I embark on a book, initially with two notions - the locale, or geographical journey fictitious people will take, and the setting of the final showdown. I work backwards from these points. Who can I people my stories with? Who can I bring to life to climb into the skins I will provide,?

Critical to the thriller is its cast of characters and I like large casts! Setting my novels in Southern Africa allows me to provide a window into the rich cultural diversity of our land. I utilise personalities with extremely varied histories, habits and experiences, in an attempt to expose readers to different perspectives.

I get to know my characters through the act of writing. I cook up a complex stew in which they simmer, revealing their personalities through actions, dialogue and reflections. Their psyches, secrets and desires reveal themselves in response to the story line, infusing, hopefully, distinct flavour.

Protagonists who are totally good are boring. Virtuous people are not that useful to thrillers. Predatory, unsavoury characters are generally active, busy in the seedy underworld. They bring energy and vigor to the tale. I try to evoke empathy for my villains, often products of their society, sometimes just downright depraved. One of the measures of my success is if readers connect with deeply flawed characters. This may not always make for a comfortable experience.

Leading actors in thrillers need to struggle with issues, possess weaknesses, give in to temptation, battle demons. They need to embark on a Hero’s Journey – a pattern of narrative that appears in drama, storytelling, religious ritual, psychological development and myth.

I pit my characters against the toughest of circumstances, requiring them to draw upon reserves of courage and fortitude in order to overcome… or not. Thrillers must provoke thought and carry messages. This is what, I believe, elevates the novel from entertaining to unforgettable.

The best thrillers stab the heart, throughout. They lure the reader into another world where, generally, players respond to dramatic situations. Readers get to experience the heightened emotions characters feel as they face peril and evil, in shady worlds.

Pacing is vital and switching POVs effectively can really move a story forward. All action and reactions described must advance the plot so that readers continue to turn the pages unable to predict conclusions.

As the story finds its shape and gathers speed, I occasionally find that I have written write myself into a corner and am then forced to deal with conundrums. Raymond Chandler advises writers: When things slow down, bring in a man with a gun. Metaphorically, this means introducing action or a change of plot direction to shake things up.

Setting my novels against spectacular backdrops such as Table Mountain, the mighty Zambezi River and the ghetto of Hillbrow enables me to introduce adventure and atmosphere. The final book in my Sisters of Light trilogy uses the Garden Route coastline as its locale. This allowed me to introduce smuggling operations, jump ship sailors, fishermen and boating adventures, not to mention family secrets, racism and of course, lots of corpses!

Through my tales, I hope to leave my readers with a deeper understanding of the human condition and the socio/historical impact of the unique history of South Africa.

Novels in the thriller genre should be electric and skilfully constructed to ensure that readers constantly feel the current and mounting voltage. The finale should pull-out-all-the-stops, forcing readers to hold their breath with heroes on seemingly impossible missions. This is why we love thrillers – they evoke suspense, excitement, speed and movement in a visceral, gut-churning way. We go along for the perilous, heart-stopping, nail-biting ride, but, luckily from the safety of our armchairs.