Authors Interviewing Characters: Rachel Paris

“Rachel Paris comes blazing onto the scene with this pulse-pounding whodunit crime thriller. This is a claustrophobic, unpredictable, must-read psychological thriller with a banger of an ending.” 

— Best Thriller Books

“See How They Fall is an artfully plotted thriller that masterfully delivers unexpected twists to keep readers hooked until its satisfying conclusion.”

— Books + Publishing

SEE HOW THEY FALL

In this compelling debut thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty, one detective’s investigation into a family tragedy threatens to collapse a powerful dynasty …

When Skye married into the wealthy Turner family, she thought she was entering paradise. But now, several years later, she remains uneasy amid the opulence of her husband’s world, struggling with her own secrets and working to maintain a normal life for their young daughter, Tilly.

Skye’s delicate balance is undone when the family patriarch, Sir Campbell Turner, dies suddenly and an illegitimate heir comes forward to stake his claim in the luxury goods empire the old man leaves behind. Reluctantly, the Turners receive the newcomer at an intimate weekend retreat at Yallambee, the family seaside estate, but tempers flare and egos clash within their first few hours together and the night ends in a tragedy that leaves one dead and another fighting for life.

Sergeant Mei O’Connor is assigned to investigate the incident and though her superiors are keen to close the case as swiftly as possible, the evidence just isn’t lining up. Convinced that there’s more to the suspicious death than a simple accident, Mei continues to search for answers. But pulling at these threads may just tear down the Turner empire.

Rachel Paris interviews Detective Mei O’Connor in a central Sydney bar

Rach: What are we drinking?

Mei: We have to celebrate your book coming out, so I vote for espresso martinis.

Rach: Espresso martinis are always a good idea. 

Mei orders the drinks.

Rach: So, how’s your mother these days? 

Mei: Stubborn as hell.

Rach: Hrmm. As they say, the apple doesn’t fall far. I meant, how is her health? Things weren’t looking so good for her when I last checked in.

Mei: Despite Dr Lee’s prognosis, she’s hanging on. Doing much better than expected. 

Rach: That’s great news. And how are things between the two of you? 

Mei: That massive blow-up we had was horrible, but it was also cathartic. We’re good. We’ve made our peace.  

The bartender delivers the martinis. 

Rach: And how’s Skye? Are you in touch? 

Mei: Of course. It’s been extremely rough for her, as you can imagine, but she’s doing her best to move on. It won’t be easy.

Rach: I know, but you can both be really proud. Because of you and Skye, the Turners will finally be brought to justice. Let’s toast to that.

Rach raises her glass, but Mei shakes her head.

Mei: It’s premature to celebrate. You of all people should realise that. There’s a long road ahead. 

Rach: Yes, but the brothers are in custody. They’re being prosecuted.

Mei: They’ve also marshalled an army of lawyers to protract the court proceedings for as long as possible, and they’ve hired the best global PR to run interference with the truth and rehabilitate their reputations. Next year’s trial is going to be a major international news event, and with everything at stake, they’re going to play super dirty. It’s far from a done deal.

Rach: Hold on — Mei, are you paving the way for a sequel?

Mei: Never say never, right? And it also turns out there’s more to the origin story than we realised. 

Rach: What origin story? Are you talking about how Sir Campbell Turner made his fortune?

Mei:  Yup. And remember how he played the tragic widower for all those years when his sons were young? I was on the phone with Abe Cohen just before you arrived. He’s had a tip-off. You remember Abe, right? 

Rach: Of course. The reporter from The New York Times. What’s the tip-off? 

Mei: Let’s just say that he has some more context for Sir Campbell’s wife’s tragic death. 

Rach: Foul play? Come on — you’ve got to spill the tea! 

Mei: If you want to know, then you’d better get start thinking about a prequel too.

Rach: Mei O’Connor, you know that you can be a real pain in the ass?

Mei: Yup, I know. But you still love me. Let’s toast to that.

—

Rachel Paris is a lawyer-turned-author. In April 2025, her debut novel See How They Fall will be published by Hachette in Australasia and Penzler’s Scarlet imprint in the US. A Hollywood production company has optioned the screen rights to the book.

Rachel came to writing after an international legal career. She holds a Masters in Law from Harvard Law School, and she practised law in London for many years before returning to her native Aotearoa New Zealand. In 2024, Rachel graduated with a Master of Creative Writing (First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland and was awarded the Phoenix Prize for the best creative portfolio.

Rachel currently lives in Auckland with her family. You can connect with Rachel on Instagram at @rachelparisauthor or via www.rachelparisauthor.com. 

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers