Sophie Morton-Thomas

Sophie Morton-Thomas is a British author known for her psychological literary suspense thrillers set in the darker recesses of the United Kingdom. After the success of her debut novel, Travel by Night, which delved into the grim realities of modern-day sex trafficking and became an Amazon bestseller, she followed up with her second book, Bird Spotting in a Small Town, published by Verve Books in 2024. This novel won the 2022 Page Turner Awards for Best Book Title.

She has also been recognized in various literary competitions for her short stories and flash fiction, including her debut novel. Morton-Thomas recently completed her MSt in Crime & Thriller Writing at Cambridge University.

Set in a small town on the North Norfolk coast, Bird Spotting in a Small Town follows the life of Fran, a caravan park manager. Concerns about her son's behavior, her husband's absences, and tensions with her sister cloud her everyday life. Watching birds early in the morning is the only thing that gives her solace. Upon the arrival of a new teacher and a Roma community, the town's tranquility is shattered. The community is thrown into a whirlwind of suspicion and fear when the teacher and Fran's brother-in-law disappear at the same time.

The novel captures the essence of rural claustrophobia and the paranoia that escalates when trust within a tight-knit community erodes. Morton-Thomas masterfully constructs a setting that intensifies the narrative’s suspense. Her characters are created with an emphasis on their actions and the unspoken, contributing to the story's tense atmosphere.

In discussing Bird Spotting in a Small Town, Morton-Thomas cites Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca as an influence, aiming to meld the chill of a literary thriller with the thematic element of bird spotting—a hobby from her childhood. She emphasizes the role of geography in her writing process, stating that she needs to fully envision the setting before developing her characters and plot. Her narrative style often features minimal dialogue, instead relying on the power of implication.

Sophie Morton-Thomas lives in West Sussex, balancing her writing with her responsibilities as an English teacher. She is the mother of three and the owner of a cat.

Photo credit: sophiemortonthomas.com