DANDY SMITH grew up in Northamptonshire, UK, and worked as a rights manager for a small publishing house in Bath before completing her MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University. She’s drawn to dark stories, especially those laced with wit and deception.
Good Reading caught up with the popular thriller writer before the release of her book, The Wedding Vow.
One Small Mistake, The Perfect Match, The Wrong Daughter and The Wedding Vow are all psychological thrillers. What draws you to this kind of storytelling?
They’re deliciously tense, emotionally messy, and endlessly surprising. I read across a lot of different genres, but what draws me to psychological thrillers is their unpredictability. They don’t follow a set formula – there’s just an ever-tightening knot of tension and secrets. As a reader, you’re constantly on edge, waiting for the big reveal or final twist.
As a writer, your job is to stay two steps ahead. It’s deeply satisfying when you manage to genuinely surprise your reader – but pulling it off isn’t easy. You’re walking a knife’s edge, trying to strike the perfect balance between plausibility and jaw-dropping plot turns.
Thrillers also allow for incredible range. For me, a great thriller isn’t just about crime – it’s about people. Relationships, secrets, obsession, survival, fear, even love. You get to explore all of that while dangling your characters (and readers) over a cliff of suspense. It’s a chance to ask: how do people cope under pressure? What are they willing to risk, to hide? How far will they go to protect themselves – or someone they love?
It’s a genre that blends heart and high stakes. What could be more thrilling than that?
What can you tell us about your latest novel The Wedding Vow?
A year after the shocking and unsolved murder of her husband, Verity Lockwood uncovers a devastating truth: right up until his death, Linden was having an affair. Everyone in Verity’s life becomes a suspect: her neighbour, her closest friend, her assistant, even her own cousin. Once Verity starts receiving threats, she knows she must expose the identity of the other woman before she shares her husband’s fate.
The Wedding Vow is told from two points of view – the wife and the other woman – which was both fun and mildly torturous to write as the other woman’s identity is (hopefully!) a well-guarded secret until the final few chapters. This meant juggling red herrings, plot twists, and a lot of very careful sentence structuring.
I’m proud of this book and I hope readers loves it just as much as I do. I think people will enjoy piecing together the clues and racing to solve both who the mistress is and who killed Linden Lockwood.
In what ways do domestic settings enhance the tension in your novels?
A thriller hits harder when the drama unfolds somewhere you’d normally feel safe – like your own home. Having an unfamiliar situation take place in a familiar setting makes it feel more believable. There’s something exquisitely unsettling about danger creeping into everyday spaces: a cosy kitchen, a quiet cul-de-sac, a seemingly perfect marriage. When the terror is just down the hall, rather than in a faraway, shadowy world, it feels even more frightening.
Domestic settings heighten the tension because they strip away the comforting sense of distance. It’s friends gossiping at brunch, the man you just started dating, family dinners that slowly curdle into something darker. The suspense doesn’t come from mythical creatures, but from anonymous threats and smiles that don’t quite reach the eyes. It makes the danger feel personal – as though it could happen to you, or someone you love – and that’s what keeps readers turning the page.
Is there a character you’ve written that you particularly connected with or that has challenged you?
A character I really connected with is Elodie Fray from One Small Mistake. Like me, she dreams of being published. Elodie was born out of my own frustration during a time when I desperately wanted to be an author, but I was faced with rejection. And while I’d never go as far as she does – staging an abduction to get a book deal – her longing and her pain felt very real to me. Even if you’ve never dreamed of being a writer, I think many people can relate to her struggles: feeling lost, questioning whether they’re on the right path, worrying they’re falling behind on life’s milestones. I think Elodie is a character everyone can relate to, which is why – even though she makes mistakes – people still root for her.
The Other Woman in The Wedding Vow was a challenge to write. It wasn’t just the technical difficulty of keeping her identity hidden until the final reveal – it was that, as a mistress, she’s morally grey. I had to ask uncomfortable questions: How does a person reconcile being part of an affair? Why would they help break a wedding vow? What fears or desires drive them to stay in a situation that hurts others? What are they really chasing – love, power, or just great sex?
I hope that by the time reader closes the book, even if they don’t sympathise with the other woman, they do at least understand her.
As a bestselling author how does it feel to look back on your writing journey so far?
All I ever wanted was to be a published author. It’s been my one and only dream since I was a little girl. I studied creative writing at university, earning both an undergraduate and a master’s degree. Before writing my first thriller, One Small Mistake, I penned two urban fantasy novels for young adults. Both were rejected. At the time, I was devastated. While most people in my life supported my ambition, others thought I was chasing an impossible dream. It’s true that very few writers get published, but I’m glad I listened to those who cheered me on, because the moment I typed ‘The End’ on my first adult thriller, I knew I’d finally found my voice. Thankfully, an editor agreed, and I signed my first book deal. It was one of the most rewarding moments of my life.
It’s been four years since One Small Mistake was released. Now, I have four bestselling books, a TV deal, and nearly one million copies sold. It’s wild. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved – but more than anything, I’m profoundly grateful to those who believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself, and to the incredible community of readers who have made this journey possible.
The Wrong Daughter is set for a TV adaption – what can you tell us about this?
Last year, Quad Drama snapped up the TV rights for The Wrong Daughter in a competitive auction – which was surreal and unexpected. They’re a French company known for hits like The Bonfire of Destiny and Vortex, so my story is in very capable hands. The producer, Iris Bucher, is a powerhouse of talent and energy, and I have every confidence she’ll bring the twists and turns of The Wrong Daughter to life on screen. Fingers crossed, we’ll all be binge-watching it very soon!
Who are some psychological thriller authors you admire and what are some of your favourite reads?
I’m a big fan of authors like B A Paris and Claire Douglas – they’re masters at turning the screws on domestic bliss. One of my recent favourites is It’s Not Me, It’s You by Charlotte Bigland. It’s witty, sharp, and full of characters you instantly recognise – it’s the kind of book that makes you cancel plans just to keep reading.
Are you working on any new projects?
I am! My fifth book follows Tori Layton, who, six months after an accident leaves her friend Matilda in a coma, finds herself romantically involved with Matilda’s boyfriend. But just weeks into their relationship, Tori begins receiving threatening notes and grotesque parcels – apparently from Matilda herself. As things escalate and Tori’s life is put in danger, she’s left questioning who she can really trust. Meanwhile, we meet Cora, a woman held captive in the attic of a remote rural home, whose story is chillingly connected to Tori’s…
This book has a lot more romance than my previous novels which has been quite the endeavour. Right now, book five feels like a huge undertaking, but I’m excited for when it’s finished and out in the world. I hope readers will enjoy piecing together who’s behind the gruesome parcels and how the two storylines intertwine!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dandy Smith is the bestselling author of twisty, commercial, fast-paced, character-driven psychological suspense novels, Since making her UK debut in 2021, her books have been translated into seven languages, published in nearly a dozen countries, and optioned for TV and film. She lives with her husband and cocker spaniels in rural Somerset, England,
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