Writing psychological thrillers about damaged people is a daunting challenge to pull off, but it must help to be armed with a PhD in psychology and a deep understanding of neuroscience like award-winning author Joanna Schaffhausen. She brings all her talent and expertise to bear in her compelling new thriller, ALL THE WAY GONE, in which she asks the tantalizing and terrifying question: Is there such a thing as a good sociopath? In this exclusive Career Authors interview, we talk to Joanna about her new thriller, writing suspense, and the nature of sociopaths.
- What’s the title of your book—and was that always the title?
It’s All the Way Gone, and yes, it was always the title. It’s a saying that means nuts/insane.
- Who’s the main character of your book—and was that always their name?
Annalisa Vega is the main character and that’s always been her name. Her family is Portuguese.
- At the start of the book, what’s the character’s goal?
Annalisa has just left her job at the Chicago Police Department to become a private investigator, and she’s looking for any case that can get her new outfit off the ground. She finds it in Professor Mara Delaney, who has written a big new book called “The Good Sociopath” centered around local neurosurgeon Craig Canning.
But when a woman falls to her death from a balcony in Canning’s apartment building, Mara fears her “good sociopath” might not be so good after all. She hires Annalisa to find out the truth about him.
- What was the core idea for this novel—a plot point? a theme?—and where did it come from?
The book examines the question of whether sociopaths can be beneficial to society—what would that even look like? It’s also a fun cat-and-mouse thriller, which I haven’t really written before. You know the theoretical bad guy right away—Dr. Canning. But if he’s as clever a sociopath as he seems, how can Annalisa defeat him?
- At what point did you come up with the final version of the first line?
The first line never changed. It is: The day the girl fell from the sky started like any other Ruth Gold Bernstein because she preferred it that way.
I love Ruth. She’s a feisty octogenarian who lives in Canning’s apartment building. She witnesses the young woman plunge from the balcony and in the chaos her fluffy white cat goes missing. Figuring out what happened to Ruth’s cat and why is the key to the whole mystery.
- Did you know the ending of the book when you started?
I always know who did it and why. I usually am not completely sure how the sleuth figures it out and nails the bad guy, and that was true this time, too. Annalisa does get her moment of triumph, however.
- What’s something in this book that you’ve never done before?
This book has a much smaller cast of characters than most of my previous novels, in part because it centers so much on the battle of wits between Annalisa and Canning. I will say it ends with a personal development for Annalisa that I once vowed I’d never write…
- What part of your tour (or launch week) are you most excited about?
A new book is always so exciting! This is my ninth one and it never gets old. I have a bunch of fun events coming up but I am always so tickled to be back at The Brookline Booksmith for launch day on Tuesday, August 13th at 7pm.
- Who in your #writing community deserves a special shout-out for supporting you in writing this story?
My beta team rocks the hardest, but Suzanne Magnuson really helps me with the Chicago side of things. I live in Boston, so it’s important to have someone local who can advise me on all things Chicago, and Suzanne is fabulous for that.
- How do you want readers to feel when they close the book?
Intrigued about what is coming next for Annalisa Vega!
- What did you learn from this book?
Sociopaths are all around us. Estimates are as high as 1 in 25 people, so we had better hope it’s possible to be a “good” sociopath.
Joanna Schaffhausen is the author of the award-winning Ellery Hathaway series, and the Annalisa Vega series, both starring tough-minded female investigators. Joanna has a PhD in psychology and previously worked at ABC News, writing for programs such as World News Tonight, Good Morning America, and 20/20. Currently, she is vice president of the New England chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Canton, MA, with her husband, daughter, and an obstreperous basset hound named Winston.
Join us on Facebook to talk to Joanna about thrillers, writing, basset hounds, and more.
