Rod Reynolds is the author of four novels, including the Charlie Yates series. His 2015 debut, The Dark Inside, was long-listed for the CWA New Blood Dagger, and was followed by Black Night Falling (2016) and Cold Desert Sky (2018); the Guardian has called the books “Pitch-perfect American noir”. A lifelong Londoner, in 2020 Orenda Books published his first novel set in his hometown, Blood Red City. Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in novel writing from City University London. Rod lives with his wife and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his two young daughters.
Hi Rod how lovely to see you in my virtual cocktail lounge. What can I get you at the bar?
R: If it’s cocktails it has to be a mojito, please!
A popular choice here. So where did we first meet in real life?
R: Oh no, you’ve got me there – at a book event, maybe someone’s launch? I do remember we then were thrown together for a panel at CrimeFest shortly after, which was great fun.
Yes I think it was an Orenda book event at Waterstones and since then we’ve done two CrimeFest panels together. What were your first impressions?
R: Bubbly, lively, chatty, fun.
Any points in common?
R: Writing, writing and writing. Also, my old job was to buy advertising space in some of the magazines you used to write for.
I’ve enjoyed your Charlie Yates series. Tell me about your latest book?
R: My latest book, Blood Red City, has just been published and is my first standalone. Set in my hometown of London, it sees a crusading journalist sent a video of an apparent murder on a London Tube train. When she begins to investigate, she’s drawn into a terrifying web of money, politics and power, where information is the only thing more dangerous than a bullet.
Sounds my perfect type of book. What are you working on now?
R: I’m working on a standalone that’s a bit more of a psychological thriller – but I haven’t discussed it with my publisher yet, so I can’t say too much more about that!
What would be your dream panel (at any event) – subject, fellow panelists or a Q&A with someone you have met or would love to meet?
R: I’d love to interview my big writing hero James Ellroy. I’m a huge fan so I’d like to ask him loads of in-depth questions about his work – the kind of thing authors hate, because I’d be asking him about some minor plot point in a twenty-five year old book that he probably barely remembers writing. He’d most likely just call me names and berate me for the duration.
Well if you’re reading this Mr Ellroy… What are you most looking forward to when lockdown is finally lifted?
R: Being able to go to gigs again. I don’t get to go to that many these days anyway, and lockdown has made me miss and appreciate seeing live music even more.
Is there anything lockdown has made you think about/want to do?
R: Do some of the trips I’ve had in mind for years, such as travelling across Canada. It’s too easy to put these things off but lockdown and the pandemic have reminded me that there’s no time like the present.
I wonder what your daughters will make of travelling across Canada? Thank you so much for joining me, Rod and I hope we meet up at some book events soon.
You can contact Rod Reynolds rodreynoldsauthor@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter: @Rod_WR