Interviews
A Conversation with James Patterson
about
The Beach House
The Beach House
Q. The Beach House is your first legal thriller, what lead you to write it? Did you enjoy writing it? Would you write another?
A. I didn't specifically set out to write a legal thriller, I was just incredibly intrigued by the story in The Beach House. However, most of us are fed up with the injustice that poses for justice in this country. That's at the core of The Beach House. It also seemed like a fun idea to take on John Grisham at his own game. I generally like his stuff and the legal world is incredibly dramatic.
Q. There is a great deal of corruption in The Beach House in the local officials and in the corporate law firm, do you think this is a common occurrence? Do you have any experience with the law?
A. Other than my hundreds of arrests I really don't have that much experience with the law. While the majority of people aren't corrupt, there certainly is an awful lot of corruption in this country. It's particularly tragic that some of it takes place at law firms, like the one depicted in The Beach House.
Q. There are many wealthy beach communities you could have chose as the backdrop for this story, is there anything particular that made you decide to use the Hamptons as the setting of the book?
A. Peter de Jonge and I have both spent summers in the Hamptons. We know a lot about the area and I hope it shows. Anybody who wants to take a quick beach trip out there should sit down with the book.
Q. Macklin Mullen is a very well developed and unique character in The Beach House, is he based on someone you know? Do you usually use real people as models for your characters?
A. Macklin, being Macklin, just took on a life of his own. I almost never use real people as models for my characters.
Q. Your books are always described as "page turners" that are packed with twists and turns, but I bet no one will be quite prepared for the conclusion of The Beach House. When you first began writing this book did you already envision such an ending or did it grow from the story? Do you usually outline your books first or just start writing?
A. As I do with all of my books, I outlined The Beach House from the beginning to end. I did know that the book would end with a mind-boggling trial, but I didn't know exactly how it would turn out. I like a little suspense when I am writing, too.
Q. Will we ever see the Mullen family again in a future book? Or possibly in a movie?
A. The Beach House seems to be a hot summer read in Hollywood, too. A director and a writer, really terrific ones, are about to attach themselves to the movie. As far as seeing the Mullen Family again, who knows, but I've learned to never say never.
Q. Last year you introduced a new Women's Murder Club series and wrote your first love story, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. Now, with The Beach House you have written your first legal thriller, what can we expect next from James Patterson?
A. Always expect the unexpected. Right around Thanksgiving, when the new Alex Cross will be out. It's called Four Blind Mice and it's a pretty amazing story about several murders inside the military. Then, in the spring, an incredibly fast-paced, exciting, romantic adventure story set in the Crusades. It's called The Jester and I think it could be the best story I've been involved with.
