Jackie asked J.D. Barker:

One of the things that drew me to your novel before I read it was that it was described as a mix between Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs. Did either of those novels/films inspire you in any way? If not specifically those, was there another source that kickstarted/impacted this novel idea? I teach Detective Fiction Studies and would love to share your response with my class! Thank you!

J.D. Barker Inspiration comes from so many places, it's difficult to pin it down. The idea for THE FOURTH MONKEY rattled around in my head for years. I knew I wanted to write a book about a serial killer, I also knew that killer would die in the opening chapters, but that was all I had. It wasn't until a day in line at the grocery store when I heard a father behind me lean down to his son and whisper, "Speak no evil, son," that the main storyline of my novel came together. The moment I heard him say that, I had 4MK's backstory plotted out. It's always the little things.

I grew up reading detective stories. I ran through all the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries by the time I started kindergarten. All the Agatha Christie books came next. If I can offer any advice, it would be to study the classics, pick them apart, determine what works and what doesn't in each of them.

The books of Thomas Harris should be required reading for anyone planning to write in the thriller genre. They are damn near perfect from start to finish. Although Se7en was never a novel, it would have made a fine one. I guest lecture at high schools and colleges around the country. If you think that might be a fit for your class, feel free to reach out via my website.

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