‘There is much debate about how The Murdering Wives Club came to be’

Murdering one’s husband might seem like an unusual topic, but it is explored in the Moville author’s most recent novel, titled ‘The Murdering Wives’ Club.’

Released on January 13, The Murdering Wives Club is described as a gripping historical mystery, where women take charge and strive for power. The blurb says: ‘The Murdering Wives Club is a support group for women who wish to murder their husbands. Or so the rumour goes’.

Returning home from World War II, Laurie Davenport is blind and traumatised. He is also convinced that his wife, Charlotte, is trying to kill him. With the help of his assistant, the enigmatic Norah Walsh, Laurie hunts for proof of these killer women.

Then convicted Irish murderer Eve Good claims to have belonged to a club of murdering wives called, The Sinful Roses. She agrees to recount her harrowing crimes to Laurie and Norah.

Can Eve Good shed light on this obscure matter? Can a blind, amateur detective succeed in exposing this terrifying group of murdering women? And in his darkened world, whom can he trust?”

Although Sharon is known for light-hearted short-stories, her number one best-selling novels, The Abandoned, The Healer, and The Quiet Truth, are gritty, dark reads that empower female characters. The Murdering Wives Club is another historical, crime novel and the theme of women being in charge comes to the fore again, but Sharon said: “I wanted to entertain in this novel, so believe it or not, this is a less serious topic. I came up with the idea of a support group for women who wished to murder. And then of course most women possibly need to murder an odd husband or two! With the backdrop of England during World War 2 – this is a change for me and it’s more humorous than haunting.”

When asked what the Murdering Wives Club actually is, Thompson quotes one of her lead characters, Eve Good. “There is much debate about how The Sinful Roses or The Murdering Wives Club came to be. Yet, in 1944 The Sinful Roses survive and thrive. Somewhere in the annals of history, women became tired of being victims and decided that they wished to create victims instead. Now each Sinful Rose knows her true purpose. The need to remove tyranny is thrust upon her. Once she makes the decision to rise above her situation she contacts those she heard of at her mother’s breast. To even whisper the Sinful Roses name makes you a dangerous woman, and there is no greater honour than to be accepted into the fold. As a Sinful Rose, a beleaguered woman becomes a weapon. The price for being a Sinful Rose is simply to honour and help other Sinful Roses.”

The Murdering Wives Club took ‘many drafts, many formats and many years’ and the idea ‘all stemmed from when my husband and I took a trip to Northern Ireland (when we could travel and yes, I do have a spouse and he’s not murdered – yet).

“ While we were driving around I saw a house. I yelled, “Stop the car!” I took a photograph. This house was used as inspiration. It became the fictional Ravenscairn and the place where the murdering women all meet. The story itself took time to evolve and it is very different from where it started. It possibly is four years in the making and I hope readers are entertained and enjoy this book. Early readers want more – so that is always good news.”

The novel follows hot on the heels of the author’s novel, ‘The Quiet Truth,’ which has reached number one as a best-selling Kindle novel in Northern Ireland and it is creeping up the rankings in other categories internationally.

A haunting drama full of suspense, The Quiet Truth follows the story of a man who returns home to Ireland following sixty mysterious years in Canada. This novel also covers the past of the fictional character, Ella O’Brien.

Sharon’s other novels cover hard topics like child abuse and abortion, and The Quiet Truth is no different.

Find Sharon Thompson on twitter @sharontwriter or at sharontwriter.com or on her author page on Amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Sharon-Thompson/The Murdering Wives Club is out now. You can order at www.mybook.to/themurderingwivesclub