Guest Blogger - Nicky Peacock

A warm welcome to my guest today - Nicky Peacock.

Nicky is here to tell us about her fabulous new book! The 13th Girl and the motivations that lay behind it. Here's what she had to say! I’ve always had quite a few motives for writing my books, but my main one for The 13th Girl was very close to my heart. Mental health is something that, for a long time, has been overlooked by society. I remember the days when, if you felt down, unhelpful people would tell you to just to ‘cheer up’ or ‘look on the bright side’; generally showing zero understanding as to the lack of choice that person has over these dark feelings and when they come knocking. No one wants to feel lonely, sad, or that their presence doesn’t matter in the world, so simply telling them to ‘belt up’ really doesn’t help. Then there’s the people who have gone through traumas, (like The 13 th Girl’s protagonist Dee) who are victims of someone else’s actions and are seeking help, yet instead of being accepted, or even celebrated, for doing something about their psychological and physical issues, they are shunned and made to feel like outsiders – whether that is on purpose or not. So I guess that’s a long winded way of saying that I wanted to shine a light on those with mental health issues, how society treats them and how hard it is for them to ever be considered ‘normal’ again. I also really wanted to write about a serial killer too – but I always want to do that. That sounds quite a motivation for the book. To whet your appetite even further here is the blurb! 12 girls gone. Can she save The 13th Girl? After decades in a mental health hospital, Dee knows that people find her creepy – because they tell her so. Once the reluctant star of an infamous documentary, she is trying to blend back into the outside world. But when a string of local girls disappear, only to be found dead days later, she becomes fixated on the case and decides to film her own True Crime documentary. There is a serial killer on the loose - The Righteous Wraith. Girls are being found one by one, their bodies gruesomely staged in the most innocent public spaces. With the killer taunting the police and public fear mounting, online armchair detectives begin pointing fingers at one suspect – ruining his life. But for Dee, something isn’t adding up. She knows what it’s like to be accused of something that you didn’t do, so resolves to prove his innocence, unmask the real killer, and save The 13th Girl. But who will believe her? A dark, inventive thriller perfect for fans of Chris Carter, Alice Feeney and C.J. Skuse. You can buy Nicky's book The 13th Girl HERE You can also follow her on Facebook or find her on Twitter Thanks Nicky for visiting and it sounds a great read for anyone who likes a good murderous thriller!