Strabane writer Adam Hannigan has released his debut horror novel, ‘The Movies Made Me Do It,’ a slasher‑inspired thriller he hopes will one day make the jump from page to screen.

The book follows Detective Megan Hudson and writer Damian Douglas as they attempt to track down a mysterious killer in London who is recreating some of the most infamous death scenes in slasher movie history.

‘Thrown together against their will, Megan and Damian must decipher the killer’s twisted love letter to horror before it’s too late. But when the killer turns on them, they realise they’re no longer investigating the story. They’re trapped inside it.’

Adam Hannigan, 33, originally from Strabane and now living in London where he works with Hat Trick Productions, the TV company behind Derry Girls, spoke about the inspiration behind his debut novel. He said: “It’s about a serial killer in London who is recreating slasher movie death scenes, like the shower scene in Psycho.

“The characters Megan and Damian are both gay. I wrote it because I personally think the horror genre is very connected to the LGBT community. As a big fan of horror, I feel like there aren’t many stories or movies that have queer characters at the very front, they’re usually the side characters or the comic relief. I wanted to make a story that actually had gay characters at the forefront. It’s not a gay story, it’s a story that has gay people in it.”

Adam said the book deliberately leans into classic B‑horror clichés and tropes because they’re part of the fun. “It’s very self‑aware,” said Adam. “It might not necessarily tackle the tropes, but it discusses them a lot, like the idea that the dumb characters are the jocks. The book is filled with loads of easter eggs for the horror genre.”

He added that the novel also carries a comedic edge. “I was inspired by the 90s slashers, which I think are all a bit camp and a bit funny, so it definitely has that vibe, with a bit of comic relief every now and again.”

Adam said he had the idea for the story for some time but waited until he figured out the ending before beginning to write. “It was during the pandemic, the idea finally came to me and I just started writing it, but I was writing it as a TV series, as an eight‑episode series. I always wanted to write a book. I wouldn’t recommend it, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.”

He initially wrote the story as a TV series but later adapted it into a novel after noticing that thriller producers often prefer to work from book material. His dream now is to see the story make the jump to the screen.

With the finished book finally in his hands, Adam said it was a huge relief and that he is proud of what he has achieved.

The Movies Made Me Do It is available now on Amazon and Kindle.

For more information check: https://haywoodbooks.com/the-movies-made-me-do-it