My Story
Blake Mitchell is a British author of emotionally charged thrillers where the only thing you can trust is that you’ll never see the next twist coming. Known for stories that blend psychological depth with relentless suspense, Blake has earned a reputation as the master of the twist—and the master of the villain.
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With a background in criminology and psychology, and a fascination for the darker corners of the human mind, Blake crafts thrillers where the bad guy is never just a cartoon villain. In a Blake Mitchell novel, you’ll always get a villain worth fearing: complex, believable, and all the more chilling for it. The monsters in these stories are never just shadows in the dark—they’re people you might recognise, and that’s what makes them linger long after the final page.
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Blake’s debut novel, The Lost Girls, and short stories such as Till Death Do Us Part and Daddy Loves Me, have been praised for their raw emotion, taut plotting, and characters who feel as real as your own neighbours. Whether it’s a detective haunted by the past, a family unravelling under the weight of secrets, or a child’s voice echoing through the darkness, Blake’s writing is unflinching, immersive, and always human.
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When not writing, Blake works on the front line of the emergency services—a role that brings both perspective and empathy to every story. Away from the page, Blake is a family man through and through. You’ll often find him exploring forgotten places, spinning scary stories for his children (and regretting it at bedtime), or sketching out the next twist-filled plot in the margins of a coffee-stained notebook.
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Blake believes the best stories are the ones that make us feel—fear, hope, heartbreak, and ultimately, the possibility of redemption. If you’re looking for thrillers that cut deeper than the average, with villains you’ll never forget and twists you’ll never see coming, you’re in the right place.
Q: What makes a great villain?
A: For me, a great villain is never just evil for evil’s sake. The best antagonists are complex, believable, and—if I’m doing my job right—a little too close to home. I want readers to understand, even fear, how easily darkness can grow in the most ordinary places.
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Q: How do you come up with your plot twists?
A: I start with the ending and work backwards. I love the moment when a story turns everything on its head—when readers realise nothing is as it seemed. I keep a notebook with me to jot thoughts down as they come, then, as any true man should, I run the ideas past my girlfriend to test them out!
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Q: Are your stories inspired by real life?
A: Not specifically. My characters, yes, but not the stories. I draw a lot from my work with the emergency services—it's amazing the different characters you come across! I take quirks and small mannerisms and blend them together into raw, believable, flawed characters. The plot and the stories themselves come from my own mind... scary, huh?
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Q: What’s your writing routine?
A: Coffee. More coffee. A bit of procrastination. Then I write in bursts—won't put my laptop down for weeks at a time. On the sofa, in bed, I'd take it in the shower with me if I could. I’m a big believer in writing wherever and whenever inspiration strikes.
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Q: What’s the scariest place you’ve ever explored?
A: Without a doubt, it’s 30 East Drive—the infamous poltergeist house in Pontefract. I did a ghost hunt there one night; the Black Monk doesn't play games! Walls banged, tables tipped, glasses moved, the whole nine yards. The atmosphere is thick, the stories are chilling, and even the bravest sceptic would think twice about turning the lights off. It’s the kind of place that stays with you—and definitely fuels the nightmares (and plot twists) in my books.
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Q: If you could have any superpower (besides writing a killer twist), what would it be?
A: Time travel—mainly so I could go back and warn myself not to eat that dodgy petrol station tuna salad. But also, imagine the research possibilities! Plus, I could finally find out who really dunnit in all those unsolved mysteries. Jack the Ripper unmasked, and every family Cluedo night would only have one winner...