Elka Ray
Author Interview - Elka Ray
Author of A Friend Indeed
Twisty and ingenious, A Friend Indeed is an engrossing psychological thriller perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Ruth Ware.
When single mom Jo Dykstra was at her lowest—jobless and penniless—her childhood friend Dana McFarlane helped her out big-time by securing her a teaching job and thus an opportunity for a new life in the affluent Pacific Northwest town of Glebes Bay. So, when Jo gets a frantic late-night call from Dana, sobbing and desperate for help, it feels like a chance to help her friend in return.
The last thing Jo expects to see when she arrives at Dana’s oceanfront mansion. Her friend’s handsome and wealthy husband, Stan, dead, sprawled face down on the floor. Dana admits to killing her husband following years of secret abuse and begs Jo not to call the police. For nearly two decades, Dana’s marriage and family had looked picture perfect. Who’d ever believe that pillar-of-the-community Stan was a monster? Determined to cover up her husband’s killing and shield her kids from scandal, Dana convinces Jo to help her dispose of the body.
But the cover-up starts to crumble when a blackmailer threatens to expose their crime. Hounded by gossipy neighbors, ill-fated lovers, and zealous cops, truth and lies are laid bare between Jo and Dana, putting their families in danger and threatening to shatter a thirty-year friendship. Shocking and fast-paced, A Friend Indeed is a riveting tale about the power of friendship and the deadly weight of lies.
Author Interview - Elka Ray
Author I draw inspiration from:
My favorite book ever is Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier’s gothic Suspense classic, about a woman who’s obsessed with her husband’s late first wife. I’m also a big fan of Joshilyn Jackson, Megan Abbott, and Lisa Jewell. All of their recent books – With My Little Eye, Dare the Woman and None of This is True – were
fantastic.
Author Interview - Elka Ray | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
The beach! I live in a seaside fishing village in Central Vietnam, steps away from the sand.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I’m claustrophobic and hate elevators at the best of times. If stuck, I’d choose a ghost from Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book to ride with me—maybe Bod’s warm-hearted adoptive ghost-mom, Mrs. Owens. As a spirit, she could slip out, float away, and seek help.
Author Interview - Elka Ray | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I moved around non-stop as a kid and spent a lot of time in remote areas, often in a tent. One of my earliest memories involves sitting on a helicopter-pilot’s knees as we chased a herd of moose in a bubble-helicopter, somewhere in the wilderness of northern Canada. It was a magical childhood but solitary, so I entertained myself with reading, drawing, and inventing stories. I never stopped.
The last book I read:
I just finished an ARC of Lisa Kusel’s THE WIDOW ON DWYER COURT, about an up-tight suburban mom who writes spicy romance books under a pseudonym. When she befriends an intriguing widow, their friendship turns unsettling—fast. The characters were really unusual and the plot kept me guessing.
Author Interview - Elka Ray | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Laptop all the way. That button in the top-right corner is my BFF.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
This might sound crazy but I’ve always envied mail carriers. They get to walk a lot, explore the neighborhood, and say hi to lots of people, without being obliged to stop for long chats.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
My flat hair was made for the ‘70s. And I’ve never met a jumpsuit I disliked.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I took my first international flight, from London to Cairo, at three weeks old. This was in the unsafety-conscious ‘70s and my mom let me sleep in the overhead bin! I’ve been lucky to travel a lot and have many ‘favorite’ places, plus spots—like the Maldives—I’d still love to visit. Overall though, I live near the beach, have a lush tropical garden, and am thrilled to stay home!
My signature drink:
Espresso, the blacker, the better.
Favorite artist:
Marc Chagall. I’m a sucker for cobalt.
Find more from the author:
https://www.threads.net/@elka.ray
https://www.instagram.com/elka.ray/
https://www.facebook.com/elkaraybooks/
About Elka Ray:
Elka Ray is the author of the mystery Divorce is Murder, set in her hometown of Victoria, B.C., Canada. A joint UK/Canadian citizen, Elka has spent two decades living as an expat in Vietnam, working as a journalist, researcher, copy editor, and communications consultant. She lives by the beach with her husband and three children. A Friend Indeed is her first foray into psychological suspense.
