Elizabeth Arnott: You Just Need the Right Idea, Passion, and Tenacity
In this interview, author Elizabeth Arnott discusses empowering forgotten victims of violent men in her new crime novel, The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives.
Elizabeth Arnott is an award-winning writer and journalist and has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook. Her work—covering everything from true crime to Arctic exploration—has featured in publications including The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Guardian. She lives with her husband and their young daughter in London, where she spends far too much time drinking iced coffee and watching serial killer shows. Follow her on X (Twitter) and Instagram.
In this interview, Elizabeth discusses empowering forgotten victims of violent men in her new crime novel, The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives, her advice to other authors, and more.
Name: Elizabeth Arnott
Literary agent: Madeleine Milburn
Book title: The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: March 3, 2026
Genre/category: Crime/thriller/book group
Elevator pitch: Beverley, Elsie, and Margot are three friends with a shared secret—they are all ex-wives of serial killers. When a string of murders hits their idyllic neighborhood, the three get to work, because who better to catch a murderer than those who have shared a bed, and a life, with one?
What prompted you to write this book?
I’ve always been fascinated by true crime and the psychology of murderers. Two decades ago, I wrote my university dissertation on serial killers—true crime wasn’t really a “thing” back then, and my tutor made me promise not to contact any murderers in prison. Of course, now you can take whole modules in true crime.
More recently, I’ve found myself drawn to stories of those who, through no fault of their own, become swept into the orbit of dangerous men. The wives, the daughters, the sisters; those forgotten victims of violent crime, who become part of the narrative but are so often overlooked and misunderstood.
I wanted to see what stories they would tell if they were given a chance to talk. But more than that, I wanted to empower these forgotten women, and I wanted to let them have some fun.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It was a quick process. The idea arrived fully formed—I remember telling a close friend about it, and she jumped up in excitement and told me I had to start writing. The first draft was a bit of a whirlwind. It was as if Beverley, Elsie, and Margot showed up at my laptop and led me through the story. It took about six weeks in total, which, for me, is incredibly fast.
My own edits followed, then I finally had to admit to my agent that I’d written something in secret! Thankfully, she was excited. We worked on the book for a few weeks then she took it to London Book Fair. I was nine months pregnant when the auction processes started and ended up in hospital with high blood pressure!
I worked with publishers on edits for a few months and then the waiting game began. It was probably three years from idea to publication, but the idea remained consistent throughout. It was a unique writing experience. One I’ve never had before and I’m sure I won’t have again.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
In the past several years, I have had two historical fiction novels published under my maiden name. I am so extremely proud of them, and they were critically well received, but they didn’t set the world alight in terms of sales numbers. I was pretty much told (by some people) that was the end of the road for me, and that I would struggle to publish anything meaningfully or successfully or get a decent advance for anything ever again. That was wrong. You just need the right idea, passion, and tenacity. It’s never too late.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I wrote a whole version of this book with a different ending. I was pretty much done and dusted. Then another idea for the ending tapped my shoulder. I almost didn’t give in—I’d finished the book! The hard work was over! But I realized my brain had been whirring away in the background to give me a more convincing twist, so I pulled my sleeves up and rewrote the last third of the book. It was worth it.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers find it satisfying, eye-opening, and empowering. The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives is a crime novel that might make people think differently about the women behind the headlines, but it’s also a novel about resilience and the power of friendship. I’d love someone to close the last page of this book and feel compelled to call an old friend.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Strength-test your book idea by asking yourself if you could sum it up to a stranger on the street in just one sentence. If you can, that’s a clean hook and that will serve you very well. Try and keep that sentence in mind as you write and ensure every plot point works towards delivering on that premise.
