Behind the Mystery: An Interview with Anita Coffee Thomas, Author of “Blood Will Tell”
What drives a woman to chase the truth when everyone tells her to stay quiet?
Anita Coffee Thomas, the voice behind “Blood Will Tell,” pulls back the curtain on her gripping new mystery, sharing how an ambitious reporter named Amanda Blackstone came to life. Set in 1971, a year teetering between tradition and revolution, this thriller explores the dark underbelly of high society—and the cost of exposing it.
In this exclusive interview, Anita reveals the inspiration behind her bold, complex protagonist, the secrets folded into the story’s pages, and why “Blood Will Tell” is about much more than just a murder. It’s about ambition, trust, and the dangerous pursuit of truth.
What inspired you to write this story?
A writing assignment at a writing course I took the summer of 2015 at John Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. The assignment was to spend 30 minutes writing a scene in which two or more characters are in conflict. We had already worked on who our main character would be (an investigative reporter) and what goals and ambitions might drive him/her. I imagined an overheard conversation at a debutante reception and that became the starter for my novel.
Did any real-life events or people influence the characters or plot?
Oh my yes! My ten years as Publisher’s Assistant at the StarNews in Wilmington, NC provided plenty of the 1970s issues of the day that I wanted to use as a cultural backdrop to my characters and their actions. The 70s were rich with so many historic challenges – desegregation, the Vietnam war, the Equal Rights Amendment, and environmental concerns – and it happened to be when I graduated from college and was figuring out my place in the world. One of the murder suspects is named after my beloved aunt, who helped raise me when my mother died at age 45. This character’s husband’s backstory is based on what I imagined growing up privileged and wealthy from birth would be like. That, along with a father whose approval he constantly sought was inspired by a certain political figure today. I also loved using family surnames and used reporters and editors from the StarNews as models for my fictional characters. Write what you know.
What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
Writing the sex scene! It was tortuous. I couldn’t help but think that my reader friends would be wondering how true to life it was or was I just wonderfully creative? I did use a memory one of my brothers shared with me decades ago. Having just reached puberty, he stayed hidden and watched the beautiful daughter of one of our parents’ friends have her legs shaved by her boyfriend while they sat in a meadow next door. He said it was one of the most erotic things he’d ever witnessed.
Did the story change from your initial vision as you wrote it? If so, how?
It changed in many ways, including who I originally thought the murderer would be. I was amazed how, at some point I cannot nail down, it took on a life of its own. The characters started to speak, unbidden, demanding more details, a juicier backstory, and in some cases, my main character inserting my own childhood struggles as her own.
What kind of research did you do to make the world of investigative journalism feel authentic?
Even though I was not a reporter, my position at the StarNews allowed me to interact with the newsroom and absorb many details about what it took to get a paper out every day. Blood Will Tell became a love letter to newspapers. My fictitious publisher comes from a reporter’s background, which is rare, if unheard of. They usually come from the marketing or advertising side of the business. I ran a portion of my manuscript by one of the paper’s regional editors to vet some of the tricky legal issues that face Amanda and Patrick. He assured me that newsroom cultures were much different 50 years ago than they are now. Editors today know exactly where their reporters are and what they’re working on. Amanda gets away with a lot, but it makes the story a lot more interesting! I did have to look up the legal consequences for blackmailers and those being blackmailed. Also, is it easy to get your hands on chloroform? Dexter never had a problem, but he had a lab he could steal from.
What do you love most about the main character? What makes her different from other reporters in mystery stories?
Amanda is such a rookie and seems unaware of her limitations. She barrels ahead but does learn from her mistakes. I like her independent spirit and refusal to let anyone tell her she doesn’t deserve to belong in that newsroom. She’s different from the usual hard-bitten, cynical reporter portrayed in many detective and mystery novels. Perhaps that comes later in a sequel, but I like the way she sees the world through the lens of unlimited possibilities.
If you could interview the main character yourself, what’s the one question you’d ask her?
I would ask her about her decision to become a friend to her suspect’s daughter while using her to gain information on her father’s possible involvement in a murder. This decision had terrible consequences, and I’d want to know if she regrets it, how would she have handled it differently?
Which side characters ended up surprising you the most while writing?
Patrick’s mother, Hurricane Babs! I loved that Babs was a bra-burning hippie (again, thank you 1970s). She was so much fun to write and describe the way she dressed and “sucked the oxygen” from any room she entered. My voice coach suggested if a movie were made of Blood Will Tell, a young Bette Midler would be perfect to play her. Giving her a background with a failed marriage to a wealthy corporate executive was bittersweet.
What was it like hearing your book come to life through narration?
It was thrilling! I actually like the way my voice sounds. I had twenty-four character voices to develop, both male and female. It was a challenge learning to alter my voice’s pitch, timber, and sometimes, accent, when the dialogue was flying.
Why did you choose to narrate your own story?
I have always loved reading out loud, and I knew exactly how my characters were feeling when they spoke and didn’t want anyone else trying to interpret them but me. Hubris had a bit to do with it, I’m afraid.
If you were to fully cast this book for a movie, which actors would you dream of playing the characters?
Amanda – Millie Bobby Brown
Jack Lockwood – Pierce Brosnan
Jane Grey Lockwood – Nicole Kidman
Patrick Maguire – I’m stuck here. Help!
Karl Johanssen – Billy Bob Thornton
Jenny Lockwood- She’s out there and she’s blonde
What was it like working with Heir Media during the audiobook production process?
A delight. They were true professionals with knowledge and the expertise needed to calm my jitters and let me know it was going to be terrific. And it was. Aurielle Bryan and her team immediately responded to any questions I might have and made sure that the production quality was first-rate. I am thrilled with the end result.
What’s your writing routine like? Do you have any strange habits when you write?
I could make up something colorful and quirky, but I’m afraid it would be a lie. Nothing weird, like wearing lucky underwear or needing a special herbal tea while I typed, I’m afraid. My novel took eight years to write and during that time, I often had to force myself to sit down and just keep going. I took my laptop to my branch library to work on Sunday afternoons, because if I stayed home, I’d find household chores I’d rather do, like cleaning toilets.
