Come and chat to LOUISE DOUGHTY about Apple Tree Yard (and all her previous books), TONIGHT, 9-10pm

[TillyBookClub]

'It is about the fine line women walk’. That’s how Hilary Mantel described our January Book of the Month by Mumsnet Academy speaker Louise Doughty. APPLE TREE YARD opens with a trial, where Yvonne (52, a well-known geneticist, attractive, happily married) is giving evidence. Yvonne has had a sexual encounter with a man about whom she knows nothing. Her one moment of madness pulls her into an increasingly alarming web of violence and brutality. A brilliantly addictive combination of courtroom drama, crime thriller and literary psychological novel, APPLE TREE YARD is perfectly structured. It is also a fascinating study of how society views an attractive woman in her 50s, and the injustices and manipulations of our justice system. Lots of hidden twists, so be careful not to give the game away…

You can find more, including Louise’s interview with Mariella Frostrup on Radio 4’s Open Book and a profile of her in the Telegraph, on Louise's highly informative website or read an interview with Louise and her editor on Faber's website.

Faber have 50 copies to give to Mumsnetters – to claim yours please fill in your details on the book of the month page. We’ll post on the thread when all the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of the free books, you can always get your paperback or Kindle version here.

We are thrilled that Louise (author of seven novels, including Whatever You Love, and her non-fiction book A Novel in a Year, based on her hugely popular newspaper column) will be joining us and answering questions about APPLE TREE YARD, her writing career and her previous novels on Tuesday 28 January, 9-10pm.

So please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month, pop up any advance questions and we will see you all here, Tue 28 January.

@Greedygirl

katiescarlett yes I think idswym so maybe it was deliberate to make us question what she was doing in the same way that you sometimes just can't see what a friend sees in someone but they are clearly smitten.

I have a question - why did she keep using terms of endearment for Mark throughout the court case "my love" etc. - her infatuation must have been completely spent by that point.

It's getting pretty sardonic by then... but yes, there is an element of her being unable to see Mark for what he is even when the evidence is in front of her, and of her trying desperately to forgive his many failings in order to justify her own behaviour.

Thanks Louise

@yUMMYmUMMYb

Well, although it is the most gripping book I have read in a very long time I am not yet finished. Thanks for a great read. I sense a twist coming, but no idea what it could be?!? I am mid court scenes and I don't want to read something that spoils the ending for me, so just a quick question before I disappear... I only realised he was called Mark during the trial, was this avoidance of name deliberate earlier in the book?

Would make a fab film / tv drama. if you could choose anyone, who would play the lead characters?

Thanks again Louise, stunning book. Will be recommending heartily

Thank you - it's in development at present and there are some very big names being mentioned for Yvonne but I'm not allowed to say who yet. It would be a plum part for someone - there's a couple of people I will really swoon over if they agree to do it...

Is this where I should be for the webchat?

@PlatoonBuffoon

I absolutely loved this book, and like others, enjoyed having my assumptions challenged. The most interesting aspect for me, was that throughout the book, we only see things in the way Yvonne decides to share them, and I felt that at certain parts of the story she isn't telling the story as it actually happened, more how she perceived it, or how she wanted to believe things. I really liked the end -for me it made me feel that we didn't really know Yvonne all along and showed the bias of story telling and the unreliabilty of witness testimony (not necessarily in the court room sense, but personal accounts of day to day events).

Perhaps this was just my reaction to Yvonne but I found her an unreliable and untrustworthy protagonist. But not in a way that made me dislike her. I think if is a facet of human nature - we believe stories as we tell them but are not always true to our audience or even ourselves.

Loved, loved, loved it. Thanks Louise, can't wait for your next one!

Yes that's right, that's how I see it too - she does get the facts right, it's her perceptions that are off, her determination to interpret things a certain way in order to make sense of her own version. See the Janet Malcolm quote at the beginning: I love that quote. 'We go through life mis-seeing and mishearing and misunderstanding so that the stories we tell ourselves will add up.'

I found the subplot of Adam's estrangement with his parents, in particular Yvonne, intriguing. I don't remember it being mentioned, but do you think she felt guilty about his illness?

Thoroughly enjoyed the book, Louise, and I'm delighted for you that it's doing so well.

Over40, you are in the right place...

@over40andmumtoone

Is this where I should be for the webchat?

Yes ! post your question up to Louise on this post. Her answers will come up alongside the question, but shaded in gold. Let us know if you need any further assistance.

@ktlq

Hi Louise,

So this is a really cheeky question and I expect you get asked it a lot. Basically, I want to know if you know anyone who has done an 'Apple Tree Yard' in London because, as a Londoner, I can't believe it would ever happen - do you think it ever does?! Should we all be vigilant from now on?!

Also, did you know the Houses of Parliament before you wrote this book? You seemed to write so effortlessly about all of your locations. I am definitely going to have to have a coffee in that cafe opposite Apple Tree Yard now - weird I know. I hope it exists!

Can't wait to read your other books and will be recommending to my non-virtual book club. I particularly like the way you bring sexual equality out as a theme. Such great subject matter. I was shocked, thrilled and dumbfounded. Best wishes.

Well, you'll be pleased to hear that wasn't a scene I researched personally... although you can imagine the jokes I've had from friends about it. I does happen though (I've asked around). And you only have to take a look at the tabloids once in a while to see stories of footballers doing dodgy things down alleyways or in car parks.
I didn't know the Houses of P but I had two long tours/research trips there and managed to find a very helpful cop who showed me around. I loved working out the geography of the place, which is quite confusing. There were quite a few options for venues for Chapter One.

I am enjoying the book, not finished yet. I will be looking to read some of your other books next! I see Apple Tree Yard has been selected as a Richard and Judy book club does that make an impact on sales still? I know that it used to but is it still a big thing for an author to be selected?

Thank you for replying...I wondered at one point if she was grateful for what Mark had done and the affection was therefore genuine. Looking forward to your next book and going to read your others now!

Brilliant book, really enjoyed reading it. Is something never came across before...provoking and intriguing...Will recommend to read to all my friends.

@janajos

I enjoyed your book enormously and in particular the interplay between the characters and Yvonne's lack of self-respect as she falls prey to a man who is flattering her ego, perhaps, as we learn, repairing the damage her husband's affair has done. I found it appealing to see a strong, intelligent female lead portrayed with depths of insecurity and a reality we rarely see, you have certainly not fallen into stereotypical characterisation.

The only part of the book I found unsatisfying, was the ending. I did not feel that Yvonne would have been a conscious party to murder, much more likely was her unwitting involvement I felt. Did you feel under publisher's pressure to write this ending and if not, why did you feel that it was a possibility.

No, no pressure from the publisher, I take full blame for the ending! It isn't supposed to imply she is actually responsible for the murder (SPOILER ALERT!!) so much that things are a bit more ambiguous than they seem - legally, it does in fact make her responsible but morally? Plenty of people say that kind of thing without meaning it. I was hoping to leave a question in the reader's mind about her level of culpability.

Hi Louise, I hope I'm not too late to ask a question. I was absolutely gripped by this book and found myself completely caught up in Yvonne's narration, only starting to wonder quite late on just how reliable she is. I particularly liked the way we find things out slowly, little by little. I wanted to ask, how much of your plot do you have worked out before you actually start writing? And did anything about the characters surprise you and make you change the plot as you went along?
Thanks for a great read and I can't wait for the next one!

@louloutheshamed

*MNHQ WARNS: SPOILER ALERT*

Omg!! This was one the best books I have read all year (about 30 so far- not bad for someone with toddler and newborn!)

I don't have a question specifically but just wanted to say to Louise how much I loved the book.

What I thought was so so clever was the way that it turns things on its head as a way of examining how women are treated in the courtroom. The fact that George behaved so monstrously would have worked in Yvonne's favour in a rape trial but worked against her in a murder trial as a motive, and Yvonne points out that as the defendant in a murder trial she is treated the same as a victim in a rape trial- such a clever way of examining attitudes to rape and the way women are treated and the terrible victim blaming that is still so prevalent.

Also I was fascinated by the Kevin character and what he said about rape defence lawyers- all the dirt digging etc. was it a harrowing book to research? It certainly
Made me very angry.

Also I am interested in the son character- he seemed to have depression/mh problems? What was the motivation behind his inclusion as a character?

Thanks – Kevin was based quite closely on a real officer I met during the research and, sad to say, every single fact or line of dialogue on that issue is taken directly from something an officer or lawyer said to me – in fact, I had to tone it down. Delighted you liked the book, thank you!

@StillNoFuckingEyeDeer

I don't have any questions really, just wondered the same as loulou really - how hard was it (emotionally) to research?

I was captivated by this book. I found it difficult to put down. It's very intelligent & thought provoking, but quite unsettling too.
I don't want to say anything about the plot, but it's twisty and the story keeps going. I can't really say what I felt about the ending without giving things away which might ruin it for someone else, but if there was a weak point,for me it was the ending. Having said that, I would definitely recommend the book and have already passed it on to its next reader.

The research was hard work but fascinating – it’s one of my favourite bits and in this case I spoke to a lot of police officers, lawyers and scientists and spent 3 weeks sitting through a real life murder trial at the Old Bailey.

@KatieScarlett

I downloaded the book from Audible. If you like an audio book, be warned, you will stay up all night (on a school night) be knackered all day, then do it all over again the next night as it is impossible to switch off...

Crack on with the new book Louise, I'll be booking leave when it comes out

Thanks Katie that's lovely to hear. I had the great pleasure of going into the studio to hear Juliet Stevenson do a bit of the recording and she was amazing - hardly needed any retakes and just had a perfect voice for Yvonne I thought, modulated and intelligent but with a real edge of vulnerability.

Juliet was flawless as the narrator, she just was Yvonne.

I found this book absolutely gripping, it kept me up until the early hours. I found Yvonne rather interesting, to be 'respectable' and then have an affair like she did. Should I have been shocked by the twist at the end? I was a bit, I'd been taken to totally by her persona, but not sure I was ever totally convinced on Mark's 'career'. Brilliant book though, I await your next one!

@sherazade

a question on behalf of a colleague

Did Mark genuinely love Yvonne and was she the one who was using him to her advantage? And did Yvonne see their relationship as purely sexual and did she remain emotionally detached from ?

Tell your colleague that's a very interesting question... My feeling is that there love for each other is genuine, but that there is still and element of them using each other. He loves the fantasy of himself as some heroic obsessive lover - and she's ready to be the object of heroic obsessive love, so they are feeding each other's fantasies. I think it's one of these situations where together, they form more than the sum of their parts. They egg each other on. So, yes they love each other but yes they are using each other too. I hope that makes sense.

@foolonthehill

potential spoiler

All the characters are flawed in one way or another, was there a point where you (the author) fell in or out of love with each of them?

The husband is drawn in quite a dispassionate way...was he always going to surprise his wife by his knowledge of her/what was going on or did that come at later stage of story construction?

the legal detail is very accurate, what did you feel as you discovered how victims are treated in rape cases...or was it something you already knew about?

If you were to write a sequel or the same story from a different point of view which character would you choose and why?...to the author and readers.

I could see how the son's illness lay in the background of the way the characters dealt with one another, if you could give any character one "healing conversation" with another character which would you choose?

Thanks – just to take your first question for now, yes, you’re absolutely right that all the characters are flawed. To me, a character’s flaws are what make them interesting to write about and I’ve never been interested in writing men or women who are completely good or evil. Of course you take the risk that a character’s flaws will sometimes make the unsympathetic to the reader but I don’t really mind if some readers find a character unlikeable as long as they find them engaging. And yes, the son’s mental illness is really the heart of Yvonne’s emotional core, although I underplayed it quite carefully as it’s a subject deserving of its own whole novel in many ways and that wasn’t what Apple Tree Yard was.

Hi Louise - How did you choose the trial to sit in on for your research? Did you have lawyers looking out for something suitable based on your parameter?

The ref to Juliet Stevenson re audio book reminded me she was in a TV programme a few years ago about the different ways you could portray a rape scene to make it either titillating or a clear depiction of violence. Anyone else see that?

@webster147

I really enjoyed the book, so much so that I found it hard to put it down and ended up reading it in just a few days. I loved how detailed Louise was about the areas in London that she was describing, allowing the reader to almost share the moment with the character Yvonne. There were lots of little unexpected twists to the story that kept me wanting to turn the pages. I can't wait to read some of Louise's other books.

My question for Louise is, Did you learn new things about the areas in London when you were doing your research for the book ?

Yes I loved wandering around bits of London I didn’t know. I really fell for the atmosphere of that area of Westminster, the Houses of Parliament, St James – it houses the buildings that have the corridors of power, as one character says, but also all these secret little alleyways and pubs with dim windows – some of it is still quite Dickensian. It seemed a very apposite geographical representation of how the characters themselves are inside themselves.

Brilliant for my first book of the month giveaway! Roll on the next book.....a totally unrelated book question but what would you get up to if you were invisible for the day?! :-)

@Southeastdweller

I found the subplot of Adam's estrangement with his parents, in particular Yvonne, intriguing. I don't remember it being mentioned, but do you think she felt guilty about his illness?

Thoroughly enjoyed the book, Louise, and I'm delighted for you that it's doing so well.

Yes she does feel incredibly guilty, although I was careful not to state that too plainly - maternal guilt, does it ever end? In a strange way, she also feels guilty about her daughter's success, her self-containment (she is her mother's daughter, after all.) Her children are old enough to be responsible for themselves but I don't think that self-questioning element of parenting ever ends.