Today I am very excited to welcome the brilliantly talented Rachel Abbott to Liz Loves Books talking about her perfect cast list for “Come A Little Closer”
Over to Rachel…
I know my characters so well by the time a book is finished, and I nearly always have a clear picture of them in my head. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I can find actors who fit the bill. It took me a long time to find the perfect Tom Douglas – although I’d had a few ideas along the way. But then I saw this picture of Jack Davenport, and he was just perfect. I’ve been watching him on TV in a series recently and although his hair is slightly different so he doesn’t look quite like this, I still think he would be a wonderful Tom.
Becky Robinson was another character who I could see clearly, and it took one of my readers to point out an actress who looked like the character I described. Becky is feisty with a strong character, and she needed a face to match this. My readers suggested Gemma Arteton and she seems to sum up my perfect Becky.
These two, however, are common to all of my books to date – so let’s have a look at how I would cast four of the main characters in Come a Little Closer.
First we have our protagonist. The story is told from her point of view, and for a large chunk of the story we don’t know her name, so I can’t give away secrets here. This young woman has always believed (or been made to believe) that she is weak. But she has an inner strength that she needs to muster. This photo is Carey Mulligan – she looks vulnerable, but who knows what she’s really capable of when pushed to the brink?
Nathan Gardner is an old school friend of Tom’s brother, Jack, and he wants to talk to Tom about his missing sister. I had a very clear image of this character, and of how he looked. Nathan is a blunt northerner, who has lost nothing of his accent or behaviour in his life as a professional gambler. From the outset I saw him as a slightly younger Christopher Eccleston – a bit like he is in The A Word.
There are two older people who are kind to the protagonist when she is on holiday. Thea Atwell is described as having beautiful long silver hair and wonderful bone structure. So I could think of no-one better than Vanessa Redgrave to fit the bill, particularly in this photograph. She is elegant and enigmatic in equal measure, the perfect combination to allow her to fulfil her role in Come a Little Closer.
‘The Doctor’ – Garrick Atwell – is balding but what hair he does have is white with a matching beard, and fierce black eyebrows. He rarely smiles, and doesn’t speak much, but the lovely Thea obviously adores him. Sean Connery – as pictured below – matches the description, and I can imagine him being just charismatic enough not to arouse any suspicions at first but turning deadly cold and calculating when the need arises.
So – this is my perfect cast for Come a Little Closer! Every one of these actors fits the bill exactly, putting flesh and blood on my words: a wonderful thought. It might prove to be the most expensive TV series or film ever made but it would be so worth it!
Thanks so much Rachel!
About the Book:
They will be coming soon. They come every night.
Snow is falling softly as a young woman takes her last breath.
Fifteen miles away, two women sit silently in a dark kitchen. They don’t speak, because there is nothing left to be said.
Another woman boards a plane to escape the man who is trying to steal her life. But she will have to return, sooner or later.
These strangers have one thing in common. They each made one bad choice – and now they have no choices left. Soon they won’t be strangers, they’ll be family…
When DCI Tom Douglas is called to the cold, lonely scene of a suspicious death, he is baffled. Who is she? Where did she come from? How did she get there?
How many more must die? Who is controlling them, and how can they be stopped?
Follow the Tour!
Happy Reading!
