling and about the readers they serve.

There are also reading recommendations, reader challenges, and the occasional special offer woven through the issues. Monthly round-ups of recent reads introduce new voices and overlooked classics alike, while seasonal challenges invite subscribers to read more widely and share their discoveries. Across the years the newsletter shifts in tone, but its purpose stays steady, keeping the conversation alive between books. Anyone returning to the archive is reminded that writing and reading are not solitary acts, but continuous exchanges sustained by curiosity, generosity, and a shared love of a good story.

More to explore

The newsletter has also carried special offers, links of interest to readers, and news of author appearances. For current appearance listings, see the events pages; for ways to get in touch, see contact details below.

Interesting Links

Occasional pointers to articles and sites of interest shared alongside newsletter content.

Special Offers

Occasional promotions and offers, including a December feature announcing a Christmas offer to subscribers.