INTERVIEW: Retired Louth teacher Florence Gillan on the art of writing psychological thrillers

Florence Gillan, a name that has swiftly become synonymous with psychological thrillers, has just released her third book, establishing herself as a leading voice in the genre. This latest release, like her previous works, delves into the dark, tangled web of human emotions, trauma, and manipulation, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Having taught in a number of Louth schools over the years, Florence is now retired and lives outside Newry. She spends much of her time in her native Sligo in the foothills of Benbulbin.

In 2019, when Florence stepped away from teaching, she attended a writer’s retreat at the River Mill in Downpatrick, which gave her the courage to send her story out to Poolbeg Press.

The transformative heart of her debut novel Let Them Lie was somewhat inspired by the death of her beloved dog, Cassie.
The author’s children were so upset at the burial, she came up with her idea for the unearthing of a box that contained devastating secrets.

Her first book, Let Them Lie, was set in her native Sligo; The Forfeit is set in Sligo and Dundalk; while her new book is set in Dublin.

When asked about her writing journey and the character of Emer Martin, the central figure in her latest book, Florence admits that creating Emer was both a challenge and a revelation. “[It] was really hard to actually come up with the idea,” she says. “I had a lot of different things on the back burner, but Emer just came to me…and then the rest of the bits sort of began to explain themselves.”

While the original concept for the novel evolved significantly, the dark secrets in Emer’s background and her move to Dublin remained central to the plot.

Emer, grappling with the trauma of losing her mother and a controlling, manipulative relationship, embarks on a journey of self-discovery that is both compelling and unnerving. Florence reflects on how the character’s arc shifted from her initial plans, as certain characters “came into the story more prominently” than expected, turning the writing process into something that at times seemed to “write itself.”

One of the book’s key themes is coercive control—a subject that resonates deeply with Florence. She explains how manipulation, a recurring theme in her work, fascinated her from the start.

“There was always coercive control, but it was, I suppose, hidden, and people didn’t have the language to really articulate what’s happening,” she says. Emer’s story highlights the subtle ways in which manipulation can seep into one’s life—how her fiancé slowly isolated her from her friends, and how the death of her mother triggered a desperate need to escape.

However, Emer quickly learns that moving cities isn’t enough to escape the past. “There isn’t that sort of geographical cure where just because you move, things are going to be better,” Florence notes.

As Emer settles into her new life in Dublin, mysterious events—disturbing letters and unsettling experiences—begin to unearth the trauma she thought she had left behind. Her life, both personal and professional, starts to unravel as she tries to identify the source of the growing threats.

For Florence, capturing this unraveling was critical to maintaining the psychological tension that characterises her work.

“I don’t think psychological thrillers are comfortable reading. They’re not like cozy crime, which I happen to love too… but they’re not comfortable. You can’t sort of sit down and relax. Sometimes, with a good psychological thriller, you actually have to stop, you have to have to get away from it for a while, because it’s disturbing you a little bit.

“Or, you know, you worry about the character a little bit, or you’re angry with the character. Because sometimes you can kind of go, how can she be stupid? So stupid? Or why? Why is she letting that happen? How does she not see?

“I think for the reader, it can be an uncomfortable experience at times, so you just want to get away from it. And then a lot of times you just, you want to keep turning the pages, because you have to know what happens.”

Despite the dark themes, Florence strives to balance tension with moments of reflection, especially in the relationships between her characters. She describes how Emer’s memories of her late mother—like the smell of her perfume or the sight of her cosmetics—act as poignant reminders of love and loss.

“It’s that thing where someone’s gone, but there are still so many pieces of them left behind,” she says, drawing on personal memories of her own mother, brother, and sister, whose deaths inspired some of the emotional depth in her writing.
When asked about the evolution of her writing style, Florence acknowledges that her approach has changed over the course of her three novels. Her first book, Let Them Lie, was written with a sense of freedom and spontaneity—"completely by the seat of my pants," as she describes it.

However, the demands of publishing her second and third novels on a tighter schedule forced her to become more structured in her process. “This one was kind of torture,” she confesses, admitting that while the process was harder, it also led to unexpected breakthroughs in the story.

One of the most significant themes in Florence’s novels is the agency of her protagonists. In Let Them Lie, Bree O’Hagan gains her power back only when her child is endangered. Emer’s journey, on the other hand, is one of confusion as she tries to navigate a world where the enemy is unclear.

For Emer, it’s terrifying because she doesn’t know who or what is causing her pain, whereas with Bree, she knows her enemy.
Through her characters, Florence explores how women find strength and agency in the face of manipulation. Emer’s confusion and eventual determination to discover the truth about her tormentor reflect a powerful message about taking control of one’s life—even in the darkest of times.

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“I think she realises she can’t just be a victim. She has to, she has to get on top of things. She has to find out who’s torturing her, and she has to basically act herself.”

Writing psychological thrillers is not only an exploration of the human psyche for Florence—it’s also a journey of personal growth. After years of doubting herself and her ability to write, she now embraces her new life as an author. “I’m doing the thing I’ve always wanted to do, and I’ve never felt more alive,” she says.

However, the self-doubt hasn’t entirely disappeared.

“I think [I] still feel a little self conscious about it,” she admits with a laugh. Surrounded by a supportive community of writers and readers, she’s beginning to shed that doubt and embrace the title.

As for the future, Florence already has her eyes on the next project, with one first draft nearly complete and another concept involving twins percolating in the background.