“Sarah Snook is going to play the lead.” That’s the email that changed everything for bestselling crime novelist Andrea Mara. In this episode of Ray of Light, Andrea shares her journey from writing thrillers about motherhood’s deepest fears to watching her novel All Her Fault become a TV series starring Sarah Snook (Succession) and Dakota Fanning.
We dive into the art of crime writing, the hidden emotional labor of parenting, and what it’s really like to see your characters come to life on screen.
Search Ray of Light with Eleanor Ray on your favourite podcast platform, or watch in full video glory on YouTube.
🎯 WHAT WE COVER:
✅ The casting call that made Andrea scream with excitement
✅ How Andrea’s books evolved as her children grew up
✅ Writing parental anxiety into page-turning thrillers
✅ Emotional labor in modern parenting
✅ The book-to-screen adaptation process with Merman Productions
✅ Andrea’s cameo as a prison visitor extra
✅ Why crime fiction about mothers resonates so deeply
✅ Navigating genre, structural edits & imposter syndrome
✅ Word count advice for aspiring thriller writers
📚 ABOUT ANDREA MARA:
Andrea Mara is a bestselling crime novelist whose work explores motherhood, community pressure, and the unraveling of everyday life. Her novel All Her Fault was adapted for television starring Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning. Her latest novel It Should Have Been You is out now in paperback.
🎙️ ABOUT RAY OF LIGHT:
Ray of Light is a podcast about writing, reading, and finding light in creativity. Hosted by novelist Eleanor Ray, each episode features conversations with authors about their craft, process, and creative journeys.
📩 CONNECT WITH ELEANOR:
Website: http://www.eleanorraybooks.com
Instagram/TikTok/Facebook: @eleanorraybooks
📖 ELEANOR’S LATEST NOVEL:
See the Stars – out now in paperback. A story about finding meaning and connection when life doesn’t go to plan.
Eleanor Ray 