The story behind the story in Tell No Lies
Julie Compton's debut novel, Tell No Lies, is the story of a family man's obsession and the price he's forced to pay. When assistant DA Jack Hilliard finds himself simultaneously seduced by a dream job and a tempting woman, he soon learns how easy it is to compromise his values and comfortable life for ambition and desire. But when the object of his obsession is charged with a heinous crime, and Jack alone can prove her innocence, he must choose between saving her by speaking out, or saving his marriage and career by remaining silent.In Tell No Lies, the reader gets a glimpse of the differences between private law firms and the district attorney's office. As someone who has worked in both the private and government legal sector, which do you prefer?
On the private side, I worked at two larger law firms, and then a smaller, boutique firm, before becoming a stay-at-home mom for several years. When I returned to practice, I accepted a position with the US Trustee's Office, part of the Department of Justice. It was my dream job. Although I worked with great people at all my jobs, there's no denying that at private firms, an attorney has the constant pressure to bill more hours, bring in clients, become a partner, etc. I didn't have these same pressures at my government job, which made it easier to just enjoy the purely legal aspects of the practice.
Why did you choose to write the novel from Jack's point of view, that of a likable family man who falls down the rabbit hole of self deception and adultery?There's a point in the novel where Jack asks Jenny, in reference to another character they believe has embezzled from a client, 'Why would he do that? Why would he risk everything like that?' Those questions speak to the heart of the novel. I'm a firm believer that man is basically good, and whenever I hear about someone doing something we consider bad - immoral, unethical, or sometimes just plain nonsensical, I want to know the 'story behind the story' - because I believe there is always a larger story than just what appears on the surface. Not a justification, necessarily, but an explanation.
Also, as a writer (and really, as a reader, too), I like my protagonist to have some pretty serious flaws. They have to be flaws the character can overcome, of course, but I do think flaws are essential to developing character arc and for making the character more interesting and more believable.
What do you think drives powerful people to self destructive behavior like Jack's and Jenny's?
Wow, if I knew the answer to this question, I'd bottle it!
What can you tell us about the next novel?
It's the story of a biker whose girlfriend is injured in a motorcycle accident and taken from him without so much as a goodbye. In his search to get her back, which takes him from Florida to New England to Africa, he stumbles upon plans to eliminate her. As he battles to literally save her life, he confronts both their demons and, in doing so, figuratively saves his own.
Can you name the last book you finished, the book you're currently reading, and the next book on your list?
I just finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. One word: amazing. The last thriller I read, though, was Minette Walters' The Devil's Feather. It was quite a page turner! The pile on my nightstand is high, but the next in line is probably A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
Julie Compton practiced law in St. Louis, Missouri (the setting for Tell No Lies) before moving to the East Coast, and most recently worked as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in Wilmington, Delaware. She now lives in Florida with her husband and two daughters, where she writes full time.
ITW contributing editor and website administrator Rebecca Cantrell
bought her first typewriter with babysitting money at age thirteen.
Since then, she has written novels, screenplays, and short stories
about (and sometimes in spite of) the Alaskan wilderness, Berlin before
and after the wall, and dot com Silicon Valley. She has also written
many technical manuals. EVEN SMOKE LEAVES A TRACE is her first
published novel. She lives in Hawaii with her
husband and son.ThrillerFest
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