The Author: Kate Brody
The Book: Rabbit Hole (Soho Crime, 2024)
The Elevator Pitch: In the wake of her father’s suicide, a young teacher gets sucked into a web of Reddit conspiracy around her sister’s cold case disappearance.
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The Rumpus: Where did the idea of your book come from?
Kate Brody: Like Teddy, the main character of Rabbit Hole, I was teaching English to high schoolers. My students were all very online, and they taught me about Reddit. I became interested in the fervent true crime communities that existed on the site, and I formed an idea for a book where a fanatic started a relationship with the subject of their Internet fascination. That basic premise ultimately morphed into the Mickey-Teddy dynamic.
Rumpus: How long did it take to write the book?
Brody: It took me about a year to complete the first draft. I edited it for another two years. And then it took almost two years to be published from the time of sale. So, it’s been about five years since I started the book.
Rumpus: Is this the first book you’ve written? If not, what made it the first to be published?
Brody: I wrote a novel before Rabbit Hole that was a sprawling family epic. I queried that book, and I got some very kind passes. The feedback from agents was that the writing and the character-building was strong, but the book lacked a propulsive plot. So I put that one in a drawer, and I challenged myself to start Rabbit Hole with a bang (thus, Teddy’s father crashing his car on page one). I have been a lifelong reader of crime fiction, and I felt that the genre could serve as a vehicle for my literary obsessions. And, in the end, Rabbit Hole was a much easier sell than Never Be Alone, even though both novels are explorations of family and grief.
Rumpus: In submitting the book, how many nos did you get before your yes?
Brody: About twenty? I could be wrong. My agent shields me from the onslaught of rejection that is baked into submission. We got a yes in the U.K. fairly quickly. We got a lot of maybes that turned into nos here in the U.S. And then, ultimately, we got two yeses here. I feel incredibly lucky to have ended up at Soho with Taz Urnov, who has always really understood what I was trying to accomplish with the book.
Rumpus: Which authors/writers buoyed you along the way? How?
Brody: Over the last year, I’ve interviewed a handful of debut writers whose work I admire. That includes Bea Setton, Kyle Dillon Hertz, Molly McGhee, and Clémence Michallon. They’re all very different writers, but talking to each of them, as their books were coming out, was grounding. It allowed me to get outside of myself and feel useful to another person, and it also helped me build community and feel less alone in the publication process.
Rumpus: How did your book change over the course of working on it?
Brody: Much of the work of editing the book was tinkering with the plot until it was tighter and more thriller-y. It still straddles a line between literary fiction and crime fiction, but hopefully there’s something for readers in both camps.
Rumpus: Before your first book, where had your work been published?
Brody: The short story of which I’m proudest was published right here at The Rumpus! It’s called “Dream People,” and I published it in July 2023. I have also placed work at The Literary Review, Lit Hub, Electric Lit, CrimeReads, Noema, and Write or Die, among other magazines.
Rumpus: What is the best advice someone gave you about publishing?
Brody: Allie Rowbottom is a font of great publishing advice. She’s been so generous with her guidance and mentorship. She said something along the lines of this: “No one will care about your book more than you do.” And I think that’s important to remember. As a debut writer in a tough publishing environment, you have to advocate for your work and make sure that you aren’t waiting on some fairy godmother that isn’t coming.
Rumpus: Who’s the reader you’re writing to—or tell us about your target audience and you cultivated or found it?
Brody: I’m writing for someone who loves a well-written thriller à la Tana French or Donna Tartt. Rabbit Hole is definitely a dark book, and I think the readers who have connected with it the most understand that first and foremost, it is a rumination on grief and growing up.
Rumpus: What is one completely unexpected thing that surprised you about the process of getting your book published?
Brody: Writers can be pretty doom and gloom about publication, but I’ve been surprised by how many moments of sheer delight there have been. Every time I open a box of galleys or sign stock or sit down to dinner with a group of novelists, I feel the seven-year-old version of myself freaking out. I was the kid who used to write fan mail to my favorite authors. (Sorry about all the confetti, Sharon Creech.) I just can’t believe I get to do this. It’s a great honor to be read at all.
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Author photograph courtesy of Kate Brody
