Ask Penguin What makes a setting feel so vivid it becomes a character? With Paula Hawkins
Dec 4, 2025
Best-selling author Paula Hawkins, known for her hit novel The Girl on the Train, discusses her latest thriller, The Blue Hour. She explores how the island setting of Eris influences character dynamics and atmosphere, nearly acting as its own character. Hawkins also delves into the tension between solitude and artistic connection through her protagonist Vanessa. Listeners can expect gripping book recommendations and insights into handling themes of loneliness and identity in storytelling. Plus, a sneak peek into her upcoming London novel!
50:39
Setting As Story Engine
- A setting can shape a story as much as a character and guide the author's choices.
- Paula Hawkins made the tidal island of Eris a creative engine that determined plot, mood and behaviour.
Holiday Sparked The Island
- Paula Hawkins recalls seeing a single-house tidal island on the coast of Brittany that sparked the idea for Eris.
- That holiday image stayed with her and later moved north to a darker Scottish setting for the novel.
Isolation Changes People
- Living in a remote place changes personality and choices over time.
- Hawkins used the island's isolation to explore how solitude both attracts and corrodes her characters.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Readers' reactions to The Blue Hour ending
01:50 • 39sec
Creating the island of Eris
02:29 • 2min
Eris as a character
04:37 • 20sec
Imagining solitary island life
04:57 • 1min
Vanessa: solitude, art and contradiction
05:58 • 2min
Portraying the art world and outsider Becca
07:46 • 2min
Beauty, ugliness and power dynamics
09:20 • 2min
Describing characters' physicality
11:20 • 2min
Friendship as family and freedom
12:54 • 2min
Writing a famous artist under scrutiny
14:46 • 2min
Outsiders that compel Paula
16:49 • 2min
Competing claims on Vanessa's memory
18:45 • 1min
Giving Vanessa a voice via diary fragments
20:09 • 2min
Shifting perspectives to hide and reveal
22:17 • 57sec
Loneliness, pandemic and corrosive isolation
23:14 • 2min
Daphne du Maurier's influence
25:13 • 1min
A decade since The Girl on the Train
26:31 • 2min
Recommended reads and writing guides
28:23 • 1min
Teasing the next book
29:37 • 27sec
Outro
30:04 • 20min
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Into the Water
Paula Hawkins
Into the Water follows Julia 'Jules' Abbott, who returns to her childhood town of Beckford after her sister Nel is found dead in the Drowning Pool, a river spot notorious for suicides and mysterious deaths of women.
As Jules becomes the guardian of Nel's teenage daughter Lena, the story unravels secrets about the town's dark history and the women lost to the river.
The novel explores themes of memory, trauma, and the deceptive nature of appearances, with a suspenseful investigation into whether Nel's death was suicide or something more sinister.
The narrative also delves into complex family dynamics and past abuses, making it a twisting, atmospheric thriller.
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A dark-adapted eye
Ruth Rendell
Richard Bravery
Harriet Walter
'A Dark-Adapted Eye' is a psychological thriller that delves into the complex dynamics of two sisters, Faith and Eden, and the events that lead to a shocking crime.
The story is narrated by their cousin, who recounts the events surrounding the sisters' lives and the dark secrets that haunt their family.
As the narrator pieces together the past, a web of jealousy, manipulation, and suppressed emotions emerges, culminating in a tragic incident.
The novel explores the intricacies of family relationships and the destructive power of hidden resentments.
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Starve Acre
Andrew Michael Hurley
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How To Be A Good Wife
Emma Chapman
A psychological thriller about a woman who begins to question her reality and her marriage after years of medication.
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A Slow Fire Burning
Paula Hawkins
'A Slow Fire Burning' is a psychological thriller revolving around a murder investigation in London.
The story involves several interconnected characters, each with their own secrets and motives.
The book delves into themes of revenge, trauma, and the long-lasting consequences of past actions.
As the investigation progresses, hidden relationships and dark truths emerge, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator.
With its intricate plot and complex characters, the novel explores the destructive nature of secrets and the lengths people will go to protect themselves.
#54651
My sister, the serial killer
Elena Malanga
Iulia Gorzo
Oyinkan Braithwaite
Oyinkan Braithwaite's "My Sister the Serial Killer" is a darkly comedic novel exploring the complex relationship between two sisters.
One sister is a serial killer, and the other is tasked with covering up her crimes.
The novel is characterized by its witty prose, sharp social commentary, and unexpected twists.
It examines themes of family, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions.
The book's unique blend of humor and suspense has earned it critical acclaim and a devoted readership.
#9903
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House follows Dr. John Montague, an investigator of the supernatural, and his guests—Eleanor Vance, Theodora, and Luke Sanderson—as they stay at the notorious Hill House.
The house, known for its dark history and inexplicable phenomena, begins to exert its influence on the group, particularly on Eleanor, who may be losing touch with reality or possessing a subconscious telekinetic ability.
The novel explores themes of psychological horror, the blurring of reality and imagination, and the haunting nature of the house itself.
#22438
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Strangers on a train
Patricia Highsmith
In 'Strangers on a Train', Patricia Highsmith crafts a gripping narrative about Guy Haines, an architect, and Charles Bruno, a wealthy socialite, who form an unlikely bond on a train.
Bruno proposes a sinister plan to swap murders, which Guy initially rejects, but Bruno's actions soon entangle Guy in a dark game of cat and mouse.
The novel explores themes of psychological tension, moral ambiguity, and the blurred lines between good and evil.
#157
• Mentioned in 110 episodes
On Writing
A Memoir of the Craft
Stephen King
This book is both a memoir and a writing guide.
It details Stephen King's life, from his childhood and early writing endeavors to his struggles with addiction and his near-fatal accident in 1999.
The book is divided into sections that cover King's life ('C. V.
'), the nature of writing ('What Writing Is'), writing mechanics ('Toolbox'), his advice on the craft ('On Writing'), and his recovery from the accident ('On Living: A Postscript').
King offers practical tips on writing, including the importance of vocabulary, grammar, and style, as well as the need for consistent writing routines and ruthless editing.
He emphasizes that good writing comes from within, driven by curiosity, wonder, and emotional honesty rather than commercial motives.
#74778
The Employees
A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century
Olga Sofia Ravn
The Employees is set in a future where a mixed crew of humans and humanoids on the Six-Thousand Ship encounter mysterious objects from the planet New Discovery, leading to profound emotional reactions and existential questions.
The novel critiques the logic of productivity and explores themes of identity, belonging, and what it means to be alive.
Structured as a series of witness statements, it delves into the complexities of human and humanoid coexistence.
#1214
• Mentioned in 26 episodes
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
George Saunders
#551
• Mentioned in 45 episodes
Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë
Published in 1847, 'Wuthering Heights' is a novel that tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and the foundling Heathcliff, whom her father brings home to Wuthering Heights.
The narrative, framed by the visitor Lockwood and the housekeeper Nelly Dean, explores themes of love, revenge, and the cyclical nature of life.
Heathcliff's bitter vengeance against those who wronged him drives the plot, which spans generations and delves into the dark, passionate, and often destructive aspects of human nature.
The novel is renowned for its dramatic and poetic presentation, its unique structure, and its vivid depiction of the Yorkshire moors as a reflection of the characters' inner lives.
#1072
• Mentioned in 29 episodes
The Secret History
Donna Tartt
#7919
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins
The novel follows Rachel Watson, a 33-year-old alcoholic who is reeling from the end of her marriage.
She commutes to London daily and fantasizes about a perfect couple she sees, whom she names 'Jess and Jason'.
However, when the woman she calls 'Jess' (actually Megan) goes missing, Rachel becomes deeply involved in the investigation, revealing a complex web of relationships, betrayals, and dark secrets.
The story is told through the perspectives of three women: Rachel, Megan, and Anna, Tom's new wife, each with their own struggles and unreliable narratives.
#5075
• Mentioned in 8 episodes
The Bee Sting
Paul Murray
#20899
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Tokyo Express
Seicho Matsumoto
#54211
The Blue Hour
Paula Hawkins
Which novels are truly unputdownable and what should you read on a dark winter's night? We’re joined by best-selling author, Paula Hawkins, who discusses art, love and remote islands in her latest thriller, The Blue Hour. She also helps us tackle your listener questions with a stack of gripping recommendations to guide you to your next great read.
Explore all the books mentioned on this episode: Click here
Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, she moved to London in 1989. Her first thriller The Girl on the Train became a global phenomenon, selling over 23 million copies. Published in over fifty languages, it was a No.1 bestseller around the world and a box-office-hit film starring Emily Blunt.
Paula's subsequent thrillers have all been instant Sunday Times bestsellers. In 2021 A Slow Fire Burning was nominated for Thriller of the Year at the British Book Awards, and in 2025 The Blue Hour was voted the Good Housekeeping Good Books winner.
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