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Q&A with Elle Marr, Author of Lies We Bury

Q&A with Elle Marr, Author of Lies We Bury

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Elle Marr is the author of Lies We Bury.

Elle Marr is the number one Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Missing Sister. She graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris. 

Here’s the synopsis for Lies We Bury:

I was born in captivity…

Two decades ago Marissa Mo escaped a basement prison—the only home she’d ever known. At twenty-seven, Marissa’s moved beyond the trauma and is working under a new name as a freelance photographer. But when she accepts a job covering a string of macabre murders in Portland, it’s impossible for Marissa not to remember.

Everything is eerily familiar. The same underground lairs. Sad trinkets and toys left behind, identical to those Marissa had as a child. And then there is the note meant just for her that freezes Marissa’s blood: See you soon, Missy.

To determine the killer’s next move, Marissa must retrieve her long-forgotten memories and return to a past she’s hidden away. But she won’t be facing her fears alone. Someone is waiting for her in the dark.

Let’s get to know Elle as she talks favorite novels, writing inspirations, her TBR and much more!

What are some of your favorite novels? 

I’m a fan of all genres, so this is a hard question. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay is a great read, and Little Voices by Vanessa Lillie has an incredible twist at the end. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn comes to mind, then Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, and A Beginning At the End by Mike Chen.

When did you know you wanted to become an author? 

I was probably nine years old and sneaking into an online writing forum for adults. When I published several chapters posing as a twenty-year-old, I knew then that I wanted to write stories.

 What do you like best about writing thrillers? 

I love that there’s still an element of discovery when I write thrillers. Although I plot the major story points, there’s a lot I don’t know until I’m in a scene and feeling as panicked or paranoid as the character that I’m writing. In a sense, I get to go on the ride while I’m creating it.

 What inspired you to write Lies We Bury

The very worst true-crime headlines tend to stay with me, and cause me to think about the circumstances and the questions surrounding certain crimes for weeks or sometimes years on end; whenever that happens, I know I need to explore the elements of those events in my writing. Similarly, LIES WE BURY derived from several stories of false imprisonment that emerged over the course of a decade. After the dust settled on media coverage, I was often left wondering what happened to the survivors. How did they adjust after surviving such trauma, years later? LIES WE BURY was inspired by those questions, and a few other surprises along the way.

 What do you think are some of the key elements required in a well-crafted story? 

Character development, realistic obstacles, and an ending that’s satisfying.

What are you currently reading and what’s on your TBR (to be read) list? 

I’m currently reading domestic suspense A GOOD FAMILY by A.H. Kim. After I finish, I’m looking forward to digging into thriller THE MISSING WOMAN by Georgina Cross.

Click here to order Lies We Bury on Amazon.