The Small Hours follows a psychologist who, after finding out his closest friend has died, and his marriage is over, returns to the unsolved mystery of his uncle’s disappearance during the Spanish Civil War. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

When I was living in Spain in 1981, a man in a nearby village came out of hiding 42 years after the end of the civil war and a full five years after the death of the dictator, Francisco Franco. I was impressed by the kind of fear Franco generated in people and began to investigate the topos or the moles as they were known by.

The stories of Michael and Delia are complex, and their personal battles are fascinating. What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?

Having worked as a psychologist, I was always fascinated by the human condition because I’ve known what humans are capable of. Under stress, people can become unrecognizable with the way they individually handle it. Plus, as we all now know, we become as adults the culmination of years of childhood learning, good or bad, and this can create astonishing consequences worthy of fiction.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Loyalty and goodness are themes that I am smitten with. In this book, it was not easy to approach these themes in the midst of a civil war. I am always pleased when people do the right thing in spite of what the consequences might be.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

My next book is called When They Were Gone and considers what can happen to a family when tragedy strikes. It takes place in the 1960’s. I expect that it will be published in spring of 2026.

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