HEIDI PERKS In Person With Paul

In this episode of Crime Time FM, host Paul Burke interviews bestselling psychological thriller author Heidi Perks about her latest novel, *It Ends Here*, her journey from corporate marketing to full-time writing, and the creative process behind her work. Perks shares how a life-changing redundancy in 2012 led her to pursue her childhood dream of authorship, despite a five-year struggle with rejections and self-doubt. She recounts writing her first novel in a year, self-publishing a rejected manuscript to reclaim agency, and eventually landing a deal with Penguin Random House after persistent effort and mentorship from her agent. The conversation turns to *It Ends Here*, a locked-room mystery told entirely from the perspectives of loved ones outside a hostage situation in a coastal cafe on the Isle of Wight. Perks reveals the novel’s core inspiration—doubt in the people we love—driven by a true crime podcast about the Yorkshire Ripper. She discusses her research with a detective friend, the challenge of writing multiple diverse characters, and the emotional weight of exploring how trauma ripples through families. She also reflects on her writing process, the importance of setting (especially the south coast of England), and her upcoming novel set in Cornwall. The episode closes with Perks recommending works by Harlan Coben, Karen Slaughter, and Taylor Jenkins Reid.