Leodora Darlington: On Making the Stakes Clear in Every Chapter
In this interview, author Leodora Darlington discusses the dark and twisty elements of her debut thriller, The Exes.
Leodora Darlington is a writer from London with Ghanaian heritage. She received a distinction for her masters in creative writing from Brunel University of London, where she studied under authors like Benjamin Zephaniah and Will Self. A Bookseller Rising Star in 2021, Leodora is also an editor and has published a range of bestselling fiction. Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, and Bluesky.
In this interview, Leodora discusses the dark and twisty elements of her debut thriller, The Exes, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Leodora Darlington
Literary agent: Suzanne Gluck & Hellie Ogden, WME
Book title: The Exes
Publisher: Dutton, Penguin Random House
Release date: February 3, 2026
Genre/category: Thriller
Elevator pitch: Who hasn’t wanted to murder an ex—figuratively, at least? In this explosive debut thriller, a woman’s seemingly perfect romantic life is on the verge of collapse as she uncovers a hidden history surfacing dark secrets that have deadly consequences.
What prompted you to write this book?
I love a good romance story, but I kept seeing so many horror stories of real-life romances gone wrong. It felt impossible to ignore how toxic relationships can become when there’s a power imbalance.
The idea of that friction sparked a question: What kind of woman would write letters to her former flames—not out of love, but out of despair? That was the seed for Natalie. I wanted to explore female rage and the terror of one's own capacity for violence, but I wanted to do it through a character who wasn’t a confident, wisecracking assassin. I wanted someone real, terrified, and seemingly powerless to stop herself.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Gosh, you’re testing my memory now! All in all, it’ll be a little over three years from the idea first popping into my head and the first publication date. Initially, I thought I was writing a dark, twisty subversion of romance tropes. But as I peeled back the layers of why Natalie was the way she was, I was surprised to find that the story became deeply concerned with family—specifically parenthood, sisterhood, and the experience of living in the diaspora. The finished book is still a thriller with plenty of shocks, but that unexpected layer of generational trauma and the quest to break toxic cycles became the true engine of the novel.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I’ve worked as a fiction editor in the U.K. for the better part of a decade, so I thought I had a pretty good map of the terrain! I’ve guided many authors through this process, but sitting on the other side of the desk was a revelation.
The biggest learning moment was realizing that while my market awareness is a great tool, it can also be a trap. When you know exactly what "sells," there’s a temptation to write to a formula. I had to actively throw the rulebook out the window to make this book work. I learned that you cannot write effectively if you’re constantly worrying about reception. You have to shut out the "industry professional" side of your brain and let the "creative risk-taker" drive.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
The sheer amount of therapy involved—both on and off the page! I knew I wanted to explore trauma authentically, so a significant portion of the story unfolds in a therapist’s office. I did a lot of research and spoke to experts, but to get the emotional texture right, I actually started my own therapy during the editing process.
It was an incredible surprise to see how that personal work deepened the narrative. It added a layer of intimacy to the scenes between Natalie and her therapist, Dimple, that I couldn’t have fabricated. I didn't expect writing a thriller to be such a personal healing journey, but it absolutely was.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
First and foremost, I hope they get that unique thriller catharsis—the terrified question of "What if it was me?" followed by the profound relief that it isn't!
But beyond the twists, I hope readers find a sense of hope regarding their own ghosts. We all carry baggage, whether from bad relationships or family history. The book explores the danger of running from that pain, but also the beauty of facing it. If a reader can finish the last page and feel a little more empowered to take care of their inner wounded child—or perhaps feel seen in their own healing journey—that would be the ultimate success for me.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Ensure the stakes are clear in every single chapter. As an editor, this is something I tell my authors constantly, and it was my North Star while writing The Exes. “Stakes” doesn't always mean a gun to someone’s head. Even in a quiet conversation between two characters, the reader needs to know: What does each character want? What is stopping them from getting it? And, crucially, what bad thing will happen if they don't get it? That emotional conflict is what makes any kind of story feel truly compelling.
