Kingsley Pearson
Kingsley Pearson is a crime/thriller writer whose work has been shortlisted for several pre-publication prizes. He aims to tell compelling stories that move the reader, speak to them at a deeper level, and leave them with something to take away and talk about. He is a mixed-race British gay man who works as Clinical Psychologist specialising in digital mental health tools and workplace wellbeing.
Kingsley can be found at:
Website: klpearson.net
Bluesky: @kingsley-pearson.bsky.social
Twitter: @kl_pearson
Instagram: @kingsley.pearson.author
Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel?
Flat 401 was born during the early days of the pandemic. I was working in digital mental health and spending a lot of time looking out of my London flat’s window. I needed a creative outlet, and imagined – as the seed for a story – a person witnessing a murder through a window but not being able to go out to investigate. That was the starting point.
What came first the characters or the world?
The idea for the crime (which has changed in later edits, so the above is not too much of a spoiler!) came first, but then the character, definitely. Jay arrived with a very specific set of characteristics – guarded, self-contained, but caring. The world of Flat 401 grew around him: a confined setting to match his internal state, a plot driven by what he’s trying not to face. The plot was also informed by how important it was to me to make him from an ethnic minority and gay.
How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?
Hard but not hopeless. I edited the manuscript multiple times, took courses, entered competitions, and slowly built a network. I was lucky to find an agent who really connected with the story. We did more edits before it went out on submission, and I eventually signed a two-book deal with Orion. It took time, patience, and a lot of rejections along the way.
Flat 401
What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?
It’s hard to pick one! I love it when readers ‘get’ what the book is about – for example, the question of ‘who deserves a second chance’; or enjoy the multi point of view structure; or find it compelling and dark yet still poignant and hopeful. Partly because of the structure, the plot, the themes and the characterisation, I think it’s open to being read in different ways and leaving different readers with different things to take away.
What can you tell us about your next book?
It’s called The Therapist’s Secret, and it’s about a therapist who gets sucked in to investigating the mystery of another therapist who is alleged to have killed their patient and now gone missing. It examines some of the same themes as Flat 401, but from the opposite angle.
Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?
Yes. I have ideas which would probably be considered horror, and some literary, but still with a crime element central to them. The main thing that’s important to me is being able to write stories which are compelling, dark, tragic – and leave the reader with something to take away with them.
What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?
I’m a clinical psychologist by training. I’ve worked in NHS services and companies making digital mental health tools. At the time of this interview, I’m back in the NHS, but ideally long-term am looking for something part-time which I could fit writing around more easily.
Which author(s) inspire you?
Kate Atkinson inspires me with her ability to blend literary depth with sharp plotting she writes crime fiction that’s layered, character-driven, and emotional.
Catherine Ryan Howard is a master of tension. Her thrillers are so smartly constructed: page-turners that feel psychologically plausible, with twists that don’t cheat the reader. She’s one of the authors who I aim to emulate with suspense that can be both commercial and have something to say.
David Mitchell completely blows open what storytelling can be. I love how he writes across time, genre, and voice with such ambition, but still keeps a strong emotional throughline. Cloud Atlas remains one of my favourite books, and I would love to be able to write something even close to that achievement one day.
Were you a big reader as a child?
Massively. I remember getting out of the shower as a child, sitting in a towel on my bed, and reading rather than getting ready for school! I was very lucky that my mother took us to the local library on a very regular basis.
What were your favourite childhood books?
I absolutely loved The Deptford Mice series by Robin Jarvis: dark, magical, and surprisingly emotional. I was completely drawn in by the idea of this hidden world beneath the city, full of danger, loyalty, and quiet bravery. It was probably the first time I encountered real peril and loss in a children’s book, and it stuck with me. Some of the prequels are particularly tragic – love it!
I also enjoyed The Famous Five books. There was something so satisfying about the freedom those children had – their independence, their curiosity, the way they solved mysteries without ever really needing adults. Just a jolly good mystery romp!
And The Silver Sword had a huge impact on me. It was one of the first books I read that dealt with serious, real-world issues like war and displacement. It showed me that stories could be thrilling and heartfelt, but also speak to something bigger. I hope that balance (emotional connection with a sense of danger) has stayed with me in my own writing.
How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?
I’ll say around 35 and leave it at that!
Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?
The Psychiatrist by Emma Curtis – love a thriller with a mental health professional at the centre! Josh Silver has an intriguing-sounding adult thriller (‘Fruit Fly’) about the world of publishing coming in 2026. And I’m always on the look out for the second books of my debut author friends such as Hannah Brennan, Chris Bridges, Sam Frances, Sean Watkin and Callie Kazumi – I don’t know how they write so quickly!
