Lexie Elliott Interviews Melissa Kateb from HOW TO KILL YOUR BEST FRIEND

September 4, 2022 | By Women Writers Women Books | Reply More

About HOW TO KILL YOUR BEST FRIEND

If you suspected your best friend, the person you were closest to in the whole world, was a murderer, what would you do? Would you confront her? Would you help keep her secret? Or would you begin to feel afraid? Most importantly, why don’t you feel safe now that she’s dead? From the author of The French Girl comes a novel full of secrets, suspense, and deadly twists.

Georgie, Lissa, and Bronwyn have been inseparable since dominating their college swim team; swimming has always been an escape from their own problems, but now their shared passion has turned deadly. How can it be true that Lissa, the strongest swimmer they know, drowned? Granted, there is something strange about Kanu Cove, where Lissa was last seen, swimming off the coast of the fabulous island resort she owned with her husband.

Lissa’s closest friends gather at the resort to honor her life, but Georgie and Bron can’t seem to stop looking over their shoulders. Danger lurks beneath the surface of the crystal-clear water, and even their luxurious private villas can’t help them feel safe. As the weather turns ominous, trapping the funeral guests together on the island, nobody knows who they can trust. Lissa’s death was only the beginning….

Lexie Elliott Interviews Melissa Kateb

This interview took place shortly before the grand opening of the luxury island resort in Southeast Asia operated by Melissa and Jem Kateb. Tragically, Melissa recently drowned off the coast of the resort; there will be a memorial service at the resort next week.

Lexie: Melissa, thanks for taking the time to meet me during what I’m sure must be an incredibly hectic period for you.

Lissa: Happy to—and please, call me Lissa.

Lexie: Okay, Lissa it is. What I’m looking to do with this article is showcase the resort, but by looking through the lens of the people who have brought it to fruition i.e. yourself and Jem—so I’ll be asking more personal questions than you might normally expect, if that’s okay. (Lissa smiles and nods.) I have to start by saying that the resort is utterly beautiful. You must be very excited about the grand opening, after all your hard work.

Lissa: Stratospherically excited. I can’t wait for our guests to experience it. Seeing their enjoyment will be such a reward, after all the time and effort and planning.

Lexie: Would you say you’re a planner by nature?

Lissa: I’d say I’m a strategist. I do plan, but I’m also flexible; I can adapt.

Lexie: I understand there’s also a competitive side to you—you were one of the stars of your university swim team, correct? (Lissa laughs and nods.) Do you still swim now? More than just a dip to cool off, I mean?

Lissa: Absolutely. How could I not, in an environment such as this? (She gestures towards the azure waters, metres from where we are conducting the interview). I try to find a spare forty minutes for it each day. Do you swim? (Lexie nods.) Then we must swim together whilst you’re here; you’ll love it, the water is so beautifully warm and clear. Though of course the usual rules apply: don’t swim alone if there’s no lifeguard, and make sure you understand the currents and so forth. There are some really nasty rip tides around here; you shouldn’t swim in Kanu Cove, for example. But here, in Horseshoe Bay, it’s completely safe.

Lexie: Do you swim with your husband?

Lissa: Jem? Yes. When he has the time. (Her lips pinch very briefly.) I mean… He’s obviously very busy right now. We both are.

Lexie: I imagine that living here might be quite isolating for you and Jem. It’s a small island, after all. Do you think it’s brought you closer together?

Lissa: Oh, of course—pursuit of a shared goal and all that. I expect I know him about as well as anyone possibly could by now.

Lexie: And he you.

Lissa: (Gives a small smile.) Of course.

Lexie: The pair of you are the face of the hotel, and you’re both extremely well-suited to it: a beautiful, charming couple—

Lissa: Thank you!

Lexie: —How do you find that aspect of your role?

Lissa: (Laughs.) You make it sound like a performance.

Lexie: Does it feel like one?

Lissa: Not usually. Usually I’m just excited about executing the plan, but I suppose there are times when I’m dog-tired and I have to remind myself to put on my game face. My father is an actor; perhaps I inherited some ability to step up and perform from him.

Lexie: Is your father a role model for you?

Lissa: I’m not… Well, I can certainly say that he’s been very impactful in my life.

Lexie: The island is so remote, which is of course a huge attraction for the guests, but you must miss your friends and family.

Lissa: I—yes, I do, at times. (She brightens.) But my closest friends, from my university swim team, are coming out to visit in a few months. I’m already planning it all out.

Lexie: Lots of swimming excursions?

Lissa: (Laughs.) Lots. And lots of rosé!

Lexie: Did you get started in the hospitality industry straight after university?

Lissa: Yes. Initially I only took jobs based in London, though, so as to be close to Graeme—

Lexie: Graeme was your first husband?

Lissa: Yes. As I expect you know, he died very suddenly… (She temporarily trails off, then shakes herself.) Anyway, I took a job abroad after Graeme died and met Jem, and here we are. (Adopts a bright smile.)

Lexie: And is this your dream job? Is it what you saw yourself doing when you left university?

Lissa: (She pauses, and her smile drops.) I saw myself being happily married to Graeme forever. But—well, events dictated otherwise. This is what came afterward.

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Lexie Elliott grew up in Scotland, at the foot of the Highlands. She graduated from Oxford University, where she obtained a doctorate in theoretical physics. Inspired by a holiday to a tropical island, How To Kill Your Best Friend is Lexie’s fourth novel. A competitive swimmer and keen sportswoman, Lexie has won numerous swimming championships and even swam the English Channel solo in 2007. Until recently she managed her writing alongside a job in fund management in London.